Sourcing
EcoSleeve is made of polystyrene. Polystyrene is made from fossil fuels, specifically benzene and ethylene (link to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Styrene). Manufactured without UV or heat stabilizers, the polystyrene we use is both eligible for recycling and efficient to recycle. In fact, the process of recycling polystyrene requires considerably less energy than recycling paper. Since polystyrene is highly recyclable, it should be considered a recoverable resource—not waste.
On the surface, paper sleeves may seem like the best choice ecologically. After all, they’re made from a renewable resource. But when you look carefully at the life cycle of a paper sleeve, some inherent flaws pop up. There’s widespread monocropping of non-native tree species, and lax management can impede sapling growth (http://www.zerofootprint.net/pdf/zfp_BestPracticeReport_web.pdf). Clear cutting, a common practice in the paper industry, not only contributes to climate change, but is also very energy intensive. All in all, paper actually uses more petroleum than polystyrene throughout its life cycle—and polystyrene is a petroleum product!
Production
Apart from the energy intensive process of cracking hydrocarbons to isolate benzene, polystyrene can be created very efficiently.
Full of tiny air bubbles, EcoSleeves weigh very little. In this case, less mass means increased efficiency. When it comes to freight the less an item weighs, the less energy it uses, and in turn the fewer greenhouse gases it emits.
Compared to other coffee packaging:
- Insulated Paper Cup: 18.9 grams.
- Paper Coffee Cups: 9.9 grams
- Paper Coffee Sleeve: 6 grams
- Coffee Cup Lids: > 2 grams
- EcoSleeve: < 2 grams
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