Kate Bradshaw

A barista prepares a hot drink in an Okapi Reusables insulated cup. Courtesy Jason Quigley.

As San Mateo County eateries face new laws to curb throwaway plastics, the county is partnering with a new startup to bring reusable takeout cups to local shops.

By Kate Bradshaw

Feb. 17, 2023

About 120 billion paper, plastic and foam disposable cups are thrown away each year in the U.S., according to Clean Water Action and the Clean Water Fund. But when was the last time you thought to bring a travel mug to your favorite cafe? 

“There are cafes that are frustrated with the problem, but they don’t have great alternatives,” says Emily Chueh, co-founder of Okapi Reusables, a reusable cup startup that’s working with the San Mateo County Office of Sustainability to help restaurants cut their reliance on single-use plastics for takeout beverages. Okapi Reusables began last year in Portland, where about 20 cafes are now participating in the reusable cup program.   

Some cafes do offer bring-your-own cup programs, but even then it’s a small proportion of people who actually remember to bring their own cups, Chueh says.

Through Okapi Reusables, customers pay a $10 one-time fee and download an app. They scan a QR code at the counter of participating cafes and are then able to check out one of the Okapi reusable cups behind the counter to take home for two weeks. Some cafes give discounts to people who borrow the reusable cups; Urban Ritual, for example, offers 20% off.  

Full story here.