We connected with Rit Dye on Twitter during the White House’s #NationOfMakers event this summer. After some chatting and brainstorming via email we got to planning a tie-dye party here at Fringe Union to upcycle some of our old duds with the help of Rit’s fantastic products!
Rit is nearly 100 years old and is manufactured in the US (plant is in Indianapolis). It’s definitely a great sustainability option for a host of reasons:
Your clothes last longer so you’re disposing of less. Example: you can dye faded jeans dark again or stained white clothes a new color.
You can salvage thrift store finds by dyeing them, again reducing waste and the demand for new materials.
You can buy plain fabric, sew clothes or curtains or what have you, and dye it yourself, avoiding commercially dyed items.
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.
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.
Showering brown beans with praise and hashtags is fun an all - but today more than ever it is super important that we also take an honest look at the waste associated with our favorite daily habit.
5 cups a week = 250 cups a year
58 billion paper cups are thrown away every year
Disposable cups often times cannot be recycled as they feature a polystyrene lining that makes them waterproof.
"Compostable plastic" while it might seem good, is in many ways a joke
By the time a disposable cup reaches your hand, it has caused 0.25 lbs of CO2 to be emitted into the atmosphere (same as driving ¼ mile) ‘
It’s alarming, we know! But the good news is there is an easy fix. Here it is:
CoffeeSock filters are reusable coffee filters made from organic cotton designed to replace the disposable filters for all common brew systems. All CoffeeSock filters are handmade in Austin, TX.
CoffeeSock filters are durable and should last 9 to 12 months with regular use saving you money and sparing the planet another paper filter.
We’re even inclined to say it makes better coffee than your average paper filter- producing a richer, more balanced brew.
CoffeeSock filters are all sorts of things we love: coffee gear that’s simple and well designed. The Cuppow team traveled to Austin to meet the makers of CoffeeSock, and a new friendship was forged. We’re proud to carry a reusable product that minimizes everyday waste.
Check out the 2nd installment in our Instagram video #cuppowinthewild series: #burgerandbenito
This short snippet of a day in the life of Cuppow in NYC features our buddy Gia hitting the town on a lovely Sunday while enjoying some drinks and snacks without the waste of single-use plastics.
Song: Fantastic Sam by Gap Dream licensed via Burger Records
The Mason Tap is a unique pour spout that fits any regular mouth mason jar. Made in the USA from high quality stainless steel and finished with a handcrafted flip cap, the Mason Tap can handle anything from salad dressing to infused waters, oils or spirits.
Developed by our friends W&P Design, the same great team that brought us The Mason Shaker, The Mason Tap is available today through Cuppow!
More than anything, The Mason Tap is a tool to empower home cooks and drink enthusiasts to have some fun creating their own infusions using a simple lid and any regular mouth jar. We love enabling the inner creative in the kitchen and, as always, helping you do more with less!
