Explanation
BACKGROUND:
Every day in Columbus, over 500,000 single-use coffee cups are thrown away (a conservative estimate). Reducing this waste requires creative, circular economic systems and solutions. The Central Ohio Reuse Coalition (CORC) is proposing to launch an open-loop reuse coffee shop project with the goal of reducing disposable coffee cup waste. Open loop refers to a system where reusable cups are managed in a manner like a library. Customers "borrow” reusable cups when they order coffee and are responsible for returning the reusable cup to the coffee shop. The reusable cup provider typically charges the coffee shop a fee to stock the cups, system usage charges, and a deposit fee to encourage return. CORC’s vision is to have at least one participating coffee shop by mid-2024 and have a network of participating shops by the end of the year. CORC has assessed three reusable cup platform providers with existing networks of coffee shops. While the materials and costs vary among the three, each share the same concept - an open-loop circular economy solution where customers purchase take-out drinks in reusable containers. The Coffee Shop Reuse Project targets two constituencies: coffee shop owners (along with their managers and staff) and coffee consumers. There are two overlapping areas of concern shared by both business owners and consumers: (1) the environment (waste reduction) and (2) health (not drinking from a disposable cup lined with plastic, which can leach into the beverage).
Outcome 1: Building a Coffee Shop Reuse Network
CORC has identified over 80 independent coffee shops in the City of Columbus and has spoken with several shop owners who have expressed interest in participating in the Coffee Shop Reuse Pilot. In a network of participating coffee shops, a customer can order coffee or tea in one shop and return the coffee mug to a participating coffee shop and receive their order in a clean cup or simply return the cup and redeem their d...
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