Eight Offaly coffee shops sign up for reusable 2Go Cup initiative
Eight Offaly coffee shops have so far signed up to a council initiative which aims to reduce the number of single-use coffee cups being disposed of locally.
Offaly County Council this week announced the launch of the 2Go Cup initiative in collaboration with main sponsors KMK Metals Recycling and Tullamore Chamber.
The 2GoCup scheme operates as a cup deposit system, where customers pay a €2 deposit for a take-away cup which they can return to any participating coffee shop to reclaim their deposit or exchange it for a clean cup for their next beverage.
The council said the project, which is also endorsed by Tullamore Tidy Towns and Tullamore Credit Union, was "an example of Climate Action as it reduces the use of single-use paper cups in our county".
To date, eight businesses have agreed to participate, and they are: Ballycommon Bake House; Hamilton's in Geashill; The Honey Bean, Tullamore; MEET & fit, Tullamore; The Little Coffee Hut, Tullamore; The Phoenix, Tullamore; the Copper Still located in The Old Warehouse, Tullamore; and the Tullamore Court Hotel.
The council said it was hoped that the scheme would continue to expand with more businesses agreeing to be part of it.
The project is spearheaded by Climate Action Team within Offaly County Council which said it "emphasises the importance of bringing reusable cups for takeaway beverages, but also highlights the availability of a more sustainable option through the 2GoCup scheme".
Shane Murray, Chair of Tullamore Tidy Towns, welcomed the role of this initiative in reducing litter, particularly single-use coffee cups, which constitute a significant portion of collected rubbish during local cleanups.
"This initiative is a win-win for our environment and our pockets," said Shane.
Local business owner, Kieran Conroy of The Pheonix Tullamore, added: "I recognise the economic and environmental benefits of joining the scheme and as the operator of this scheme in Áras An Chontae staff canteen, I can see this initiative has eliminated the need to purchase paper cups.
"Not only has it reduced waste, it has reduced my operating costs also," said Kieran.
The participating businesses said they taking part in this initiative was a manageable step individuals could take daily to positively impact the environment locally.