A.M. Greenlist: Treehugging and double-cupping

>> A recap of the Arbor Ardor event at the Santa Monica Museum of Art (right) on Saturday, from Bawdy the Squirrel. "It was a sunny, colorful day filled with art and laughter and thoughts. Although I was the only one leaving Bergamot Station without a car."

>> Down with double-cupping. Don Teague of NBC gets to the bottom of why he keeps getting two cups plus a sleeve with his Starbucks drink, when the store policy is to just use one cup. Methinks Teague's probs would be more easily solved by just taking his own cup -- which Teague says he'll "definitely think about." Here's my cup-related suggestion for Starbucks. (h/t Rodney)

>> Somewhat less relatedly: Teague's reason for his Starbucks habit -- "having a 20-something with dreadlocks call me "dude" and ask how my day is going makes me feel young" -- makes me pity him a little... Will I become so desperate for 20-something approval when I hit his age?

>> Green Building & Remodeling for Dummies. Organic architect Eric Corey Freed -- who put together the green blogging panel I was part of a few years back -- has put together a book to help you green your home.

>> Monsanto the monster. Vanity Fair devotes a long feature to expose this company's shady dealings in chemical herbicides, genetically modified seeds and hormones for milk cows. "Most Americans know Monsanto because of what it sells to put on our lawns— the ubiquitous weed killer Roundup. What they may not know is that the company now profoundly influences — and one day may virtually control — what we put on our tables." (via groovygreen)

Photo courtesy of C. Davis

Comments

[Bawdy the Squirrel]

Thank you for the nod.

As for the double cupping - it brings to mind something I do not understand about all coffee chains (Starbucks included):

The same materials are being used in every cup. While not everyone drinks their coffee in the store, many do. So why are there trash cans? It seems it might be a simple thing to create a set of two recycle bins (+ trough for unfinished coffee): one with a slot for the lids, another with a circle for the paper cups.

I bet the people at Preserve might have a use for the plastic lids. As for the paper - it is treated, so perhaps standard paper recycling wouldn't work, but it would be a neat little gimmick to sell journals/writing products out of old coffee cups (sorry Starbucks, you don't quite have the coolness factor to pull off the creative recycling like they do with bodega coffee cups).

While not as good as bringing your own cup (hey, it IS inconvenient when you're walking everywhere), there are so many of these cups out there, I can't help but think it would make a difference...