9.5 Million Paper Cups
Combatting the climate crisis will take more than a feeble attempt to recycle single use items, and with the UK alone getting through 2.5 billion takeaway coffee cups every year, this sector is one that needs to see change. Each paper cup takes up to 30 years to decompose, due to plastic and wax coatings used for water tightness. Although efforts are being made to produce paper cups with less damaging effects, one way to dramatically reduce their prevalence in waste is to encourage people to use reusable cups. By turning paper coffee cups into products that can be used again and again, with potential to be recycled at the end of their life will help us to take steps towards a cleaner, more sustainable planet. This project incorporates the production process from paper cup to reusable cup, whilst providing a space in campus for students to study or socialise, in addition to exhibitions and interactive features for visitors.
The value 9.5million is the number of paper cups and sleeves of which the embodied carbon value is equal to that of the structure of the existing Alsop building, before regeneration.
