From Elmo laden ceramic mugs, to cups adorned with \u201cBest Dad\u201d and Dora the Explorer, the range of mugs in Ocean Grind\u2019s mug library might be eclectic, but their message is not.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt Ocean Grind we\u2019ve always tried to encourage the use of bring your own coffee cups, offering a 50-cent discount since day one. We found that a common problem is that people sometimes forget to bring their own cup,\u201d owner Mark Clatworthy said.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, we thought it would be good for people to be able to borrow a mug from us, hence the \u2018mug library\u2019 was established (back in June 2017).<\/p>\n
\u201cIf a customer forgets their BYO cup or if they don\u2019t own one, they are welcome to borrow a mug from our library. They still receive a 50-cent discount for using a mug instead of a single-use cup and they can either return it, or just keep it and use it at other cafes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Clatworthy said the mug library consists of unwanted mugs that have been donated by the community after a couple of call outs on social media resulted in an influx of donations.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were overwhelmed with the response. We do end up with some interesting mugs \u2013 it\u2019s great seeing people drink from an Elmo, Dora the Explorer or a \u2018Best Dad\u2019 mug,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur aim is to reduce the usage and need for single-use cups. By offering a regular old mug, I think it helps create awareness that you don\u2019t need a fancy BYO cup \u2013 there are some simple alternatives.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Clatworthy said the community response had been fantastic with many choosing to ditch single use cups for a \u201cquirky\u201d mug.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo further encourage our customers, we offered a prize of a custom surfboard (from local shaper Corey Graham) for bringing their own cup during Plastic Free July,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe percentage of reusable takeaway cups being used jumped from 35 per cent to 50 per cent in that month. We were stoked with the result and hope to continue increasing the usage of reusable cups.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said alongside wife Kim and their three daughters, the coffee shop which has been running for the past five years, would continue to have a strong sustainability ethos.<\/p>\n
Ocean Grind is open Monday-Friday 7.30am-2pm and Sat 8am-1pm. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram @oceangrind.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
From Elmo laden ceramic mugs, to cups adorned with \u201cBest Dad\u201d and Dora the Explorer, the range of mugs in Ocean Grind\u2019s mug library might be eclectic, but their message is not. \u201cAt Ocean Grind we\u2019ve always tried to encourage the use of bring your own coffee cups, offering a 50-cent discount since day one. […]<\/p>\n