What is your take-away?

I have been a latte/cappuccino girl for almost 15 years now (EEK!) and ¾ of those beverages have been take-away.  I feel like I am now an expert on the take-out coffee and all the accessories that go with the process.  This has been a long road, but I think I now know what I look for in a take-away cup.

Doing dishes this week I was confronted by my “small” collection of to-go containers and I wondered if others have traveled down the path of finding the right to-go mug/thermos/cup or hybrid?  Long ago I realized paper/plastic was not for me.  There were too many trees and pouting seals staring me in the face to use them in good conscience on a regular basis.  So what do I use?  I have used my mini thermos for my “shot-in-the-dark”, my hybrid thermos/mug (i.e.Starbucks mugs) for everything from hot chocolate to latte’s, and my latest coffee fashion of the Keep Cup for the same.  I have even used glass mugs with silicone lids… all the more eco-friendly right?  I think the question to ask yourself is, what is my purpose with the container?  Are you environmentally motivated?  Are you looking for spill proof? Is your main concern with keeping your drink piping hot?  Or do you want quick and easy throw away and forget?

I will be reviewing various mugs later in this blog, but I thought it important to provoke a little thought on the subject.  For me, the environment has been the main concern.  At 16 years old I was an ignorant hippy that thought it was cool to “save the planet” and, at that time, you received discounts for bringing your own mug.  Today I feel dirty every time I throw another cup in the heaping trash, especially in Sweden. As a 30 year old adult and corporate hippy it is now my duty to help “save the planet”, and it is still cool. =)

I use all of my mugs, each one with a purpose.  I realized long ago, there will never be one mug to suit all my caffeine needs.  It is, however, important to find the RIGHT one for each need. I take public transportation daily, with a book in one and a coffee in the other.  I do not save my drink until I get to work nor do I stick it in my bag to drink over the next hour.  My daily drink-holder is my Keep-Cup, a light weight easy to use (for baristas too) mug that suits my subway riding, line waiting, bus sitting lifestyle. I will be reviewing this mug/company this week so be sure to check back later!

What’s your takeaway?