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Businesses in Sydney have this week pledged to cut down on the use of single-use plastics in the workplace.
Companies like the Sydney Opera House, Atlassian, Fox Studios, and Star Entertainment Group are committing to using fewer plastic bottles, straws, cups, and utensils in an effort to save the environment.
It's a move that's in-line with a growing number of individuals that are taking the time and effort to reduce the amount of plastic they use and dispose of.
Tied directly to the impact that single-use plastics have on the environment and native wildlife, sea creatures, and the health of our oceans, the movement to ditch plastic is being spearheaded by some seriously innovative entrepreneurs.
Duo Christie Kamphuis (pictured left) and Sam Stone (pictured right) are on the forefront of the movement to create a plastic free world.
Their innovative business, Bettercup, is primed and ready to be the supplier of choice for businesses looking for an environmentally friendly solution to replace single-use plastics.
Christie and Sam met at a concert where they connected due to their love of all things music and entertainment.
With their shared passion and uniting belief that they could be part of creating a better world, they came together in the hope of doing away with wasteful, single-use plastic for good at the events they so loved attending together.
Bettercup launched in 2016 in Melbourne and is a reusable plastic cup service available for hire or purchase. Their products come in four sizes: a 'Tumbler' and a 'Taster' size for your beers and soft drinks, 'Stemless' for your white and red wines, and a 'Flute' for your chmpagnes.
Bettercup is a reusable alternative to the deluge of single-use plastics generated by major events
The startup is taking the hospitality and events industry by a storm. The duo's clients include The City of Melbourne, Melbourne Fashion Week, Monash University, and Dark MOFO Festival, to name a few.
The latter hired 28,000 reusable cups from Bettercup last year for the annual alternative arts festival in Hobart.
Demand for these products is growing too, with attendees at events and employees at corporations demanding plastic-free options.
"Moving to reusable bar cups is one of the key changes event organisers can make to minimise single use plastic and limit unnecessary waste and recourses," says Kamphius.
"We are so encouraged to see that our cups are being adopted by more and more events every year."
The Bettercup team offers effectively everything that single-use cup manufacturers might with custom reusable cups even on offer.
While a custom cup might seem like a single-use option, Bettercup are committed to ensuring that nothing goes into waste. The team repurposes any broken or unwanted custom cups post-event into flowerpots and wheelie bins.
The impact of Bettercup is enormous. In 2019 the St George Open Air Cinemas in Sydney estimates that they diverted 50,000 single-use cups from landfill over the nineteen nights of the festival. That's 50,000 fewer cups that won't end up in the ocean.
"We are so passionate about shining a light on the devastating environmental effects of single use plastic and helping to change behaviours with a diverse range of audiences across Australia," says Stone.
"We are all responsible for the safe-keeping of our planet and we as consumers have the power to spread the message of sustainability and demand businesses within Australia to put an end to single use plastics."
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