With Earth Day coming up on Wednesday, April 22nd, we are thinking about changes we can make in our everyday lives that will lessen our impact on the environment. Many Mast associates carpool, bike or walk to work… Not only because it’s fun to socialize with co-workers each morning in the car or exercise while we commute, but also because it decreases our carbon footprint. But what if “creative commuting” isn’t an option?  What other small, new shifts in our daily habits can make a big difference in the long-term health of our planet? Klean Kanteen has some ideas they share with their Bring Your Own project. They are inspiring us in a big way.

Americans use 58 billion paper cups each year. That's 182 cups per person! What if we started bringing our own reusable cups and mugs to restaurants and coffee shops? By replacing our Styrofoam or paper coffee cups and plastic water or soda bottles with reusable cups, we can positively impact waste reduction.

From Klean Kanteen:

Klean Kanteen created the #BringYourOwn project to inspire a new conversation around eliminating single use and waste in the environment. Typically, the dialogue goes something like this; “YOU need to change the way you live to make the world better. Here’s a simple step that you can take to live ‘smarter.’ It’s not that hard.”

But research shows that ingrained habits, convenience, and public policies can make it really hard for people to make these personal changes. So we want to change that and meet them where they are.

#BringYourOwn starts a conversation around the policies and cultural ideas that promote a disposable lifestyle. Why is it easier to find a disposable bottle of water than finding a place to fill your reusable bottle? Why are there some places that will fill your reusable container and other places that have health codes against it? Why is bringing reusable options seen as so easy by some, but sort of hard for many?

One of our favorite Klean Kanteen's is the 16 ounce insulated bottle. Not only does it come in come in fun colors and is leak proof, but it keeps your hot beverages warm for up to 6 hours and your iced drinks cold for up to 24 hours. Pretty cool!

Mast folks also love outdoor music festivals like MerleFest and Music Fest ‘n Sugar Grove. Many festivals have adopted a "no glass and no plastic policy." The Klean Kanteen Stainless Steel Pint Cup is the perfect solution for that problem and an excellent accessory that keeps your drink cold and reduces unnecessary waste - at an outdoor concert, on the trail, and at home too.

Julie, of the Mast General Store Marketing Department, raves, "Due to limited kitchen space, I have replaced my glassware with these lovely stackable stainless cups. They won't break or retain funky odors. What else could you ask for? They are also lightweight and subtly classy."

It can be challenging to remember to bring your own pint cup to a potluck, water bottle to the office, or coffee mug to the café. So, we’re getting into the habit of leaving our reusable beverage containers where we most use them – in the car and at our desks. And just like the transition from plastic to reusable shopping bags, it's easier to have more than one to make the new healthy habit stick.

Check out our list of favorite Klean Kanteen’s HERE. You, and we, can be the change and the catalyst for others to change.