It cannot be disputed that manufacturing coffee mugs leads to an enormous initial environmental effect than the paper cups. Nonetheless, that effect lessens with time as coffee mugs are reused (Mani 23). Each coffee mug has many purposes, making it environmentally friendly compared to the paper cups. There are environmental hazards associated with paper cup, for instance, endangering millions of trees which are cut to produce paper products.
A research indicated that, manufacturing of each paper cup leads to 0.24lbs of carbon dioxide emissions (Toman and Pierre31). Therefore, the use of eco friendly coffee mugs reduces the amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere. Production of coffee mugs instead of paper cups help in the reduction of trees loss, reduce ecosystem degradation, and increase global carbon absorption capacity as a result of trees conservation.
Production and use of eco friendly coffee mugs helps in the reduction of coffee related wastes, decreased reliance on carbon related inputs, for example oil. In addition, Coffee mugs may be disposed of within a closed loop reuse or recycle programs, that is, programs which convert wastes into other products.
Using eco friendly coffee mugs to achieve positive environmental end, on the contrary, can result into social or new undesirable environmental consequences. For instance, coffee mugs like thermoses and flasks do not fit well under the spout of various coffee machines within retail cafes and outlets. In addition, with decreased demand for paper cups due to introduction of coffee mug, employees at paper firms, farms and factories lose their jobs. Moreover, people still throw reusable or coffee mugs because they cannot last forever.
The net effect of replacing paper cups with coffee mugs is positive. The global warming due to emission of carbon dioxide is tremendously reduced by adopting coffee mug. It would be irrational to make different decision after taking into account the tradeoffs.
Works Cited
Mani, Muthukumara. India's Economic Growth and Environmental Sustainability: What Are the Tradeoffs?Washington, D.C.: World Bank, South Asia Region, Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change, 2012. Internet resource. New York, USA, 2012. Print.
Toman, Michael A, and Pierre Crosson. Economics and Sustainability: Balancing Tradeoffs and Imperatives. Washington, D.C: Energy and Natural Resources Division], Resources for the Future, 2011. Print.
