Sipping Sustainably
With an estimated 250,000 Throwaway / Single-Use-Cups (SUC) going to landfill each year in Mercury Bay, the Wahi Tukurua / Mercury Bay Resource Recovery Team and coffee selling friends are on a mission to change the way we have our coffee – reducing waste, one cup at a time!
SUCFree Thirsty Thursdays are a fun step in helping our community see that change is easy and can be rewarding. We are not alone in this mission to protect our beautiful environment, promotion events like these are popping up all around the country – raising awareness and providing options for everyone to join the Reusable Revolution!
The inaugural Whitianga event, hosted at Nook Grover & Refills on Thursday, 25th July, was a resounding success – with 95% of Nook customers bringing their reusable cups or enjoying the amazing edible cups exclusive to Nook!
The support from locals and visitors alike shows a growing awareness of the environmental impact of single-use cups and a willingness to adopt reusable alternatives.
A key feature of the SUCFree Thirsty Thursday events is letting people know about Chunky Cups. As a national not-for-profit initiative, Chunky Cups offer a cost-effective reusable cup for just $10, with no profit made throughout its lifecycle. This means the cup is sold at cost price, making it an accessible option for everyone. One of the best aspects of Chunky Cups is the convenience they offer: you can drop off your dirty cup at any participating cafe and walk out with a clean cup and a fresh coffee. How easy is that!
The team extends heartfelt thanks to CFM for their outstanding support and engaging on-air conversation about reusable options. Their involvement helped spread the word and encouraged more people to participate in the event.
Enthusiasm for the Reusable Revolution is clear, with nine cafes already signed up.They will all be hosting Thirsty Thursdays events in the coming months. This growing support from local businesses is crucial for the success of our campaign and demonstrates a collective commitment to sustainability.
Are you a cafe owner interested in promoting sustainability and attracting more customers? Hosting a SUCFree Thirsty Thursday event is a great opportunity for free promotion. Head to the SUCFree Mercury Bay Facebook page or the Wahi Tukurua website for more information and to sign up.
SUCFree Thirsty Thursday’s are a monthly event hosted at a different participating café each month. We're excited to announce that the next SUCFree Thirsty Thursday event will take place in August at Hula Cafe on Albert Street, Whitianga between 10 - 12am. We look forward to seeing even more community members come out with their reusable cups and support our mission to make our town Throwaway / SUCFree.
Join us in our journey towards a cleaner, greener future. Together, we can make a significant difference, one cup at a time!
-Tracey Bell - Wāhi Tukurua Chair
