New Starbucks cups reduce plastic and water waste while making them more user-friendly for the visually impaired

Starbucks has launched a new line of cups that the company says will keep more than 13.5 million pounds of plastic out of landfills each year.New cup announced in advance The Earth Daywhich uses 20% less plastic and requires less water for production, but at the same time, a new report finds that plastic production remains a major problem and produces more emissions than even the aviation industry.

The company’s innovation lab in Seattle developed the new cups, which will be used to purchase cold drinks. The cup will require 10% to 20% less plastic to make than previous cold drink cups, depending on the size.

“Not only do they use less plastic than previous cold cups, they are also expected to reduce emissions and conserve water during production,” the company said in the announcement. “…and they cost less to manufacture. ”

These are the first disposable cups designed by Innovation Labs specifically for More sustainable. This is done to achieve the company’s goal of cutting carbon emissions, water and waste footprint halved over the next six years. The company said it estimates the redesign will help reduce emissions by the equivalent of 5,200 cars and will save about 2,800 Olympic-sized swimming pools of water. The company says it will also remove 13.5 million pounds of plastic from landfills each year.

The cups are also designed to be easier to use by people with visual impairments. Starbucks says they feature raised dots to help differentiate sizes, and the printed fill lines on the cups to indicate sizes are black and white for better contrast.

Minimize the use of plastic Researchers say this is crucial to solving the climate crisis. A new report from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory details that researchers found that plastic production emits as much carbon pollution annually as 600 coal-fired factories and accounts for about 12% of global oil demand.

The report stated that in 2019, global plastic production produced 2.24 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, far exceeding the 60 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions produced by the aviation industry in the same year.

Researchers say these emissions could triple by 2050, although experts continue to warn that minimizing emissions is crucial to slowing global warming. Greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere, causing global temperatures to rise and exacerbating extreme weather conditions. Sea-level rise and more.

One media outlet said: “Even with the decarbonization of the global power grid, the plastics industry’s share of the global carbon budget is likely to increase from just over 5% currently to more than 20%, even with the most modest plans for industry growth. estimates. “Industry analysts expect plastic production to at least double by 2050. “

Heather McTeer Toney, executive director of Beyond Petrochemicals, said in a statement that the plastics industry’s continued growth “is undermining the world’s efforts to combat climate change.”

“Plastic pollution has become a growing threat to natural ecosystems, human health and the climate,” says the report’s executive summary. “…The alternative materials used also need to be recycled in a sustainable and climate-friendly way. When designing products Taking into account reuse, repair and remanufacturing is another important consideration in reducing climate impact.”