San Francisco Cafes Are Banishing Disposable Coffee Cups

A new cafe culture is brewing in San Francisco, where a growing number of coffee houses are banishing paper to-go cups and replacing them with everything from glass jars to rental mugs. What started as a small trend among neighborhood cafes to reduce waste is gaining support from some big names in the city's food and coffee world.  The Oakland-based Blue Bottle chain says it's getting rid of disposable cups at two locations next year, as part of a pledge to go “zero-waste” at its 70 U.S. locations by the end of 2020. Industry experts say larger coffee chains like Starbucks are feeling a sense of urgency to be more environmentally friendly, and will no doubt be taking note.