There are a few simple steps we can take which will collectively make a huge difference for the earth. One is to stop using disposable coffee mugs. Learn to take a coffee travel mug with you (and there’s one for anybody’s purse or pocket – see below). Both regular and insulated coffee travel mugs work well. I was inspired when I spent a month at my parent’s home in Kentucky. My dad puts a normal medium-sized coffee mug into his leather briefcase-type carry bag (and yes, it fits!). Every Sunday at church he uses that instead of the Styrofoam cups offered. He takes it everywhere, even on his recent European trip hitting Ireland, Italy, Spain and Portugal.
Since then, I’m learning to grab one of my own coffee mugs – either a regular one, or an insulated coffee travel mug. The nice thing about a coffee travel mug is they come in a variety of sizes, so you can easily find one to fit in your own carry-bag or purse (or just have one in your car).
Stojo Silicone Collapsible Cup
Yes, you can get a collapsible coffee mug made from silicone. This one is sleek, comes in a variety of colors, comes with a silicone straw if you want iced coffee, and collapses to 2.5″ thick – you can actually fit this into your pocket. For those who really don’t want a bulky coffee mug of any kind in their bag, this one is for you. Because it’s silicone it’s dishwasher and microwave safe. It comes in a variety of sizes, too, but most people will want the 16oz travel mug (4″x4″x6.5″).
You can find the Stojo Silicone Collapsible Coffee Cup at Amazon.com, Etsy.com and TheGrommet.com.
S’well Tumbler
If, like me, you want something that’s looks like a work of art, this insulated stainless steel coffee travel mug is the one for you. It holds 18oz too – the perfect size for a Starbucks Grande with a little bit of room at the top. The S’well Tumbler comes in gorgeous shades and designs – like white marble or natural wood – even though it’s a stainless steel travel mug. It also comes in some classic solid colors, too. It’s high-grade stainless steel and BPA free.
You can find the S’well Tumbler Insulated Coffee Travel Mug at Amazon.com, Swellbottle.com and Revolve.com.
Contigo West Loop Stainless Steel Travel Mug
If, like me, you have a “drinking problem” and end up getting coffee on your clothes almost every day, this is the travel coffee mug for you. It’s classic looking, and the superior Autoseal lid technology won’t let stray drops decorate your outfit. It comes in both 16oz and 20oz in a large variety of shiny and matte stainless steel colors. With this Thermalock insulated coffee travel mug your drink will stay hot up to seven hours and cold up to eighteen hours.
You can find the Contigo West Loop Stainless Steel Travel Mug at Amazon.com, Target.com and Walmart.com.
Kinto Travel Tumbler
This is a chic fashionable insulated coffee travel mug which keeps your drinks hot up to seven hours. It comes in several neutral shades with a Feng Shui modern-art vibe – minimalist and professional-looking, in two different sizes. The lid screws off so you can sip it like a regular coffee mug.
The Kinto Travel Tumbler is found at Amazon.com, Kintostore.com and at the Museum of Modern Art store (store.moma.org).
Okay, if nothing else, you have to check out the Museum of Modern Art store website. All is can is WOW.
Yeti Rambler
For people who love the power of Yeti – like their camping cooler – you will love this double-walled insulated coffee travel mug. It features a mag-slider lid – using magnets to keep your lid closed – and comes in a large variety of fun colors. The sweet thing is that the entire mug – all of it – can go in the dishwasher. It’s insulated stainless steel. Yeti has a variety of coffee travel mugs in different sizes.
You can find the Yeti Rambler at Amazon.com, Yeti.com and EBay.com.
Hydro Flask Travel Coffee Flask
This double-walled insulated classy coffee travel flask comes in several sizes and will keep your drink hot up to six hours and cold up to twenty-four. As a flask it has a wide-mouth opening with a flip-cap, so you can sip it like a regular mug or like a normal coffee travel mug. It comes in a bunch of pretty color options, is made of stainless-steel and is BPA free.
The Hydro Flask Travel Coffee Flask is found at Amazon.com, Backcountry.com, HydroFlask.com and REI.com.
Or just a regular coffee mug
Another option is to purchase a local coffee shop’s travel mug – the bonus is that you get a good discount at that shop every time you refill your mug. I did this with Pike’s Perk Coffeehouse – they offered a smaller size than normal coffee travel mug. I love the smaller size as it fits well in my purse, it’s a “Small” at the coffee shops, and it keeps my coffee hotter longer while I’m enjoying my writer’s group at that coffee shop every week. This is the one I grab to take to church, too, as I don’t worry about it breaking. But you can use a travel coffee mug, any of them, at chains like Starbucks and get a cup discount.
Plus coffee travel mugs are just so much prettier than disposable cups.
Of course another option is to do like my dad and simply carry around your own favorite coffee mug from home. Be careful if it’s ceramic and might break. For my fitness program I love to larp (live action role-play), and for that I bought a beautiful, small wooden coffee mug from EBay.com. It won’t break through all my fantasy adventures, I loop through its handle to hang on my belt, it looks medieval being made of actual wood, and my larp character, a dryad, hates metal, so its perfect.
