PETITION TO REDUCE THE USE OF DISPOSABLE CUPS

Dear Policy Makers at: Starbucks, Tim Hortons, Caffe Artigiano, JJ Bean, and Bean Around the World      

I am a concerned citizen that is interested in supporting sustainable initiatives in Metro-Vancouver. I want to reduce our waste and consumer ecological footprint and believe you can help. I think cafés should encourage reusable mugs over disposable cups for reasons outlined at www.bethechangeearthalliance.org/youthaction/thefacts. I request that you seriously consider any or all of the below initiatives to reduce your establishments’ use of disposable cups:

• Please ask if your customers are eating in, and automatically serve all eat-in drink orders in ceramic cups. In addition to improving the sustainability of the organization, this also presents a significant cost saving opportunity with minimal investment.
  
  
• If your customers need their beverages to-go, always ask if they have their reusable cup for a minimum of a 10 cent discount. Our campaign shows that awareness of this option will increase the likelihood of using a reusable mug.
  
  
• Place a small sign or place-mat advertisement at the order counter to make customers aware of the reusable mug option and the relevant discount that you have in place. This can include other sustainability facts, as outlined in the attached document, which will help reinforce your establishments' positive intentions.
  
  
• Increase the discount for those who bring reusable mugs or to go containers. Local coffee shops offer discounts ranging from a low of 10 cents to a high of 10%. Your local competitors also offer to fill up the reusable mug for the price of the smallest size.
  
  
• Offer a temporary or monthly promotion discounting the to-go mugs you sell in your cafes, communicating the sustainability concerns associated with disposable cups.
  
  

Thank you for hearing this consumer request. I hope that your company will respond by helping us all reduce our global sustainability impact. I look forward to seeing if your company policy enacts some or all of our recommendations.

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