Waste Reduction at Tim Hortons Saves You Money

Canadians can feel a little better about their morning coffee at Tim Hortons – the largest quick-service restaurant chain in the country. As part of the company's ongoing waste reduction efforts they're encouraging customers to use a travel mug rather than the standard paper cup. Customers that do so will save 10 cents off the regular purchase price. It's never been easier for customers to make a green choice while still enjoying their morning double-double.

As encouraging as this new waste reduction policy may seem, don't expect environmental activists to take Tim Hortons out of their crosshairs just yet.
Tim Hortons restaurants have been under fire for years for many issues. Some of the complaints include rampant litter induced yearly with their "Roll up the Rim" campaign, car exhaust concerns from their drive-thru window line ups and a non fair-trade coffee supply.

In an effort to minimize these issues, Tim Hortons environmental page shows how they are working to change the wasteful ways of the past. Besides encouraging waste reduction, they also claim to be evaluating their current packaging – including the non-recyclable wax coated paper cup – to "…ensure that we are using materials that can be composted or recycled, where facilities exist." They are also testing their bulk coffee grounds to determine if they are "…suitable material for organics treatment."

While it's easy to downplay this latest move by Tim Hortons as nothing more than a thinly veiled opportunity to jump on the green bandwagon, they deserve some recognition for allowing and encouraging customers to make the right choice. Yes, it is a small change to switch to a reusable mug but more importantly, it's also an easy one to adopt into our lives.

We've been told repeatedly that if all of us commit to making even the smallest change that the benefits to the environment can be enormous. With more than 2,800 stores across Canada serving more than a million customers daily, this is a significant opportunity for Tim Horton's and their regular customers to make a positive impact.

Acquired by Wendy's International in 1995, there are 500 Tim Hortons franchises in the United States. Currently just the Canadian locations are honoring the 10 cent discount.