Save Some Change Every Morning

Plus, cut down on waste.

Photo: Pamela Moore / istock

By Brian Clark Howard

Reduce waste, as well as toxic chemicals in the environment, by using a reusable mug at home, in the office and on the go, instead of opting for single-use containers for coffee, tea and other beverages.

If you buy your daily cup of coffee in a disposable container, you are generating about 22.75 pounds of waste per year. Across the country, 25 billion polystyrene (commonly known as Styrofoam) cups are thrown away every year, according to the EPA. That's troubling, because polystyrene takes hundreds of years to break down, and is made of nonrenewable petroleum. Scientists have also discovered carcinogenic compounds leaching out of polystyrene, possibly even into your hot drink!

Cups made of paper products are easier on the environment, but they are made of trees and can result in destructive deforestation. Even recycled paper cups require considerable energy to produce and distribute.

It's wise to use ceramic or glass containers for your hot beverages, because plastics can leach out small amounts of potentially toxic chemicals over time, particularly pthalates and bisphenol A. If the risk of breakage is high, and for on-the-go uses, consider stainless steel.

As an added incentive, remember that many coffee shops and university food services offer discounts for those who bring in their own reusable containers. Starbucks, for example, offers a 10-cent discount to those with their own mugs, and this encouraged 13.5 million customers to help keep 586,800 pounds of paper from landfills in 2003.

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