Starbucks is looking for a new way to go green.
Last year the company halted the use of reusable cups by consumers due to the pandemic so they are now testing out a new way to cut back on the amount of disposable cups they use daily.
In honor of Earth Month, the chain is testing out what they are calling the “Borrow A Cup” program in five Seattle stores. The program will offer customers the option of getting their drink in a reusable cup, but they’ll have to put down a $1 deposit. They can then return it either to a contactless kiosk or through a service called Ridwell, and they’ll get their $1 back, along with 10 reward points. Starbucks will then re-use the cups, once they are professionally cleaned and sterilized, of course.
The trial is set to run through May 31st. The company says each reusable cup will wind up replacing 30 disposable cups. And while their current cups paper/plastic cups can be recycled, they can’t be reused