There is a debate raging in Toronto right now about what to do with the 350 million coffee cups that are thrown out annually in this city. What started as a fairly simple initiative, though–to charge people for takeout cups or give them a refund for bringing their own–has grown into one of those never-ending research projects government is so good at. (See “Tempest in a coffee cup” in the Star for the full story.)

I could write 1000 words about this, but for all the things I agree and disagree with in this debate, there’s one simple initiative that has been largely ignored: staff asking people if they would like their coffee for here or to go. Look around a Starbucks or Tims anytime and you’ll notice most people sitting at the tables are drinking out of takeout cups. I know most people do take their cups out, but in what way would it inconvenience anyone serving coffee to ask if the person will be staying or going? If the customers stays, and uses a mug, that’s one less cup in the garbage and it didn’t cost anyone anything.  (And I know that mug has to be washed, but this is a debate about garbage, not the greater sustainability issue.) It would be a small difference, but I think, an important one. A lot of people probably don’t even know they can get a china cup in Tim Horton’s and this gives people a more obvious choice.

Photo: Flickr