Weight Weight… Don’t Tell Me!
California became the first state to place an outright ban on plastic bags last week. This is an awesome step forward in reducing the waste that comes from the single-use items which are an unfortunate part of many people’s daily habits. Kudos Cali!
In light of this, we decided to look at some of the other usual suspects that contribute to our nation’s sky-rocketing municipal solid waste problem. But first, some statistics:
- 32 million tons of plastic waste were generated in 2012, representing 12.7 percent of total MSW (municipal solid waste).
- In 2012, the United States generated almost 14 million tons of plastics as containers and packaging.
- Only 9 percent of the total plastic waste generated in 2012 was recovered for recycling.
Source: http://www.epa.gov/waste/conserve/materials/plastics.htm
While it would be wonderful to think that every recyclable item gets recycled, and every compostable thing gets composted - it’s simply not the case. Look in any public waste receptacle for proof. MSW or ‘municipal solid waste’ is how we measure trash and it’s a numbers game based on weight. A single-use plastic bag comes in at 0.2 ounces.
Here’s how some ordinary beverage containers weigh in:
- 16 oz. Water Bottle: 0.4 ounces
- 20 oz. Iced Coffee ‘Corn Cup’: 0.6 ounces
- "Venti" Hot Coffee Cup, Sleeve, and Lid: "0.9 ounces
Ditching disposable bags is a great start, but bags pail in comparison to single-use cups that can weigh more than 4x as much.
BUT… there’s good news! With cups, just like bags, there is a simple solution: BRING. YOUR. OWN. A single person using a reusable cup on a daily basis can prevent pounds of waste from ending up in landfills in a single year.
So B.Y.O. and be the change!
Coffee Sock Co. reusable filters outperform the alternatives, while being less costly and less wasteful. This Chemex filter gets plenty of use at Cuppow HQ and it shows! The same great cup, day after day, without the waste.
http://cuppow.com/collections/coffeesock-co
BNTO is an easy way to take breakfast anywhere you want to go!
Simply separate oatmeal from fixins’ with a BNTO jar lunchbox adaptor and, when you’re ready to chow down, at hot water and go to town!
It’s a simple solution and can help you save time, money, energy, and natural resources while doing your body good for the most important meal of the day. Enjoy!
We’re proud to showcase the impact that Cuppow, through our local supply chain and recycled material sources, has on the environment. This year’s installment of our annual infographic project highlights just that!
Shop sustainable at: www.cuppow.com
Oh No! Greg Cyber Monday’d so hard that he forgot to hit STOP on our sale! Use the code: CYBERCUPPOW for 25% Off everything at cuppow.com for ONE MORE DAY!
We thought it would be fun to highlight some of our favorite coozie/cozy/sleeves for using Cuppow lids with your favorite hot bevs. These all make great partner-presents when paired with Cuppow and we love the growing landscape of options!
This is not, by any means, the entire offering for such products, just what we have used a lot and we can stand behind! We don’t retail them through our site (except for the Cuppow! Freaker) but we’ve provided links for scooping up your own directly.
1. Freaker
www.freakerusa.com & www.cuppow.com
Freaker’s are “Made in the freakin’ USA” and we love that their versatility adds to their sustainability. One Freaker to fit them all, any size jar and beyond! Available in a vast collection of styles including a Cuppow! design and many, many, many more. (Note: for pint size jars and smaller, just double the Freaker over and slip it over the jar.)
2. FCD Reclaimed Wetsuit
http://www.fcdsurfboards.com/shop/patagonia-patch-cozie
This one is a relative-newcomer into our purview but a few members of Fringe (the co-working space in Somerville, MA that houses Cuppow and more) have latched on, hard. It’s made from reclaimed Patagonia wetsuits and fits a variety of Wide-Mouth jars. The merino wool lined interior, coupled with the neoprene exterior make this great for hot beverages on the go and all kinds of hangin’ loose.
3. YNOT Cycles - The Cozy
http://www.ynotcycle.com/products/the-cozy/
‘The Cozy’ by YNOT Cycles is an upcycling success story. Using reclaimed 1000D Cordura® scraps leftover from the production of YNOT’s messenger bags - they’ve created a product that’s as sustainable as it is good looking. The heavy duty nylon handle is key when you’re on the move and the feel is familiar to anyone who knows all-weather cycling specific messenger bags. The large fits standard pint sized jars. While the small works with 12 oz quilted jam jar (pictured) and the smaller 8 oz. jars.
4. Old Sock
Your sock drawer
Doesn’t get much more sustainable than taking a sock who lost his sole-mate (did you catch that?) and turning him/her into a sleeve for your favorite jar. Thick wool socks offer up tons of insulation and unique look. Tall wool socks like WigWam and Smartwool are perfect because they’re crafted well and even if they’ve lost their buddy the same comfort they bring to your feet can now come to your hands!
5. Holdster
http://www.holdsterusa.com/
Holdster offers up options that are both made in the USA and built to last a lifetime. An XL for pint-and-a-half 24 oz. jars and one for a standard 16 oz. pint jar. The best part about bringing your own anything is making it truly your own through daily use and abuse. The vegetable tanned leather used by Holdster will develop a nice feel with time and will quickly become one of your morning coffee’s best buds.
6. Generic Neoprene Coozies
SWAG
Be it a generic beer coozie or a promotional product designed to capture you with the science of nu-marketing, a throw-away piece of SWAG can be put to good use around your favorite pint sized jar. If you are not digging the advertisement is, just turn it inside out. Neoprene > Form in terms of insulation but take what you can get and whatever you rep, rep it hard.
Also in the FREE category: that old athletic wristband, sleeve of a sweater, a bandana, a Thomson bag can be easily modded, or a cut-off wrist from a wool glove. Get creative!
7. BNG Tacticool Survival
http://bngtacticoolsurvival.com/products/
While the BNG site is a bit of a work in progress - they’re skoozies (that’s right, a portmanteau of survival and koozy… try to keep up!) are quite the conversation piece. They’re made of paracord so they can be used in emergency situations providing dozens of feet of reliable rope and they really drive this point home by shipping them with a card that reads, “Because you never know when.” They’ve been a big hit with the hunter/nascar/homesteader crowds we’ve shown them off to and they’ve got lots of options for styling up with colors and patterns galore.
Handmade:
You do it!
An Etsy search for "mason jar sleeve" yields more than 400 results! You can support a maker and shop online or get inspired and make your own! We love watching you get creative!
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We hope that you have enjoyed the second installment of the OFFICIAL COOZIE/COZY AND/OR SLEEVE WRAP-UP SUPER POST. Be sure to ‘Gram & Tweet (@cuppow), Tumblr-ize (cuppow.tumblr.com), or Facebook (facebook.com/UseCuppow) those pictures of your coozie/cozy/cozie/sleeve solutions and your Cuppow in action so we can check ‘em out and share them too!
Today only! Win a $200 bundle of Coffee Sock Co. filters and the Chemex, Hario, Cuppow, and Ball Canning coffee-companions to put ‘em to use!
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/8c021012/
Enter at the link above and by following Cuppow across the social web. Easy entry, big bucks in prizes!
(1) Chemex Coffee Maker (2) Chemex CoffeeSock Filters
(1) Hario V60 Ceramic Pour-Over Cone (2) Hario V60 CoffeeSock Filters
(1) 64 oz. Ball Canning Jar (1) Cold Brew CoffeeSock Filter
(1) Bag of Intelligentsia Celebration Blend
(2) Cuppow Canning Jar Drinking Lids - Regular & Wide Mouth
(2) Ball Canning Jars - Regular & Wide Mouth
(1) YNOT Cycles Cozy w/ Handle in Smoke Grey
(1) Holdster Cross-Stitch Leather Jar Sleeve
(1) #TeamCuppow Cycling Cap
A bundle of additional CoffeeSock Filters for #2, #4, and #6 cones and for great green gift-giving!
BNTO Colors for sale today!
We hope you have even more fun sharing, storing, and snacking on the good stuff now in color!
Buy here: http://cuppow.com/collections/bnto-jar-lunchbox-adaptors
Introducing: BNTO Colors!
The same four colors as Cuppow with the same four corresponding charities. 5% of the proceeds of the sale of all Cuppow and BNTO products in specific colors is destined for carefully chosen charities whose mission we support to the fullest!
These will be available for purchase next week! Enter our raffle today to get them first:
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/8c021011/
