Don’t Just Toss It

Reuse It!

Smart green news ahead!  Pilot programs have started up in San Francisco and Palo Alto, CA, where “smart” reusable coffee cups have been introduced to independent coffee shops in these areas. Basically, these smart cups are made from plastic and have an RFID chip or QR code that’s used to track them. The cups are then collected from drop-off locations, cleaned, redistributed, and digitally tracked- all with the purpose of leaving a lighter footprint.  Why is this a big deal, you ask?  Because most disposable cups are coated with a plastic lining that makes them almost impossible to recycle. In this scenario, that cup waste avoids the landfill and instead the cup is reused.  The NextGen Cup Challenge, which was led by Starbucks Corp. and McDonald’s Corp., is a project that’s been two years in the making and is now hitting coffee shops in CA.  Tech-enabled reusable cups… yes please! 

Don’t Just Eat It

Read It!

Ladies and gentlemen, for those who have been reading my newsletter since the beginning, one of the first articles ever written, many moons ago, was about clean ingredients.  And guess what, not that I’m a broken record, but years later clean ingredients are still in.  According to a 2018 L.E.K. survey, more than 60% of consumers look for products that claim “no artificial ingredients,” “no preservatives” and “all natural.”  Innova market research has since reported that 91% of U.S. consumers believe food and drink options with recognizable ingredients are healthier.  But hold up, although consumers want to avoid artificial ingredients, they also want the familiar products they like to taste the same.  No pressure.

Yours Truly,

Tracie T.