Become a eco-friendly cafe by removing these 6 items…
6 plastic items your cafe doesn’t need
If you’re looking to move towards a more eco-friendly cafe environment, you should start with replacing the following disposable items - water bottles, coffee cups, lids, cold cups, straws and cutlery.
There are some great alternatives on the market making it easier than ever to switch. There are many great initiatives you can implement too, but today we want to focus on disposable alternatives to plastic.
- Plastic Water bottles
Glass or aluminium bottles of water are becoming increasingly popular. We prefer these over cans due the fact they have a screw top lid and can be refilled and reused over and over.
Aluminium particularly is infinitely recyclable. With over 70% of aluminium recycled compared to only 26% plastic.
Check out this Happy Hippo brand.
Pure Aussie Spring water, designed, printed and bottled in Queensland.
2. Coffee cups
Choose home compostable alternatives that don’t need additional collection services or facilities to break down. Unfortunately PLA (like the well known biocup) is only commercially compostable as it’s made form a bioplastic and without proper treatment it acts just like plastic in landfill. Home compostable cups can break down in general waste over time. Even faster in the ground or home compost, in a matter of weeks.
Our designer coffee cups are home compostable and break down in just 3 weeks!
3. Coffee cup Lids
With plastic lids on their way out, the most eco-friendly option is a sugarcane pulp or paper lid. They may not be able to stand the test of time but that’s their charm. They are both compostable!
If you choose to use a PLA lid, you can implement a collection bin through services like Compost Connect.
Check out some great options here
4. Cold Cup
Say no to clear plastic cups for cold beverages. They may look the part but by choosing a home compostable paper cup you are significantly reducing the amount of plastic cups reaching landfill. Pla or commercially compostable clear cups ‘made from plants not oil’ do not break down in landfill and can not be recycled. Bring back the old school milkshakes in paper cups we say!
You can use any home compostable coffee cup with a straw for your cold beverages. Or even go strawless!
5. Straws
So blessed not to have plastic straws anymore! But thier cheap and soggy brother ‘paper’ isn’t much better. Plus you’ll need twice as many just to finish your drink.
Sugarcane and wheat straws are amazing. If you have tried them, you’ll know they are life changing. Water resistant and compostable and are all made from agricultural waste? How could this product get any better?
More info here or even order a sample pack to test them out for yourself!
6. Cutlery
Now that plastic cutlery is banned in most states, the not so great alternative ‘wooden cutlery’ was reborn. They aren’t just horrible to eat with but the knife doesn’t even cut. And PLA (regardless of its compostability) has actually already been banned in a few states.
Introducing, the best alternative ever created and a Aussie first, the Coffee Cutlery. Thick, sturdy, smooth, cuts like a dream and made from upcycled coffee grounds. Home compostable and will break down in your general waste over time. Plus it’s tree-friendly 🌱
You have go check these out in person to really see how amazing they are.
Starting with the above 6 big plastic offenders is a huge start on your journey to be a more sustainable cafe.
Creative Cafe Company specialises in all of these wonderful products, order a FREE sample box today to check them out for yourself.