After pledging last year to phase out plastic straws from all of its locations by 2020, Starbucks announced plans this week to test recyclable and compostable cups. The coffee chain aims to “double the recycled content, recyclability and compostability, and reusability” of its cups and packaging by 2022.
Starbucks uses around 7 billion cups each year, and while the cups can be recycled, their plastic lining makes it difficult. So now Starbucks is going to test a variety of greener options over the next year in several key markets, including New York, San Francisco, and London.
Considering the jaw-dropping number of cups that Starbucks uses each year, replacing those with compostable options is of utmost importance. Still, what would be even better is if people simply bring in their own reusable cups rather than using a new one each time.
