Climate Column: Cool Petaluma asks locals to BYO cup

Bringing your own container to cafes and restaurants cuts back on needless waste, writes Argus-Courier columnist Natasha Juliana.

NATASHA JULIANA

ARGUS-COURIER COLUMNIST

December 17th

’Tis the season for pumpkin spice lattes and holiday parties. As Cool Petaluma celebrated the end of the year with our third annual Stakeholder Shindig on Dec. 5, we announced the launch of our Bring Your Own (BYO) campaign, starting with the ubiquitous coffee cup.

Most people don’t realize that paper cups are lined with plastic and are not recyclable or compostable in our local waste stream. Even paper coffee cups labeled “compostable” go to landfill. If they were truly plain compostable paper, the liquid would go right through them.

The Petaluma Reusable Cup Project (also known as the purple cup project) was a recent three-month pilot project that helped keep more than 220,000 disposable cups out of the landfill. That test project ended, but the buzz about coffee cups continued.

So when Cool Petaluma put out a call to see if the community would be interested in starting a BYO campaign, the response was a resounding “yes.”

Comments rolled in displaying pent-up enthusiasm. “I am constantly shocked that people do not bring their own cups to places. It’s so easy! It’s so satisfying! It’s such a small but effective way to do something,” wrote one person. “I am one of those people that gets odd looks from the other people in line when I bring my own mug to get a latte so yes, I am interested in a BYO campaign,” wrote another.

With that wind in our sails, we organized a committee of volunteers to take on this project. Together, we brainstormed outreach options, researched health codes and foodware ordinances, and spoke to cafes about potential challenges and opportunities.

“As a coffee shop owner, I see the BYO campaign as a simple but powerful way to make a difference,” says John Crowley of Aqus Cafe. “By bringing your own cup, you’re not just helping us reduce costs and waste, you’re actively contributing to a cleaner planet. It’s a small habit with a big impact — good for the environment, good for the community, and a great way to show that sustainability starts with each of us.”

Conveniently, Crowley also happens to be part of the Cool Petaluma staff, so he was able to approach other cafe owners representing the interests of both business and the campaign. Coming off the heels of the purple cup project, everyone he spoke to was interested in finding ways to continue reducing their paper cup consumption, which helps both the planet and their bottom line. Encouraging customers to bring their own mugs is the fastest, simplest, and least expensive solution available.

Here is what you can do to participate:

First and foremost, simply ask for a “for here” cup when you are dining in. Most coffee shops default to “to go” so you’ll have to be specific about your request.

Second, bring your own travel mug, mason jar, or ceramic cup. Just make sure it is clean before you pass it to the barista.

Third, help spread the word. Showing up with your own mug signals to other patrons that this is a normal thing to do. Sharing this campaign with friends and family or giving the gift of a beautiful travel mug can help spur others to join you. And adding a free “Petaluma Reduces Waste” sticker to your mug creates team spirit. You can pick them up from any of the local establishments displaying the matching window cling.

It may be easy to dismiss paper cup waste as a proverbial drop in the bucket, but all those cups really add up. In fact, it is estimated that the United States alone goes through 50 billion paper coffee cups a year.

And when individual acts are done collectively and publicly, like getting loads of people to bring their own cup to the cafe, we begin to create lasting culture change. And that’s where the real power is.

To learn more about Cool Petaluma’s Bring Your Own campaign go to coolpetaluma.org/byo.

Natasha Juliana is the Campaign Director for Cool Petaluma. She can be reached at natashaj@coolpetaluma.org. For information on how to get involved, visit coolpetaluma.org.