Choose to Reuse in Noosa

REDUCING SINGLE-USE COFFEE CUPS TOGETHER:
A GUIDE FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES

No takeaway coffee cup can be recycled or commercially composted in Noosa today - sadly, even with the best intentions, unless you, or your customer takes compostable cups home to compost - nearly every single one is going to landfill.

PLA (Polylactic Acid) is the most common 'compostable' lining for standard paper cups which is a bioplastic made from plants including corn and cassava, however when in landfill, these decompose anaerobically emitting methane - a greenhouse gas 28 times more damaging to the climate than CO2.

The only truly effective solution is to stop single-use cups at the source. And every cafe, every barista, and every coffee drinker in Noosa has the power to do exactly that.

Making the switch doesn't have to be complicated or costly. Plastic Free Noosa is committed to working with business owners of every size on ways to make reusables easy for your customers, and will continue to campaign for the community and visitors to embrace re-use culture as the norm here in Noosa.

Quick Links:

NOOSA BUSINESSES LEADING THE WAY (VIDEO)

5 WAYS TO MAKE REUSABLES EASY FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS

BUSINESS TOOLKIT - POSTERS & SOCIAL MEDIA ASSETS

FIVE WAYS TO MAKE REUSABLES EASY FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS

Like anything new, sometimes the hardest thing is to simply start. Making the switch doesn't have to be complicated or costly, and Plastic Free Noosa is here to help you at whatever stage of your journey you are at.

These five approaches can work for businesses of every size - from a solo espresso cart to a full cafe, to resorts and hotels. Pick one, or combine them all.

1. REWARD YOUR REGULARS FOR BYO

Offer a discount - even $0.50, to customers who bring their own cup. It signals your values, rewards loyalty, and the research backs it up: small financial incentives are consistently the most effective behaviour-change lever for reusable cup uptake. Resources to communicate the "Why" behind choosing to reuse are available via our business toolkit below.

Another great option is providing your own branded reusable cup for your customers to buy. Local legends Pottery for the Planet have beautiful ceramic cups available to be branded. You could even offer a free coffee with purchase!

2. START A MUG LIBRARY

Head to your nearest op shop and spend $20 on a bundle of pre-loved mugs with personality! You'll have a fully-stocked mug library before your next coffee rush. Customers borrow, drink, return. It's circular economy in action, it costs almost nothing to set up, and every mug on that shelf is one less cup in landfill.

3. JOIN A SWAP SYSTEM

Join a reusable cup deposit network and become part of something bigger than your café. Customers borrow a quality reusable cup with a small deposit, enjoy their coffee on the go, and return it at any partner location across the network. Find out more about different reusable swap systems via the Boomerang Alliance resource here, or Responsible Cafe's brand new reusable swap systems resource here.

We have a growing network of Good Reusables Cafes in Noosa (See below).

Good Cup Cafes in Noosa
Poolside @ Noosa Aquatic Centre
Tuck Shop (Noosa Junction)
First Batch (Noosaville)
Sunshine Social (Sunshine Beach)
Noosa Leisure Centre (Noosaville)

4. COLLECT WHAT'S OUT THERE

We understand that transitioning away from single-use cups completely is a big step, and for many businesses it won't happen overnight - and that's okay. Every action in the right direction counts. If you're still using disposables while you work out your next move, Simply Cups is a specialist cup collection and recycling service that diverts cups from landfill turning them into building materials and road base. It's not the final destination, but it's a meaningful step in the right direction keeping single-use cups out of landfill.

5. SURCHARGE FOR SINGLE-USE

A small surcharge of $0.20 to $0.50 for disposable cups is an honest acknowledgement that convenience has a cost, and that cost shouldn't be carried by our environment. It's not a penalty, it's transparency. Pair it with a clear sign, a warm explanation from your team, and an easy reusable option at the counter, and you'll be surprised how quickly your customers get on board.

Here in the Noosa UNESCO Biosphere reserve we must all find ways to live like you love it. Together, we can make Noosa the inspiration that shows the rest of Australia what is possible when and entire community truly commits to choosing to re-use.

#CHOOSETOREUSE IN NOOSA

REDUCING SINGLE-USE COFFEE CUPS TOGETHER:
A GUIDE FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES