My favorite local coffee shop is two half blocks and an alley's walk from my house. I enjoy relaxing there with a good book and a double-shot Americano. This morning, had a hankering for an 'everything' bagel with cream cheese but remembered that the cream cheese is served in small single-serving plastic containers. (When patrons order this to go, they also get a plastic knife.)
These little containers are recyclable in my municipality, but likely end up in landfill because they're small and seemingly insignificant. Most of us aren't going to take the time to rinse them for the recycling bin. I know I've thrown them away before. For the convenience factor, we overlook the fact that they're made of plastic, designed to be used once then discarded. They don't biodegrade. They're here -- in our landfills and oceans -- for hundreds of years to come.
I ordered a croissant instead (served on a ceramic plate). As I was leaving, I saw the owner and told him about the 20-day challenge. I asked whether he'd consider ordering cream cheese in bulk to minimize waste and increase the likelihood that the tubs would be recycled (because his staff would do this). Bulk would also mean that no plastic knives would be given to customers because his staff would apply the cream cheese. He said yes!
My favorite coffee shop is already pretty cool. You get a .25 discount when using your own mug (which is more than the .10 you'd save at a larger chain we all know). The owner shared that a 20-ounce disposable coffee cup and lid costs him .18, plus shipping and storage costs, so engaging in sustainable practices is good for business too.
It can feel daunting to talk to a business owner. A 'time-defined challenge to self' is a great way, however, to create impetus for asking for what could be done more sustainably at one's favorite businesses.
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