Greening the new year

Welcome to the Go Green Mug Blog in 2009. As we launched in the middle of December 2008, this year is truly a fresh start for us. Follow us on this blog as we try to make a difference by getting involved with environmental causes and promoting the use of mugs in place of paper or polysteyrene cups through our website GoGreenMug. So go to http://www.gogreenmug.com/ and use the new year coupon code: ny1501ggm to get 15% off your personalized re-usable travel mug through January 2009.

In the last 2 weeks I have spoken to many friends and family and told them about our project Go Green Mug and our efforts to get Americans to re-use mugs and get involved with helping to reduce waste. Most of these people were very excited and wanted to do all they could, such as taking their mugs whenever they go to a coffee shop or helping at local beach clean-ups. However one friend suggested it really was not worth it. As long as people in places like China and India need to continue to grow and develop their economies they will continue to increase their waste, so is re-using a mug at a coffee shop in the USA really going to make a difference?

Reducing waste certainly does seem like an impossible problem, but lets look at some statistics. According to the US Enviromental Protection Agency - U.S. residents, businesses, and institutions produced more than 254 million tons of solid waste in 2007, which is approximately 4.6 pounds of waste per person per day. Re-using and Recycling reduces the emission of many greenhouse gases and water pollutants, saves energy, supplies valuable raw materials to industry, creates jobs, stimulates the development of greener technologies, conserves resources for our children's future, and reduces the need for new landfills and combustors. Recycling helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions that affect global climate. In 2007, the national recycling rate was 33.4 percent (85 million tons recycled) and this is expected to be higher in 2008.

33.4% is therefore only 1/3 of what we can do to re-use and recycle. Which leaves us lots of room to do something! There are also numerous other ways to reduce waste that cause carbon dioxide emmisions, deforestation or pollution of our beaches and oceans. As Americans we should be doing as much as we can ourselves. We can start by changing our habits - reduce our consumption where we can, re-use all items that we can and recycle everything that is possible to recycle. Our friends around the world are all aware of the global waste problem, even as they strive to achieve economic success. Our success in reducing waste will encourage them to do the same. If we do our best we can promote our actions and encourage other people to do whatever they can to reduce their waste.

So as 2009 begins, we should all resolve to ace that recycling statistic. Attempt to re-use or recycle 100% of all your waste products!
You can also try a number of other steps to help reduce waste:

1. Donate to an environmental charity of your choice.
2. Volunteer at one of the many active environmental organizations. Activities may include beach cleanups, teaching at schools and going to public hearings.
3. Reuse your plastic or paper bags at the grocery stores (or even better use a reusable canvas bag).
4. Turn off the lights and unplug electrical devices when you no longer need them.
5. Change all your light bulbs to Compact Fluorescent light bulbs. This will save you money in the long run by reducing your electricity bill.
6. Pay your bills online and sign up for electronic statements so that paper bills and envelopes do not need to be sent out.
7. Drive less! - Take public transportation, carpool, bike or walk.
8. Recycle everything you can and re-use everything else.
9. Buy from coffee houses that patronize sustainable coffee bean growth farms.
10. Buy a GoGreenMug for yourself and one for each of your coffee and tea drinking friends.
    

Check out the US EPA's What you Can Do site for more suggestions and details.
Lastly as promised we will continue to list some of the coffee shops that we visited and let you know what discounts they offer when you bring your own re-usable mug. As the GoGreenMug team are all in Southern California, please help us to evaluate more coffee shops by taking your mug in and asking for a discount. Then send us a comment or an email at support@gogreenmug.com to let us know where you went and the discount you were offered and attach a photograph of yourself and your mug and we will post it on this blog.

This week we visited Gloria Jean's in the Westminister mall. The barrista said the owner had recently restricted discounts for bringing in your own mug. In the end though he filled up my 16 oz mug (regular) and charged me for a small (12 0z). Well that sort of counts as a discount. I always ask for small and usually get charged for small, even though the mug itself holds a medium sized drink.