Hot stuff to go
The City of Toronto is trying to deal with the 350,000,000 paper coffee cups used in Toronto each year. These cups are cause problems in the recycling stream because their lids are made of a different material. The city would like to get the paper cups into the recycling stream, but also give people incentives, such as a cash discount, when they we use our own mugs. When I was in university in the mid 90s, everyone carried and used a reuseable mug. Was I in my own little world, or what happened?
These days I do carry a travel mug in my purse, and though occasionally I’m caught without it, I do use it a lot. A year or so ago I bought this stainless-steel mug from West Marine, a boating equipment store. I like it because it’s completely stainless, aside from the lid, so I don’t get the plasticy taste along with my cup of tea I’ve noted with cups lined with plastic. On the downside, though, it does not fit into cup holders. I tried clipping the mug to my laptop bag with a carabiner to keep it out of my purse, but I found it banged around a lot, and I thought I looked like I was trying too hard.
Here’s a tip: if you carry a reuseable mug, keep a small, absorbent cloth in your purse. That way when you’ve finished off your cup you can stuff in the cloth and toss the mug back in your purse without worrying about those last drops of tea ruining your wallet.
I’ve found a few other great mug designs, including this ceramic model and this fun take on the ubiquitous takeout coffee cup.
Have you tried carrying a reuseable travel mug? How does it work for you?
