Blog Update!
For those of you not following me on Facebook, as of the Summer of 2019 I've moved to Central WA, to a tiny mountain town of less than 1,000 people.

I will be covering my exploits here in the Cascades, as I try to further reduce my impact on the environment. With the same attitude, just at a higher altitude!

Saturday, December 1, 2007

Stick for the day

A stick a day keeps the landfill awayNow, it's takes a lot to really surprise me when it comes to environmental changes. I've looked into, addressed and done all manner of weird and wacky things in an effort to lower my impact on the environment. But the other day at work I noticed something in our lunch room that really stopped me in my tracks.

For background, there's a coffee club that people pay into so there's a pot of coffee available. The person that organizes it buys the coffee and keeps things stocked based on the monies paid into the club. They do this because I work for the government and they (you?) don't pay for coffee for us.

So, now, next to the coffee pot, is sitting a paper cup with the words "Today's stirring stick" on it with one of those little red plastic stirring numbers in it. It took me a second to realize that someone had set up a communal coffee stirring stick so only one stick (ostensibly if everyone uses it) is wasted each day. I don't know how many people will go for it (I don't drink coffee so I won't be partaking), but it's an interesting idea. And, as long as no one sucks on it, I think it's fairly hygienic.

Would you use it?

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sure. I'd use it if I trusted those I was sharing coffee with. Otherwise, I would carry my own stirring stick and reuse it each day. I've even been known to use my pen in a pinch!

ruchi said...

Why not?

I have given up stirring sticks as of late though, as I can't justify the waste. I'm a tea drinker though, so I just swirl the bag around a little to stir the tea.

Anonymous said...

I've used less hygenic things than a communal stir stick in my coffee. I think it's a good idea, but I doubt resident germ-a-phobes will go for it (I was the dirtiest person in my office - everyone else bathed in bleach...oddly enough I was sick the least).

Deb G said...

We had a communal spoon for awhile. I watched a person lick the spoon and then put it back....

Because of the type of work I do (lots of exposure to viruses) and the amount of staff-no I wouldn't.

I'm mostly trying to give up drinking coffee at work.

Burbanmom said...

In theory, yes, I would use it. In reality, though, I wouldn't, because I always put my cream & sugar in my mug FIRST and then pour the coffee on top. The "sploosh" of the coffee stirs it all up, eliminating the need for a stir stick. (Sorry to get all technical on you with the jargon there.)

Anonymous said...

i would use it. It seems more sanitary than eating in a restaunt. Why don't they just use a spoon??!!

Anonymous said...

oops...typo, meant restaurant!

C said...

I do that at church. I make sure I'm the first one to make up a cup of coffee. Then I put the spoon I use on a napkin, next to the pot. I hide the rest of the spoons. Works like a charm.

I also do the "extra's" first and use the swoooshy sloshy part to stir it up (like burbanmom). Yet, when I'm needing to set the "only one spoon" example, I do what I gotta' do!

Anonymous said...

I would, though I usually just bring my own spoon.

Chile said...

Um, no. I'd just use my own spoon. When my sweetie wanted coffee at work, I set him off with thrift store finds: French press, sugar pourer thingie (like in the restaurants), spoon, mug, and a little wood tray to keep everything organized. He just washes and reuses his stuff.

April said...

Um, I think so, but I'd rather use a communal spoon.

Anonymous said...

sure, I'd use it, but I don't drink coffee, only tea and swishing the teav bag around is usually all the mixing I need

Katie said...

I usually use a spoon at home for a few days before washing it.

At work, I have one stir stick at my desk usually, but I too have been known to use pens and pencils to stir. :0)

Fabulous idea!

I just hope everyone brings their own coffee cups to work instead of the "throwaways" - paper, plastic, or styrofoam!

Anonymous said...

I'd rather use a communal spoon, too. I'd be willing to wash it every evening if that convinced people of its cleanliness.

Does the sugar come from little packets, or one of those pour-things?

Anonymous said...

I bring a reused glass bottle with a lid (such as jam or juice bottles) that have been washed (of course). I get what ever I'm drinking in that, and if it needs to be stirred; put the lid on and shake. Same concept with travel mugs that cover the opening. :-)

Rechelle said...

I think I'd use my finger or kind of swirl my cup around in my hands, or just wait for that yummy goo at the last drink, or use a pen - you know bottom side up, rather than bank on no one giving the communal stick a lick.

just ducky said...

Unfortunately, I work with a few people that I don't (under any circumstances) want to share anything with...not trying to sound mean...I just work with a few folks who don't even wipe off the toilet seat when they get droplets of pee/poop/blood on it...it's yucky and probably way too much information for you all. I'm not a total germaphobe, but I draw the line at leaving the bathroom disgusting...

Anonymous said...

I would use it. We have a communal spoon for coffee and it works quite well.

Amani said...

I'd use it if it were a spoon or something that didn't have a hollow middle in which to suck up and potentially incubate dairy product.
I might use it more if there were a rinsing sink nearby.

I am a germophobe, though. All it takes is working in foodservice long enough in your twenties to know how gross some things get.

Anonymous said...

I think I would just keep my own stick on a napkin in my desk drawer and stir their. I also put the sugar in first then pour the coffee on top and that seems to work fine - eliminating the stir process.

From the lion's mouth said...

What on earth is wrong with a teaspoon? Why use a plastic stick at all??

Laura said...

I will chime in with another shout of 'Why don't they just use a teaspoon?' :)
I think it truly depends on how many people are in the office. 6-8 people is probably safe and I would use the stick/spoon.
Any more than that and there is not enough personal accountablility and people get wierd and start doing stupid things.
Also, what happens when people come back for a second cup? If you reuse the same coffee cup and then the communal stick, that is totally cross contamination and the germies are going to have a field day.
I got myself off of coffee (the headaches that haunted me occasionally are now gone) and drink herbal tea. I have a reusable metal spoonscoop, scoon if you will, and a stash of loose tea. I stir the honey in with the scoon. No bag to throw away!
I got the scoon at Market Spice at Pike Place in Seattle. I'm sure any store that sells lose tea would have a verson of it. :)

Laura said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Laura said...

Gah! Lose should be loose. Doh. :)

Anonymous said...

Haha, how cute... it's a good idea, but why don't they just use the same one for the entire week or month? Personally, I've started taking my coffee black to avoid all that milk (is it organic?) and sugar (is it refined?) hassle, but chac'un son gout (sorry, french, "to each his own" I think you say!). :)