COFFEE CUP REVOLUTION
Every year, thanks to sponsorship and community support, Binners' Project hosts the Coffee Cup Revolution to demonstrate what a coffee refund system can achieve as well as openly dialogue about how binning can support green communities, and vice versa.
The last Coffee Cup Revolution saw 96,285 cups collected from Vancouver streets in 3 hours.
The last Coffee Cup Revolution saw 96,285 cups collected from Vancouver streets in 3 hours.
THE 2021 COFFEE CUP REVOLUTION IS COMING!After cancelling the event last year due to the pandemic, we are excited to return for the eighth annual Coffee Cup Revolution on October 7, 2021.
This year, to mirror changes made by the Province to increase the bottle refund, we will be raising the refund on coffee cups from 5 cents to 10 cents. This will double the income earned by binners from the Coffee Cup Revolution. 2021 ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONSWhile the coffee cup depot is underway, we are hosting three roundtable discussions.
Each roundtable has a specific discussion topic and a dedicated facilitation team comprised of a binner and recognized subject-matter expert. This year’s topics fall into the theme of Alternative Economies: ● Circular Economy ● Informal Economy . ● Social Economy To learn more about this year's roundtables and to let us know you're coming, head here. |
Why do we need a REVOLUTION?Every week, 2.6 million coffee cups are thrown away in Vancouver. These cups make up about a quarter of the litter on city streets and parks.
In Vancouver, coffee cups can only be recycled in residential blue 'containers' bins. 78 per cent of refundable cans and bottles are being recycled, and the Coffee Cup Revolution is our way of showing that the same is possible for coffee cups. Binners are ready to help with separating and returning coffee cups the same way they do with other containers. But without an incentive to do so, they simply can't afford it. |
HOW IT WORKS
Pop-up depot
Binners' Project members design, set-up, and run the depot that serves 150+ binners, who exchange tens of thousands of cups for 10¢ a cup, administering thousands of dollars in refunds.
Each year we try to break the previous record for the amount of cups collected:
Roundtable discussions
Parallel to the depot, binners pair with community leaders to co-facilitate open discussions between binners, planners, organizations, and the public on a variety of topics related to green, inclusive economies. Register for the 2021 roundtable discussions here.
Awareness-raising
The depot garners considerable community and media interest before, during, and well after the event, propelling our year-round educational work on waste diversion and economic inclusion, especially as it relates to coffee cups - here's a sample:
Binners' Project members design, set-up, and run the depot that serves 150+ binners, who exchange tens of thousands of cups for 10¢ a cup, administering thousands of dollars in refunds.
Each year we try to break the previous record for the amount of cups collected:
- 2014 - 30,000
- 2015 - 31,300
- 2016 - 49,000
- 2017 - 53, 783
- 2018 - 86,732
- 2019 - 96, 285
Roundtable discussions
Parallel to the depot, binners pair with community leaders to co-facilitate open discussions between binners, planners, organizations, and the public on a variety of topics related to green, inclusive economies. Register for the 2021 roundtable discussions here.
Awareness-raising
The depot garners considerable community and media interest before, during, and well after the event, propelling our year-round educational work on waste diversion and economic inclusion, especially as it relates to coffee cups - here's a sample:
- With 2.6 Million Disposable Cups Trashed a Week, Vancouver Struggles to Find Solutions, The Tyee, 2019
- With millions of coffee cups thrown away in Vancouver every year, advocates push for refund-deposit system, Global News, 2017
- Une consigne sur les gobelets à café pour désengorger les poubelles, Radio-Canada, 2017
- Revolution in a coffee cup: Vancouver event aims to reduce waste, CBC, 2017
- Binners recycle coffee cups in Downtown Vancouver (Video), Global News, 2016
- Why you're still not using that reusable coffee mug, The Tyee, 2016
- How a 5-cent Deposit on Coffee Cups Just Might Work (Video), CBC Marketplace, 2015
- Vancouver binners unite to talk trash with city, The Thunderbird, 2014
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
The Coffee Cup Revolution and related public education and community engagement work is possible thanks to the financial support of local businesses, organizations, and foundations.
To learn more about how you can financially support this event, contact Brianne at brianne [dot] deman [at] binnersproject [dot] org.
To learn more about how you can financially support this event, contact Brianne at brianne [dot] deman [at] binnersproject [dot] org.
THANK YOU TO OUR 2021 SPONSORS!
