Even as the world is becoming more and more ecologically minded, there’s no doubt that paper cups still have a place in everyday life. This is especially true in the lives of coffee drinkers.
Recent statistics show that American customers drink an average of 1.64 cups of coffee per day. What’s more, the retail value of the American coffee markets estimated to be nearly $50 billion and specialty coffee makes up about 55% of the market.
Whether you’re stopping into your local coffee shop for a quick cup of Joe and a scone on the way to work or you’re grabbing a specialty coffee to sit down and read at a place like Starbucks, chances are pretty good that you go through a lot of paper coffee cups.
It’s true that you can find paper coffee cups just about everywhere these days from schools to offices to coffee shops to doctors offices. Though many folks will tell you that getting a reusable thermos is a good way to cut down on waste, paper coffee cups are disposable and usually made out of recycled paper and are very beneficial when they’re compared to Styrofoam cups or plastic cups.
Some of the benefits of paper coffee cups include:
- Eco-friendly: Global warming continues to be a very serious issue in the world and any kind of food vessel these days, be it coffee cups or food containers, needs to be environmentally-friendly. Thankfully, paper cups are biodegradable because they’re made of disposable material that breaks down very easily. To add to that, paper cups can be recycled and their made of tree pulp, which makes them non-toxic.
- Safety: Compared to Styrofoam cups and plastic cups, paper hot cups with lids are the way to go for handing beverages. Paper hot cups with lids are easy to handle and because they’re non-toxic, they won’t contaminate beverages, regardless of whether they’re hot or cold.
- Convenience: These days, Americans are looking for convenience any way they can get it and it’s hard to blame them with everything becoming about express pay and automation and delivery services. Coffee is the same way; when Americans stop for a cup of coffee on the way to work, they want to get their favorite brew and something for breakfast before they get on with their day. Paper hot cups with lids are lightweight and easy to carry, so folks can take them anywhere, whether they’re driving to work or taking the subway downtown. They even work in busy airports where you might be carting a suitcase in your other hand as you try and dodge people.
- Wide variety: Paper hot cups with lids come in all shapes, sizes and colors, so people can get the size that’s right for them and fill it up with their drink of choice.
Some estimates indicate that there are hundreds of millions of coffee cups and lids that are bought, used and disposed of every single day. If you’re a frequent coffee drinker, using paper cups allows you to get your coffee fix, but also allows you to dispose of the cups in a proper manner so they can be recycled.
If you’re coffee connoisseur then you’re likely familiar with all different varieties of coffee cups lids that exist in the world today. You may not know it, but chances are you’ve seen at least two dozen or more different coffee cup lid designs in your lifetime, whether it’s a lid with a hole in the center for a straw, a lid with the slot cut in front for drinking or the peel and stick kinds of coffee lids.
As the world becomes more and more about “going green,” things like lids and straws continually come up in conversation when it comes to conserving energy and cutting down on materials. While there may be solutions in the future that replace paper coffee cup lids, for at least the near future, they’ll continue to be an important part of everyday life, especially as people to drink up coffee by the cupful.
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