Disposable and biodegradable cups are a simple and mess free way for party throwers to provide beverages without having to do mounds of dishes afterwards. While many hosts definitely prefer to use disposable cups, many of them fail to neglect the importance of using biodegradable cups. Biodegradable cups are disposable, but made out of materials that are renewable and easily broken down when thrown away.

Plastic cups: The most horrible item you can throw away

Most of us don’t check to find out the materials of the cups we’re using for our party. It’s easy to grab the cheap, durable plastic cups that are brightly colored and come in mass quantities for a really cheap price, but what many of us don’t realize is the damage these cups do to the earth. It’s not unheard of for guests at a party to go through hundreds of these cups in a night and throw them all away. The bag is thrown onto the curb the next day, picked up by the trash man, and dumped into a landfill. Out of sight, out of mind.

But not really. Plastic cups never biodegrade, which means they literally sit in the landfill forever. These cups never, ever go away.

Paper cups: Absolutely not the better alternative

So use paper cups. That’s better since paper is made from trees and biodegradable, right?

Wrong. While paper cups are biodegradable, creating these cups still requires thousands of trees to be cut down in order to make them. They’re typically made out of bleached white paper board, so there are all sorts of chemicals going into the processing of the paper to turn it into something durable enough to hold coffee or beer. They are a waste of trees and take all sorts of chemicals just to make a cheap, decent cup.

Biodegradable cups: The right choice

The right kind of biodegradable cup is made out of recycled post consumer materials. Recycled cups are just as durable as a plastic or paper disposable cup, but the company doesn’t chop down a fresh tree for each batch of cups. Instead, they’re using recycled products and processing them with steam and other natural resources to make a strong, durable cup. Some even use renewable resources like corn or other plant based products.The cups break down in a landfill over a short period of time, and they biodegrade naturally within the earth’s elements. Nothing harmful about that.

Next time you’re having a party and need to find some disposable cups in massive quantities, find some biodegradable cups that are made out of recycled materials. They’re not expensive like you’re probably thinking. You don’t have to make any sacrifices in order to find or use them. If you have paper cups available in your company break room, they can easily be purchased online in bulk, and sometimes even with your company logo on them.

What have you got to lose? Choosing to use biodegradable cups for your next party or to keep in your company break room is basically an effortless movement to cut down on waste sitting in landfills and considerably improve your carbon footprint. So make the change. Mother Earth will thank you for it.