UBC consumes a total of 1.5 million disposable coffee cups each year according to the UBC SEEDS sustainability program. During a waste audit of the old student union building in 2015, only 17% of these cups were sorted into the proper bins (Boyd, 2016). This means that most UBC students, faculty, and staff who consume beverages in single use cups are not disposing of them properly, meaning that they will end up in the landfill. I have committed myself to not purchasing coffee on these days that I don’t have a mug with me. For students who buy coffee every day, I believe that it should be easy enough to get in the habit of always having a reusable mug on you for your beverages. Common Energy’s Mugshare program, which I assume all of my sustainability marketing peers reading this post are already aware of, is hoping to tackle this issue, and make it easier for people to skip out on a disposable mug for a 2 dollar deposit. I used the Mugshare program for the first time the other day at Blue Chip when I forgot my reusable mug at home, and really needed a caffeine pick-me-up. I am all for Mugshare, but I did notice a few things that could be improved upon!

First, I noticed that there is not much information about Mugshare at these locations, just a small sign that was hard to read. The mugs also were barely visible, so I had to already have the knowledge about the program and where they are located to know that I could ask for my coffee in one of the Mugshare cups. Also, nobody asked me if I wanted to use Mugshare, and I believe the program would be much more successful if cashiers gave you the option when you are purchasing a beverage. Additionally, I found that the actual design of the mugs were not ideal. The single layered metal was extremely hot when I went to grab my coffee, and it actually required me to use a disposable coffee sleeve because I was not able to hold it. Improving on this aspect of the design could ensure that coffee drinkers keep using the program, and don’t find it inconvenient. I also believe that improvements to the non-sealable lid could help change consumers’ behaviour, since it is annoying to throw the mug in your bag when you have to head off to class. I would hate for coffee to spill all over my backpack’s contents because the lid is not sealable, something I think that could stop people from using the Mugshare program.

I am hoping to talk to someone who is involved in the program to recommend some of these changes! I am very excited about Mugshare: I firmly believe it is an enormous leap in the right direction when it comes to disposable coffee cups, and once people become aware of the program and find the mugs perfectly functional, they would have no reason not to use the service. This could even set an example globally, and I could see coffee shop chains adopting the program if they see that it can create shared value by cutting their costs, and appealing to conscious consumers!

Boyd, Y. (2016, March 15). Mugshare seeks to reduce the ~1.5 million disposable cups used on UBC campus each year. Retrieved 2019, from https://www.ubyssey.ca/culture/mugshare-reducing-disposable-cups-since-1918/