Della Pen
Monash University
Gitanjali Bedi
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frank green’s reusable coffee cups are combating society’s unsustainable reliance on single-use plastics. They promote the UN’s goals of responsible consumption, life on land and life below water due to the reduction in waste being produced by coffee drinkers.
The cups are made from premium, 304 grade stainless steel and fully recyclable polymer lid, therefore they are both high quality and environmentally friendly. Since the reusable cups are so well made, they don’t need to be replaced and disposed of as often as many others on the market, reducing the impact on the environment. They are also fully recyclable at the end of their life.
However, the main feature that sets frank green’s cups apart from others that are available is the world-first Visa PayWave technology that is built into the bases. The founder and CEO, Ben Young states that according to market research, customers are 65% more likely to use their reusable cup on a daily basis if they are able to pay for their beverage with it too. This, combined with the leak-proof, stylish and comfortable design of the cup encourages consumers to use them more and promotes the UN’s goal of responsible consumption.
The reusable coffee cups are the result of not only Ben’s passion for the environment, but also his desire to create a “purpose-driven business”. Ben believes that people expect more from a product in today’s world. Therefore, he didn’t want to just create another cup, but instead something that focused on the end-to-end customer experience.
After extensive market research and work, frank green incorporated Visa PayWave technology into their coffee cups, meaning they are part of the Internet-of-Things. Not only does this make the product more user-friendly and encourage customers to utilise it daily, but it also gives frank green visibility of transactions. This means that the company has a greater connection to their consumers and are able to continuously improve their products based on this.
Ben has also seen the detrimental impact that humans and single-use plastics have had on the environment. He wanted to create a product that would help combat this because at the current rate of production and consumption, there will be more plastic in our oceans by volume than fish by 2050.
Since their inception in 2014, frank green have not only had a positive impact on the environment, but also on business and the community as a whole. frank green has flourished into a successful business, creating several new jobs for society. Furthermore, they have also been able to use their influence to back initiatives that aim to conserve and protect the environment, creating long-term, positive impacts on the world.
frank green has grown into a thriving business since 2014 and is today providing jobs to approximately 85 employees. They are also avid supporters of the manufacturing industry in Australia, as the production of their cups is done entirely within the country instead of being outsourced.
The introduction of frank green’s cups has also had a positive impact on cafes and restaurants. Not only are they able to reduce the amount of waste they produce from their disposable cups, but they are also able to decrease their costs. When customers bring in their reusable cups, cafes and restaurants reduce the amount of disposable cups they need to order, and therefore decrease their costs overall.
frank green are supporting the UN’s goal of responsible consumption and production, as they are creating products that are made to last. Not only are renewable, high quality resources being used, but they are being used in a sustainable manner. They are also fully recyclable. In addition, frank green’s cups support the UN’s goals of life on land and life below water, as they aim to reduce waste - hence decreasing the amount of rubbish in our landfills, oceans and our food. They also reduce the amount of disposable coffee cups and water bottles being used and produced, alleviating the burden on natural resources such as paper and water.
frank green have used their success to help with supporting the education of and raising awareness for the environment and sustainability. For every product sold online, they donate $1 to EarthWatch, an international organisation that focuses on research and promotion of sustainability.
This further promotes the UNs goals of responsible consumption, life on land and life below water. By showing their public support of EarthWatch, customers are able to find out about the organisation and the work they do, and hence encourage people to be more conscious of their plastic waste.
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frank green have created a premium line of reusable coffee cups and water bottles, with a difference. Unlike ordinary reusable cups, theirs are the product of extensive research and emphasis on the consumer experience. frank green’s world-first Visa PayWave technology is built into the base of their reusable cups and bottles, meaning that people are able to pay for their beverages more conveniently, while reducing their reliance on single-use plastic. This contributes to the UN’s goals of responsible consumption, climate action, life below water and life on land.