Cafes throughout Bendigo have welcomed a call for cigarette-style warnings to be placed on take-away coffee cups to raise awareness about their effect on the environment.
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Sim’R manager Grace Blakemore welcomed the call for the new warnings, but highlighted the importance of positive messages.
“The messages need to focus on positive reinforcement rather than negative,” Ms Blakemore said.
“You want people to feel good about their actions.”
Ms Blakemore highlighted the financial benefit for coffee drinkers who provided their own reusable cup as they can save money as often a discount is offered to people who bring their own.
Old Green Bean manager Sally Donaldson said more needed to be done to educate people on the plastics which were used to manufacture take-away coffee cups.
“The problem with the plastic lining on the cups is recycling facilities don’t have the capacity to recycle them because the lining may affect the processing machinery,” Ms Donaldson said.
El Gordo owner Chad Alrdred welcomed the idea of take-away coffee cup warnings.
“The warnings would create more awareness to find alternatives to the cups rather than buy the cheapest available,” Mr Aldred said.
“A recent Facebook campaign that went around highlighting the impact of single-use shopping bags certainly raised enough awareness for the big supermarket chains to change their attitude towards plastics.
“A similar approach towards take-away cups would be great.”
An online petition calling for the warnings has received 23,600 signatures.
The petition will be presented to Minister for Environment and Energy Josh Frydenberg.
