Back in the day when attending live, face-to-face conferences was “a thing,” I always looked forward to the breaks when I could join my peers around that long, huge table put out by the hotel offering a variety of Danishes, fruit, and of course, coffee. I am sure those days will return soon, and with it, the equivalent of the “paper or plastic” dilemma, that is, should I pour my coffee into a ceramic mug, or a paper cup?
The argument for the ceramic cup is that it creates no byproduct waste; it is reusable. On the other hand, potentially harmful soaps and other chemicals are used to sterilize it, along with water, a precious resource. The effect of this process on the environment is not something we consider as we approach the table. On the other hand, the paper cup consumed natural resources in its creation, and it will consume additional resources in its destruction, even if recyclable. What is the better choice?