Are Go-Cups About To Become A Thing Of The Past?

It has just recently been included in the Merriam-Webster dictionary but its time to shine may be limited. I am speaking of the iconic go-cup, a staple of life in Louisiana. While ordinances have come and gone as to what can and can't be poured in your go-cup the bigger problem may just be the cup itself.

Many municipalities across the nation, in an effort to combat waste and improve the environment, are banning the popular plastic cups which consumers use to carry soda, coffee, and in Louisiana booze while they walk down the street.

The governments of the European Union want plastic go-cups gone by 2021. India has set a deadline of 2022 for the cups and Taiwan is moving toward eradicating the single-use plastic cups by the year 2030.

Just to be clear we aren't specifically claiming the clear plastic cups often used at Louisiana Fairs and Festivals as the only go cup problems. The cups used by Starbucks, McDonald's and other retailers that offer hot and cold beverages in plastic coated cuts will be included in the bans that have been proposed.

Just recently businesses that serve beverages have slowly started making the switch to more environmentally friendly straws made out of biodegradable materials. The switch to similarly styled cups can't be too far behind.

While the quest for a quality cup that can stand up to hot coffee or cold beer continues you can expect lawmakers to use the go-cup as a reason to increase taxes. There are already rumblings of surcharges being added to the cost of drinks served in the plastic lined and coated cups.

The bottom line appears to be that eventually you and I will either have to travel from watering hole to watering hole carrying our own special cup or we'll have to talk Starbucks and McDonalds into just serving our coffee intravenously.