Still not decided on a 2018 New Years Resolution? Or perhaps your first choice resolution has lapsed? It's time to time to pledge that in 2018 you will:

“Use a re-useable flask when ordering coffee, whenever practical”

This will make a massive difference to the environment, and perhaps even your pocket too. The benefit of using a reuseable flask is that it avoids the need to create and dispose of one less disposable cup each time you use it. Using single use cups is a habit we need to break as an average of 500 single use cups are thrown away every minute.

In some coffee shops, you will get a financial saving, given as their own encouragement of re-using flasks. There are also news reports of a proposed "latte levy" where coffee shops will charge more for using a disposable cup rather than a discount for those customers using a re-usable flask. The advantage of this is that it moves from an 'opt-in' reward system to an 'opt-out' penalty system - much like the successful 5p disposable carrier bag charge. By affecting more customers it is likely to have a greater impact.

Discounts when using your own reuseable cup* // Pret a Manger 50p // Starbucks 25p // Costa 25p // Paul 25p // Greggs 20p // Nero double loyalty stamps

Recommended travel mugs // Nespresso Citiz Touch

Sources // BBC News: Latte Levy: What are business doing? // Ideas & Images: #SquareMileChallenge // City of London: Recycle Your Coffee Cup // Wired UK Podcast Episode 350 // Telegraphy Money Which Coffee Shops Offer 50p for Reusing Your Cup?

*as of 23/01/18