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.
Since the start of the Revolution, binners have collected over 715,000 coffee cups.
Since the start of the Revolution, binners have collected over 715,000 coffee cups.
2025 COFFEE CUP REVOLUTIONThe 2025 Coffee Cup Revolution will be taking place in October, 2025. More information will be made available later next year.
HOW IT WORKSPop-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:
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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. 79 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. |
Community Engagement
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.
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:
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.
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 Sean at [email protected].
To learn more about how you can financially support this event, contact Sean at [email protected].
