Swap-and-go coffee cup scheme, Green Caffeen, has launched a partnership with Hunter Joint Organisation to make it easier for locals to enjoy a takeaway coffee, without the eco guilt.

Seven councils in the region are participating, with the scheme adding to the Hunter Joint Organisation’s commitment to a circular economy and further waste reduction.

Green Caffeen’s cups are based on the philosophy of the circular economy and are made from recycled materials.

The goal is to out design waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use as long as possible. This means that once a cup reaches the end of its viable life, Green Caffeen collects the old cups and recycles them into new cups.

Hunter Joint Organisation Board Chair and Mayor for Cessnock City Council, Bob Pynset, said it was this commitment to circular economy principles that particularly appealed to the organisation.

“The Hunter region is going circular – we’re working towards transitioning to a circular economy to reduce waste to landfill and innovate in industry,” he said.

“Single-use coffee cups don’t fit the bill when it comes to a re-use economy, so we’ve partnered with swap-and-go pioneers, Green Caffeen, to help Hunter cafes and communities make their next cup of coffee circular!

“Delivered as part of the Hunter Joint Organisation’s regional Small Acts Big Change program, Green Caffeen offers an Australian-made, sustainable, cup re-use scheme free of charge for cafes and coffee drinkers.”

Green Caffeen’s re-useable cup scheme makes being eco-friendly a simple choice for coffee drinkers. Consumers simply need to download the Green Caffeen app and sign up, then get your re-useable cup from a participating café. Enjoy your cup of coffee, then return the cup to any Green Caffeen café. And as long as you return the cup within 30 days, it’s completely free to use. It’s like the library for coffee cups.

It’s easy for cafes too, with no fee to join the scheme. Green Caffeen is leading the re-useable drive in Australia and showing just how easy it can be to ditch single-use cups.

With over 18,600 people using it in over 580 cafés Australia-wide, it’s the biggest roll-out of a reusable system anywhere in the country.

Co-Founder of Green Caffeen, Damien Clarke, said it is great to see the Hunter region embracing their philosophy and goal for a more sustainable and eco-friendly future.

“We’re excited to be able to bring Green Caffeen on a large scale to the Hunter region,” he said.

“Green Caffeen is a simple concept that allows both cafes and coffee and tea drinkers the chance to transition away from single use cups and join with thousands of other Aussies making the change from one use to re-use.

“The Green Caffeen app is here to make re-using simple, convenient and accessible to all without needing to remember, wash or store your own cup.”

Over a billion disposable cups are thrown away each year in Australia. Many of these end up in the sea, polluting the ecosystem and destroying marine life.

Changing takeaway coffee habits is one simple step that can have a big impact. It’s not just the environment that benefits either – cafes report an average saving of $72 per customer on single-use cups with Green Caffeen’s simple swap and go system.

“Green Caffeen saves cafes the cost of single use packaging as well as saving the environment, so it’s a real no-brainer for them to jump on board,” Damien said.

“Green Caffeen was deliberately designed with cafes in mind to help reduce environmental footprint and increase their bottom line – that’s the secret to our success. We welcome all enquiries from cafes in the region that are looking to do their bit for the planet in 2021.”

One consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic was some cafes being reluctant to accept re-useable coffee cups due to hygiene concerns.

Green Caffeen helps to allay some of these concerns and has also created a guide to COVID-safe practices for cafes, plus signage for customers to help minimise contact points.

With this simple re-useable scheme, customers can avoid the confusion that’s around single use cups.

Green Caffeen will be launching at cafes across the following Hunter region councils: Cessnock, Lake Macquarie, Port Stephens, Singleton, Maitland, Muswellbrook and Upper Hunter.

Cafes that want to up their green game and be the café of choice for conscious consumers can sign up via the Green Caffeen website and coffee drinkers can participate via this site too.

IMAGE | Martin Brooks (Green Caffeen), Greg McDonald (GM – Upper Hunter), Nuatali Nelmes (Lord Mayor – Newcastle), Kay Fraser (Mayor – Lake Macquarie), Loretta Baker (Mayor – Maitland), Sue Moore (Mayor – Singleton), Bob Pynsent (Mayor – Cessnock), Ryan Palmer (Mayor – Port Stephens), John Connors (Mayor – Dungog), Damien Clarke (Green Caffeen) (left-right).