The Keep Cup

Here we are again - alive and kicking - just a little chaotic and not finding energy to write in front of a screen again...

My last post was ment to be a teaser... because I have been looking forward to share the existence of the next product with everyone:      The Keep Cup

I discovered this product on a very need website of a shop over here where all kinds of recycled, environmental friendly products are promoted and sold.

As I commute to work on a daily basis, I have a lot of time (if I get up on time) to observe people who are waiting for their train to arrive. I noticed how over the years take-away-coffee (amongst other take-away-stuff) has become increasingly more popular.
Personally, although I am aware off the high cost for the environment, I am a big coffee-fan. I can enjoy my daily cup of coffee with pleasure, ofcourse I only buy fair trade coffee.www.maxhavelaar.be
And I like the idea of a coffee on the go, but I can't stop thinking about all the cups that arrive in the bin after your 10-minute coffee-break. If you would heap up all the cups thrown away on every train platform on daily basis, I'm sure you would be truely appalled at the amount! Just for a 10-minute coffee break, hundreds of people contribute to 1. the very contaminating production of all these cups (okay - indirectly) and 2. help increase the trash on this planet.

Great was my surprise when I discovered the Keep Cup. A fashionable, colourful and handy cup made out of very strong plastic, ment to keep your coffee warm for about a good 30 minutes, in three sizes (S-M-L).
Even bigger was my smile when I found out that you could make your own combination on the website: lid and cup-colour! Amazing!

The Keep Cup is really designed as an alternative to the plastic take-away-cups. This further implies that it doesn't work as a thermos: it's not hermetically sealed and doesn't keep your coffee hot for more than half an hour. You are supposed to go to the coffee-shop, get it filled, and take it with you. Wash it -drink - wash - drink - wash - drink... A perfect example of the first R... reduce!

So after a lot of waiting (because they were sold out in my shop) I finally got myself a red and black, M-size Keep Cup. After a month of using it quite often, I can give you these personal findings:

* Fits perfectly in your cup-holder in your car
* Drinks comfortably 
* Not advisable to cram a full one into your backpack with your laptop and agenda...
* People in take-away-stands will fill it if you ask it
* You'll probably pay the same price as your neighbour without the Keep Cup... for now, it's not widespread, popular or commercial enough for businesses to have adapted their prices to this product.
Keep in mind that a big part of what you pay for your take-away-coffee is the packaging!
* By using the Keep Cup, you actively reduce the trash and contribute to a cleaner planet!


So people: this is my last advice: if you are a take-away-cofee-person... buy yourself a Keep Cup, spread the word and share your findings where-ever you can! (for example here - always welcome!)

Check it all out on: http://www.keepcup.com/