A Reusable Coffee Cup Sharing Network Could Soon Be Rolled Out Across the Inner West

It's not always easy being green, but for the inner west's coffee lovers, it could soon be a whole lot more convenient, as the local council announces plans to trial a reusable coffee cup scheme.

Taking its cues from a similar initiative in Germany's Freiburg, the pilot program would involve a rotating network of reusable cups that could be collected from, returned to and cleaned by any of the participating cafes. The pilot would launch in a not-yet-specified area in the inner west and, if successful, would be rolled out across the whole region.

You'd enjoy all the benefits of owning an environmentally friendly cup, without having to buy one, keep it clean, or stress about accidentally leaving at home every day. And you'd be helping to make a dent in the estimated three billion single-use cups Aussies go through each year.

As Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne explains, the initiative would also help reduce the amount of taxpayer funds that are currently being poured into dealing with all those non-recyclable cups. "This is a practical way we can reduce waste, save money and help local cafes meet their customers' preferences for environmentally sustainable products and services," Mayor Byrne said in a statement.

Having voted to support the scheme, the Inner West Council will now explore ways of best implementing it across the region and getting local businesses on board, looking to international examples in the fight against waste.

It has also agreed to become a partner in the Responsible Cafes program — a nationwide not-for-profit scheme encouraging reusable coffee cup use. The program currently helps save more than 36 million cups and lids from going into landfill each year.

Image: Frank Green