Who is Responsible

Spotted this article on Yahoo this morning.  Toronto is considering a ban on paper coffee cups or  to basically tax them like you do pop bottles, etc.

It is kind of ironic that we all love to buy coffee that is all ‘touchy feely,’ yet happily guzzle it down in paper cups with no place to chuck em after.

For a while, I worked or a ‘Business Improvement Association.’  We were always working on better garbage pick up due to the numerous complaints we got about overflowing garbage containers, particularly outside of the Starbucks.

What was really needed was recycling for all those cups.

But who is responsible?  The city? The business owners?

I think a bit of both really.  I think that any business that is selling products in disposable containers, SHOULD provide better receptacles for the disposing of said containers.  It makes me nuts that their little heat wraps for the cups are proudly made from recycled materials, but you have to chuck em in the garbage.

Our cities need far better recycling for these products too, but I think companies like Starbucks need to be financially responsible in some aspect for this.

Vancouver is overflowing in Starbucks and other coffee shops.  

I realize they encourage the use of the reusable containers and many people do buy them, but  I think for many people, it just doesn’t click into the spontenaity of a quick cup of coffee.

Fast food places need better recycling in their own restaurants too.  We shouldn’t still be sliding all our garbage into one receptacle. 

I would love to hear what political parties like the Green Party have to say about issues like this.

Or city level parties too.  We do have an election coming up here in Vancouver.   Speak up Gregor Robertson...I would love to hear your take on this.

If we are all striving to make this a better world, sadly, coffee cups are a big part of that.