Coffee Company Introduces Eco-Friendly Cups
Drinking coffee on the go is hurting the environment because of those paper cups made with petrochemicals, which don't biodegrade, but a major coffee company has just come out with the first ecotainer.
The green, disposable cup keeps coffee hot without causing global warming, News4's Wendy Rieger reported.
Last year, 14 billion disposable coffee cups were used in the United States, and in four years that number is projected to be 24 billion. To ease the burden on the environment, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters of Vermont and International Paper have teamed up to produce the eco cup.
The cup's waterproofing is made from bioplastics from plants instead of petrochemicals. Once thrown away, the cups will biodegrade and return to nature.
Bioplastics made from plants are gaining popularity. Currently, there are several companies making biodegradable plastic cups, plates and utensils from plant plastics, and the field is still growing.
Eco Products provides biodegradable disposable cups for the Navy so sailors can throw them overboard and they dissolve in the ocean. But Green Mountain representatives said they're the first coffee company providing the cup.
Green Mountain's research shows that customers probably won't be more likely to choose their product because of the biodegradable cups.
One competitor, Starbucks, is also in the green lane, offering discounts to customers who use their own coffee mugs and donating coffee grounds to encourage people to compost. www.nbc4.com
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