That one simple question kept a whopping 12,363 disposable coffee cups out of our local landfill last month.
At the start of June, Boise-based sustainability consultancy HMK Impact launched the For Here Campaign. It was a month-long initiative to reduce single-use coffee cup waste in local coffee shops.
The idea was simple: when customers ordered coffee, baristas would ask, “for here or to go?” If customers stayed in the shop, they’d get their coffee in a real mug.
It worked.
Across 11 Treasure Valley coffee shops, 12,363 drinks were served in reusable mugs during the month of June. That’s 12,363 cups (and lids and sleeves) that never ended up in the trash.
Hideout Coffee Co
The smallest shops saved 20 cups per day while larger shops with space for seating saved an average of 115 cups per day. If these shops keep it up, they’re on track to save over 137,000 cups per year and avoid roughly 405,000 grams of CO₂ emissions – just in disposable cups! That is the equivalent of driving 1,000 miles or road tripping from Boise all the way down to Juárez, Mexico.
What's more, participating shops are projected to save around $2,000 a year on disposable cup and lid costs, even after accounting for washing dishes and purchasing the reusable mugs.
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Boise has around 43 coffee shops, each serving hundreds of people every day. These spots are more than places to grab caffeine; they’re community hubs where people gather with old friends and new, have meetings, study, catch up, work, and more.
In the US, we use 50 billion disposable coffee cups every year. That's so many cups! That’s the equivalent of 107 garbage trucks every hour, every day. Here in Boise, businesses are just 6% of Boise’s trash accounts, yet they generate a staggering 64% of the city’s total waste.
Yes, individual choices matter. But the collective action of businesses can have a much bigger impact. That’s why making a small shift in coffee shops could create this larger ripple effect.
During the For Here Campaign, 11 local coffee shops averaged 37 reusable cups per day, diverting over 12,000 cups from our landfill in just one month. To put that in perspective, it would take one person over 33 years of daily reusable cup use to achieve the same impact.
Imagine if every coffee shop in Boise joined in:
1,587 reusable mugs used daily
476,127 single-use cups avoided annually
1.4 million grams of CO₂ emissions prevented (about the same as skipping six domestic flights)
Nearly nine full garbage trucks of disposable cups never created
All from a simple question: for here or to go?
Handmade mugs at Momentum Roasting Co
Meet the coffee shops leading the way
Here’s the local coffee shops that stepped up for this initiative:
Alchemist Coffee(10650 W Overland Rd, Boise, 83709)-One of my go-to shop for meetings. Tons of seating and easy parking, huge drink menu and lots of food options.
Alchemist Coffee(2701 W Stewart Ave, Boise, 83702) - A new-ish location over in the West End/North End, lots of seating, walkable, same food & drink menu.
Common Ground Coffee & Market(6419 W Ustick Rd, Boise, 83704) - Another great spot for meetings, stellar drink menu, plus a little market with local food, drinks, and goodies. They also have a kids corner!
Flying M Coffee Garage(1314 2nd St S, Nampa, 83651) - An artsy spot in Nampa with tons of seating and some of the best food & drinks around. Also have a cute gift shop with funky treasures.
Hideout Coffee(1737 S Broadway Ave, Boise, 83706) - Killer local coffee, teas, and handmade art, home goods, jewelry and merchandise. It's also the home of Garden City Project jewelry shop and Rawhide Cycles shop.
Java Hyde Park(1612 N 13th St, Boise, 83702) - Cozy little coffee shop in the North End with outdoor seating and a big menu. Great food and drinks. The Bowl of Soul is a must, and yes you need the whipped cream on top.
Momentum Roasting Co.(508 S 5th St, Boise, 83702)- Have you been here yet? It's in an old house downtown, in between Julia Davis Park and Myrtle. They serve drinks in handmade mugs crafted on a kick wheel with no electricity, and have an art studio and pottery space on site. Plus free art classes!
Neckar Coffee(117 S 10th St, Boise, 83702) - A sleek and cozy coffee shop downtown with roasting on site. Plenty of sunny seating, amazing coffee and matcha, and yummy snacks.
PINE Coffee Supply(175 N 14th St, Boise, 83702) - Big ol' patio perfect for summer mornings. Coffee drinks including nitro coffee and tea, plus little waffles that are very delish.
Primal Coffee(20 North Latah Street, Boise, 83706) - A teeny but amazing coffee shop tucked away on the Bench. The coffee here is so good, the chai is even better. And the "vegan" milk is weirdly incredible. The owner's mom makes all their mugs!
Primal Coffee(224 N 9th St, Boise, 83702) - Located inside Meriwether Cider House Monday through Friday, 8am-2pm. Great place to hang out, work, get things done. Tons of seating and all the same yummy drinks as the bench location.
Super cute mugs at Common Grounds Coffee & Market, credit Common Grounds
Small actions, big impact
One of the coolest parts of this initiative is that there was no major infrastructure overhaul needed. No new laws. No big investment. Just a small, consistent shift in how we ordered and served coffee. If we repeat this over and over for a month, it will have a huge impact.
When you’re heading to your neighborhood coffee shop this week, consider asking for your coffee “for here.” Or if you’re on the go, bring your own mug. It's as simple as that!
You can learn more about the campaign and get involved here.
“All big things come from small beginnings.” - James Clear
Thanks for reading!
With love from Boise,
Marissa
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