Swapping Disposable Cups for a Reusable Coffee Cup

Millions of takeaway coffee cups are thrown away each day but less than 1% get recycled. Many single-use coffee cups can’t be recycled because they have a plastic lining or drink residue inside. 

The rest should go to landfill or incineration sites where they’ll either be buried or burned but many don’t make it that far. In the 2020 UK Beach Clean, coffee cups and drinks containers were in the top 10 most found single-use plastics. It’s a similar story across most of Europe and around the world.

Although many people have adapted to bringing a reusable mug to their local coffee shop, most people still rely on disposable cups. Hopefully, you’re already thinking about ditching plastic cups for good. Here, we’ll give you some tips for switching to reusable drinking mugs.

Also read: How to be more sustainable with five simple habits.

What makes a good reusable coffee cup?

Travel coffee cups come in many shapes, sizes, and colours. They’re also available in various materials, so it’s important to know what’s the best reusable coffee cup design and what’s the worst. 

Of course, we love stylish coffee mugs as much as you do, but a practical design always comes first. After all, a no-spill reusable coffee cup will be easier to carry than an open cup. Equally, a reusable coffee cup with a lid needs to be easy to drink from while walking. 

Also, think about what material would be best for you. There are many options, including glass, stainless steel, silicone, or bamboo. Each material has its pros and cons. 

Glass is recyclable, trendy, and durable but it’s also the heaviest material. Silicone cups are lightweight and often collapsible, but they’re made from a type of plastic that’s difficult to recycle and non-biodegradable. Meanwhile, bamboo is durable, lightweight, and eco-friendly but it won’t insulate your drinks. 

We recommend choosing a flask cup made from double-walled stainless steel because the material is easy to clean, recyclable, non-toxic, durable, and lightweight. It also keeps your drinks hot or cold for hours. Plus, you can find stainless steel coffee flasks in a range of colours, so there’s no need to compromise on style.

In short, stainless steel travel cups have all the best features. 

However, you’ll need to decide if that’s the right cup for you. Find the right travel drinking mug for your needs and you’re more likely to use it every day and say goodbye to disposables.  

How to get cheap coffee with your reusable mug

There are several advantages of reusable coffee cups. One of which is that you can get a discount in many coffee chains and independent cafes. Bring your reusable coffee cup to Starbucks, Café Nero, Costa Coffee, Pret a Manger, and many other international chains. You’ll save money every time you buy a takeaway drink.

Tips for remembering your coffee flask

When I switched to using a coffee flask, my biggest challenge was remembering to take it with me. I often forgot it at home or at the office. Obviously, a travel coffee mug is useless when it’s left on the kitchen worktop, so I came up with a few tricks to get me in the habit of taking mine with me. 

If you’re also forgetful, try using these tips.

Put your cup somewhere obvious

What do you always take when you leave the house? Probably your keys, phone, handbag, or wallet. You’ll probably put on a jacket and shoes too. Keeping your reusable cup next to any of these items will make it almost impossible to leave behind.

Put it in your bag

If you prepare your work, gym, or school bag the night before, put your flask cup in at the same time. It will be ready to go so there’s no chance you’ll forget it in the morning. 

Reward & penalty

Remembered to bring your reusable coffee mug? Great! Why not stop by a coffee shop and treat yourself to your favourite beverage. Forgot it again? Pay the penalty by skipping your morning coffee. After all, you don’t want to use a disposable cup anyway. Sticking to a simple reward and penalty programme might motivate you to remember your cup. 

Make your drinks at home

Instead of buying a drink while you're out or waiting till you reach the office, try making your drinks at home. You can make your favourite coffee with reusable coffee pods, prepare a homemade iced tea, or try out some vegan drinks’ recipes. Make your drink just before leaving home, so it’s fresh in your mind.

Fill it with water

If you normally take a reusable water bottle, consider filling your coffee flask with water instead. That way, you don’t need to carry an empty cup with you. FLASKE’s coffee mugs are thermally insulated for hot and cold beverages so you can sip iced water while you’re out and about.

Set a reminder

Another tip for remembering your travel coffee cup is to set a reminder on your phone. Set the alarm to sound a couple of minutes before you plan to leave the house. That way, you’ll have time to run back and collect your cup without being late.

Use sticky notes

Although it may be old fashioned, it’s super effective. Write yourself a message on a colourful sticky note and put it on your front door. You’ll find the bright yellow note difficult to ignore, and before long, taking your travel cup with you will become an automatic habit.