Mr. Green Week: How to Throw an Ecofriendly Kegger
In honor of St. Patrick's Day, we're featuring our appropriately attired advice guru, Mr. Green. This week, we'll treat you to a few treasured columns from the archives and some rare behind-the-scenes videos — if you're lucky.
Got a question for Mr. Green? Submit it here.
Hey Mr. Green,
I'm in my senior year of college. I live off campus, and we throw a lot of parties. What appalls me is the amount of nonrecyclable plastic cups we go through. If we use 100 cups per party and have 12 parties a year, that's 1,200 cups we're wasting. Are there any reusable plastic cups that are cheap and environmentally friendly?
--Dan in Titusville, New Jersey
The mere thought of heaps of disposable cups, replete with congealing backwash and reconnoitering insects, can spur even the most environmentally indifferent into action. I recommend rigid plastic tumblers, in part because they provide a nice example of how helping the environment can also save you money.
I could have taken the easy path and recommended biodegradable cups made from corn, potatoes, or other "renewable" substances, but I haven't found convincing evidence that biodegradables are significantly better for the environment than regular plastic. And glassware is neither a safe nor a cheap solution.
But if you're spending $240 annually for the throwaways, even if you use the sturdier cups for only one year, they're a better investment--for your pocketbook and the planet.
BONUS VIDEO! Should Dan wash the kegger cups in the sink or the dishwasher? Find out below.