We have a new homepage feature on takeaway cups (e.g coffee cups) which makes for sober reading.
Thanks to Matt Morris for sharing it with us.

Single Use Coffee Cups

I've never used one except twice by nefarious cafe default (ordered a coffee both separate times from separate airport cafes, only to find they ONLY serve it in a takeaway cup!). I can't abide coffee in takeaway cups - at least half the pleasure's in the ceramic cup it's delivered in and drunk out of.

We have our own "takeaway" cups, the type we take home and wash, some of the thermal variety and use those as much as possible. Otherwise, I am the same as J1, preferring to enjoy sitting down and drinking from a regular cup or mug.
I see quite a number of people buying coffee in a takeaway cup and then sit down and drink it at the table.

Radio NZ had a discussion on this a while ago and it was quite shocking. We have "keep cups" that we keep in the car for takeaway coffees.

I have just bought cups for Ed and I plus a spare for my car just in case I forget to take one.
It is shocking and something that is so easy to change.

I saw a UK documentary about this recently - the UK throws away 2.5 billion cups a year. It's almost impossible to get your head around that number. It's a massive and massively difficult problem to deal with.

They could get rid of the problem by just taking them away

Sometimes I wonder if it's more of an accessory, as in "look at me, I'm having coffee on the run", than a need. Or a psychological illusion creating by coffee marketers, wherein a person feels they can't get around the supermarket without having a takeaway coffee sitting in their trolley's special cup holder for it - surely the equivalent of thinking I'll just snort a bit of cocaine to get me around the supermarket or pop an Adderall to keep me going.

Perhaps, after making smokers uncool and social outcasts, instead of picking on obesity we could single out takeaway coffee people instead and let them know we're not admiring them nor thinking they're cool, but the opposite.

You don't see takeaway coffee in Italy. The idea is absurb, and I completely agree.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/20/2017 12:03AM by J1.

Good point J1.
I also looked with interest at the takeaway sushi container issue and the comment of should we take our own reusable containers to sushi shops.
Something has to change with all this plastic waste...

Which leads on to the subject of unnecessary packaging on goods. I dispair when I see things packaged with so much packaging that is not necessary and much of it is non recyclable.

It's ironic really that people don't get takeaway tea, and that they're not zooming around the supermarket with a cup of tea in their trolley. Tea has been marketed as being associated with relaxation, even though it contains caffeine and is a stimulant.

Agree J1, there is a lot of marketing swirling around our so-called 'coffee culture' I too hate coffee in takeaway cups.

Bottled water is another example of a totally overblown product with a large amount of plastic wastage - I shudder to think of the amount of plastic bottles going into NZ landfills on a daily basis, never mind worldwide.

Another one that really annoys me is that pancake mix that comes in a plastic bottle - just add milk, shake and pour. For goodness sake, how hard is it to make pancakes without a wasted plastic bottle at the end of the process.

Regards,

Barbara Anne



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/20/2017 04:44AM by Barbara Anne.

J1 totally agree - I'd rather have no coffee than drink it from a takeaway cup, and can't see the point of gulping it on the move anyway.

A friend and I had to go to Hamilton yesterday - Chartwell to be precise. When we arrived, after driving nearly 3 hours, some of it in that horrendous rain, a cup of coffee and muffin sounded just the thing before our appointment. So into Starbucks for a much anticipated treat. What a let-down! Muffin cooked in brown paper and served on a paper plate. Coffee in a polystyrene cup. No spoons, just wooden sticks to stir with. I've learnt my lesson - never will I go near Starbucks again!

Getting off the subject, for lunch we went to Jam on Queenwood. Remember that place Irene? It was called Café on Q when we went, then became The Platter Place and what it has been since then I don't know, but it's now Jam on Queenwood. I have a photo (attached) of several of us at our 2nd Foodlovers Lunch in March 2006. On the right there's your sister Lynette, then you, then Judy, with Noeleendickson on the end, then on the left from the front there's me, BevM and someone whose name I can't remember. Anyway, lunch yesterday was simple but very nice: Waffle-cut potato fries with melted cheese and little bowls with sour cream and sweet chilli sauce.

How funny that is Lorna. I was at Jam for lunch yesterday - about 1ish. It has always been good but has recently changed ownership so hope it remains that way.
And yes, wasn't the weather dreadful - squalls of driving rain!

Hi Lynette, I am trying to remember what time of day we were there. Our appointment was 11am and took about an hour. Then we walked around Chartwell window shopping and crossed over to Lyndon Court to see what was new there (nothing worth looking at). Then we tried to find my car because we came out a different door to the one we went in. Then, to top it all off, I lost my way looking for the Queenwood shops. I started off intending to turn into Glen Lynn Avenue then left in Pulham Cres, then right onto Herbert road and head down to the shops. But I turned one turning too soon and it took me into a whole subdivision I didn't know. Mum used to live in Pulham Cres (30 years ago) so I knew my way around there. We finally found the shops, which if I'd gone the other way, taking the Comries road exit from Chartwell, I would have found it no problem! Anyway, that must've put us there around 1 to 1.30'ish. We were probably there at the same time, even if only for a few minutes. Yes that would be right because we got home at dead on 4.30 and because the rain had stopped by then, it wasn't a slow drive home and only took 2 1/2 hours instead of the 3 it took driving there. So puts us at leaving Jam at around 2pm. There was a family with 2 or 3 smallish children sitting in the middle of the room and my friend and I sat at a table for two on the dividing wall between the two rooms.

Hi Lorna.. I haven't checked FL since possibly yesterday afternoon. It's funny as Lynette and I went to Jam today for a sisterly coffee and cake (as you do), and she mentioned your post, and got a very blank look from me. I m just catching up now. That isn't me in the original photo but that is Helen Bell and then Judy next to her. That was the day after my son's wedding - and I couldn't make it as I fainted at his reception (later in the evening fortunately) and whacked my head on a balcony railing - that now explains a lot as to my brain patterns

Do you know I have only ever been to Starbucks twice I think - once in the USA and once at the Chartwell one, but I wasn't impressed either time or venue, so have never returned.

I am glad you got home safe and sound Lorna, as yesterday was a particularly horrendous day for driving and countrywide!

No Hate posts please

I actually enjoy coffee in a takeaway cup and will often order it that way and sit in, may be take it back with me to work or take it on the go as I collect kids ect. It stays warm and tastes good.
I also like good looking takeaway cups, if the takeaway cup is a common "Gilmores" one and not a cool trendy stylish one, Im not as keen, in fact I will avoid the cafe.

I do have a Keep Cup [nz.keepcup.com] and a very good Japanese coffee thermos Zojirush [www.zojirushi.com]. Both of these are amazing BUT I still have a fetish for the cardboard takeaway cups.

I am addicted to the stuff and really love my morning and morning tea coffees. Its also a social thing, I love cafe culture, the smell, the noise, the magazines, the music, the chit chat and people watching.

I do however care about the environment and totally agree that something needs to be done with all the takeaway and packaged stuff things come in. It wouldnt bother me to get my sushi in a lunchbox I provided but for some reason, its not the same for coffee.

Vanessa

PS Great pic, Im trying to work out who is who ;-)



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/22/2017 12:09PM by Vanessa45.

Irene, is Helen your other sister? You both look very alike to me. I've got heaps of photos from our various FL Lunches and many of them I've managed to name in the photos. Here's a sobering fact - our last lunch was at Helen's on 17 August 2013 - almost exactly 4 years ago. Time for another one???

Helen is definitely NOT related Lorna We do have another sister who lives in Silverdale, but she has no connection to FL whatsoever - but I believe does know Lyn V

Edited to add re a get together. Would be lovely to have another one again but as to the when and where???



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/23/2017 12:22AM by Irene Field.

I'll leave it to someone else to organise this time as I seem to have organised all the others. It's a pain trying to find a date and place that everyone is happy with. It doesn't make much difference to me because I have to travel a good distance where ever it's held. So Hamilton, Auckland, Tauranga and anywhere in between is fine with me. Just not a Tuesday or Wednesday because that's when I teach SeniorNet and play petanque.

Just for reference, we have had them in the past at:
Whitianga Hotel 2004
Cafe on Q, Hamilton 2006
Moreton Estate, Katikati 2006
Kaimai Cheese Factory 2008
Helen's Home 2009
Tamahere? Sunday Markets, Hamiton ???
Helen's Home 2013



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/24/2017 02:36AM by Lorna.

Not related to a FL get together but relevant to the takeaway cups issue, this cafe is my girlfriend's local and featured in the press:

[www.broadsheet.com.au]

Isn't it a brilliant idea?

Oh, thank goodness Whitianga hasn't got to the 'buy your coffee and run' stage yet. No buses or trains to run for and no matter where you live, it's not more than a 10-15 minute drive from home! We might be old fashioned but we love to sit down for a good cup (or mug) of coffee and a chin-wag. I can't say I've seen take-away cups anywhere here, except maybe at Subway. Does Subway even do coffee??? And Subway is the only food franchise in town. No McD's, BK, or whatever. It's heaven!

Wow Im surprised about Whitianga, I just assumed takeaway cups were everywhere, Im so used to coffee on the go, at work and in the car, seriously its really normal, its part of my cafe culture. I enjoy my second cup driving to work (home take away in a keep cup).

Great novel idea at the cafe in OZ Lynette, Id say with Kmart around people will have many many old mugs to donate in favour of cheap and cheerful kmart trends. Buts thats another issue all together

Vanessa

I have a couple of keep cups - I do sometimes like a takeaway coffee on the sports sideline. I am trying to avoid disposable/single use plastics - it is a challenge but I am making some progress.

Sushi - I try and eat in now.

Supermarket bags - I take my own and small produce bags.

I am ordering fruit and vege via a box system.

I still have alot of plastics though even so - cheese wrappers, milk bottles, yoghurt pots, bacon wrappers, cracker packets etc

I think yoghurt is the next step, and maybe buying bacon, meat from the butchery in take home containers. Milk, cheese and crackers are going to be harder....I know I could make my own crackers but I am not quite there yet.

I've made my own yogurt but end up buying, but several companies do put their yogurt into cardboard boxes, even one of the luxury ones now too.

Like everyone I'm trying to do my bit, I don't have a keep cup because I don't do takeaway coffee very often at all (maybe 3-4 times a year), I use a soda stream to fizz my water so just use those bottles to carry it, and we take our own bags to the supermarket as well. However we do need some plastic bags in our system as they are the only practical option for picking up the doggy doos at walk time.

Griz brings up an interesting point. Doggy doos! So if plastic bags are totally banned, how are they going to be picked up. I always wonder at the wisdom of picking up doggy doos (definitely a must) in a plastic bag (frowned upon) and there are absolutely no alternatives?

Irene, you could make a super-dooper-pooper-scooper out of a 1 litre dreaded plastic milk bottle (reusable for some time) and scoop doggy-doos into an old tin can (washable) of appropriate size (think Black Doris Plums). They could all be carried in a reuseable bag.

I don't know about you, but I've got at least 15 reusable bags in different sizes collected free from various places such as the Food Show, Real Estate promotions, council tsunami training days, etc., etc. I just haven't got a dog!

Nice suggestion Lorna, but I don't think I would relish walking along, and during our walk smelling an open can with dog poos in it. Possibly the best option - but this would be frowned upon by the general consensus - is that if dog owners did carry a scoop and pushed any doggy doos to one side, so it can biodegrade naturally, rather than being plastic encased? But not a good solution for people that mow their kerbside lawns?

I just think it ironic when councils are jumping on the plastic bandwagon - ie plastic shopping bags - as ours recently has, but ignore the larger plastic issue?

I have a myriad of reusable carry bags - guess what I get when I am on an educational doing hotel inspections? I have small ones, extremely large ones, zipped ones and they all get used for groceries - and then of course normal local sourced ones.

There are biodegradable bags available. I hope that more retailers use these for small purchases.