Dunkin’ Donuts is trying to reduce its carbon footprint one cup at a time. But their new ban on Styrofoam cups has customers up in arms, with many taking to Twitter to share their displeasure, while others have begun hoarding cups for the long, cold winter. The backlash started over “double-cupping,” a habit of Dunkin’ customers who order cold beverages but don’t want to get their hands cold, a perfect storm of self-pampering and wastefulness. But seeing the negative environmental effects of such behavior, Dunkin’ has decided to put an end to double-cupping, using slogans like “consciously un-cup-ling” to get patrons on board with the movement. Unfortunately, you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it stop being a total environmental jackass.
And while Dunkin’s small transformation is laudable, it would be nice to see big companies do even more. As for the rest of us, it’s time we started letting go of a few bad habits. Because real change has to happen on both sides of the cash register if humans hope to curb the effects of climate catastrophe. Here are eight easy ways to change up your consumption ruts today for a better planet tomorrow.
Photo: NBC
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Dunkin Cups
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End the Serial Infidelity
Everyday we go out and put our lips on cups we just met when we have a perfectly good cup waiting for us at home. Stop the cheating and bring your home cup with you when you go out.
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Refuse the Utensils
If you're at home making bowls out of plastic forks, go sit in timeout and think about your actions. There's a better way to end the geyser of plastic utensils overflowing from that one random drawer in your kitchen. Just remember to refuse plastic utensils when you get takeout. Because everyone has access to a real fork. And it's time we all embrace that.
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Skip the Plastic Bag
Another bad takeout habit is wrapping your to-go order in a plastic bag. Most things are already contained by that point and the final bag is just redundant. Just say no thanks to the bag and carry the boiling hot soup in your arms like it's a kitten.
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Say Goodbye to Ziplocs
Time to say goodbye to your old friend Ziploc. But fret not. It’s actually less expensive to buy a starter kit of reusable glass Tupperware than it is to buy a large box of Ziploc baggies.
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Stop Grasping at Straws
Bitching about paper straws is no longer an excuse. Be an adult. Stop sucking from the plastic teat. What about boba, you say? They now sell reusable straws just for you.
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Avoid Plastic-Wrapped Food
Trader Joe's is an amazing place, but one thing they need to work on is all the plastic-wrapped produce. Fruits are born naked. They are eaten naked. And they should be sold naked. Let's cut out the plastic middleman and ask Mr. Joe to do the same.
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No More Plastic Water Bottles
We cannot stress this enough. A whole industry has been built up around a fabrication. Most water bottle companies use processed tap water to fill their bottles, not some virgin holy water from a glacial spring. Then they stick a fancy label on it and sell it back to us at a premium. Don't fall for that trap. The amount of waste involved in this pointless ritual is massive. And water can be easily treated at home and carried in a reusable vessel of your own design. But deep down inside, you've always known that. It feels good to let the truth out, doesn't it? It's time.
