How many coffee cups are thrown away in the U.S. each year?
It's no secret that Americans love coffee. So much so that an estimated 50 billion paper coffee cups are thrown away every year. Yes, that's just in America.
The problem is that the name "paper coffee cup" is very deceptive and misleading in reality. Paper coffee cups aren't just made of paper. They actually consist of a layer of polyethylene (plastic) and usually have a plastic cover. While convenient, this means they can't be recycled with other paper and cardboard items. It is estimated that only a quarter of paper cups can be recycled.
What you can do to make a difference
Invest in a reusable coffee mug. This will significantly reduce the amount of avoidable waste from using single-use paper cups.