Starbucks goes green

The new $1 reusable cup is a cheap and environmentally friendly option for both Starbucks and other coffee lovers.

Beginning this year, the Seattle-based coffee titan introduced the cup as a way of reaching a goal of serving 25 percent of all beverages in reusable cups by 2015.

Starbucks is on track to reach this goal as 28 percent of Americans bought or plan on purchasing the reusable cups, according to a study by research organization YouGov.

The new cups can hold any 16 ounces, grande-sized beverage, hot or cold, and Starbucks customers receive a 10-cent discount when the reusable cups are brought in for a refill.

Coffee drinkers will now have the satisfaction of knowing they’re helping reduce waste with the purchase of each reusable cup.

While efforts to reduce paper waste are nothing new to the coffee industry, Starbucks’ new product is the most inventive approach so far.

The home coffee brand, Keurig, offers a reusable coffee filter for their quick coffee machines to avoid the creation of plastic and foil waste with the use of each individual K-Cup.

While the durability of the cup has come into question with only 30 uses each, Starbucks stores around the country have sold out. The trick now is for customers to remember to bring the cups in for the refills.