Tumblers that make a cool and Eco-friendly statement
In the past, I used to love getting mineral bottled water because it is a convenient option and all the tumblers in the market are just too boring in appearance. But this semester, I went the extra mile to purchase a DIY tumbler and made it super cool (and eco-friendly) using scraps of used paper and other used materials.
When I visited Starbucks and came across the "design-it-yourself" tumbler, I discarded my need for PET water bottles and I've been using tumblers until now. I am able to make this transition because tumblers gives me a peace of mind and I can take away any unfinished drinks at coffee-shops (or kopitiam) by pouring it into my empty tumbler! In the past, I used to pour my leftover carrot juice from a can into a 500ml plastic bottle through the tiny bottle neck and 90% of the time, I'd make a mess. More importantly, it functions just as good as a plastic bottle (even better I would say!), it is so much easier to wash and personalize.
I have also reduced a potential 2.5million tons of carbon dioxide by avoiding the use of bottled water, and more than 20 litres of water (According to Pacific Institute Research).
The carbon dioxide produced will directly cause global warming. On the national level, most of our bottled water is recycled but a huge percentage of them are being incinerated (burned at local waste managing plants). If you've tried burning some plastic wrappers, you'd probably hate the stench. Besides, the gas produced via burning is toxic...I wouldn't want to pollute the air of my own homeland!
I also found out that (PET) bottled water contains cancer-inducing material? The truth was chucked away from us, consumers, for the longest time ever because bottled water companies tried to paint an angelic image of their products to make us buy. I learned about this from UK's daily mail article titled "The poison lurking in your plastic water bottle" introduced by my cousin. :(
This semester, I got myself a new Starbucks Tumbler and discarded my need for plastic bottles. It's pretty easy and I'll share with you some websites and links which I have used to design my new tumbler using recycled items. Or, you could get unique seasonal tumblers from places such as MUJI, Starbucks, Smiggles and even Typo.
When I visited Starbucks and came across the "design-it-yourself" tumbler, I discarded my need for PET water bottles and I've been using tumblers until now. I am able to make this transition because tumblers gives me a peace of mind and I can take away any unfinished drinks at coffee-shops (or kopitiam) by pouring it into my empty tumbler! In the past, I used to pour my leftover carrot juice from a can into a 500ml plastic bottle through the tiny bottle neck and 90% of the time, I'd make a mess. More importantly, it functions just as good as a plastic bottle (even better I would say!), it is so much easier to wash and personalize.
I have also reduced a potential 2.5million tons of carbon dioxide by avoiding the use of bottled water, and more than 20 litres of water (According to Pacific Institute Research).
The carbon dioxide produced will directly cause global warming. On the national level, most of our bottled water is recycled but a huge percentage of them are being incinerated (burned at local waste managing plants). If you've tried burning some plastic wrappers, you'd probably hate the stench. Besides, the gas produced via burning is toxic...I wouldn't want to pollute the air of my own homeland!
I also found out that (PET) bottled water contains cancer-inducing material? The truth was chucked away from us, consumers, for the longest time ever because bottled water companies tried to paint an angelic image of their products to make us buy. I learned about this from UK's daily mail article titled "The poison lurking in your plastic water bottle" introduced by my cousin. :(
This semester, I got myself a new Starbucks Tumbler and discarded my need for plastic bottles. It's pretty easy and I'll share with you some websites and links which I have used to design my new tumbler using recycled items. Or, you could get unique seasonal tumblers from places such as MUJI, Starbucks, Smiggles and even Typo.
From plain to Jane - using recycled scraps
I got my 12 oz tumbler at Starbucks for $19.90. I am happy with my decision to switch because any drinks I order at Starbucks using my tumbler will be 50c cheaper if I use my tumbler to hold the drinks! Overtime, 50c savings per drink can amount to a huge amount in the long run. On top of that, I can get a free drink voucher of any choice.
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This is how I made my customed tumbler
I mainly used recycled paper and scrap materials from packaging and drew with markers. The way I go about it is to imagine I'm doing scrapbooking on a bottle instead of on flat paper.
Materials used
Old Magazine cut outs (Mostly fashion magazines)
Invoices and paper bills from letters, as design base
Old and unused vouchers and coupons
Tea and accessories packaging
Old postcards I got from art museums and exhibitions
Scissors
Glue
Marker
Tape
Invoices and paper bills from letters, as design base
Old and unused vouchers and coupons
Tea and accessories packaging
Old postcards I got from art museums and exhibitions
Scissors
Glue
Marker
Tape
Choosing pictures on magazines that resembles a vintage feel and cutting them out was fast and easy. This kind of reminded me of my school days doing Art and Craft. For me, I arranged the cut outs randomly until I settled on an arrangement that I like most. I also used leftover ribbons and some bits of used packaging. Then I glued them down on a piece of paper, within the boundary drawn previously so it can fit nicely into the tumbler.
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Design #2 - Simpler and faster
I did another design which is simpler and sweeter. This is more for occasions where I want to create a simple concept to match my dressing.
I used a black marker to draw hearts at regular intervals and tada! I was done in about 10 minutes. More importantly, I used my old invoices from letters as the design base (again) and I can turn unwanted paper into something beautiful and practical. I brought this tumbler to my Kelong trip (Check out here) and it was so useful when there are very few cups there for use. It even matched my stripped outfit on that day. |
Another alternative to making designs to fit into a tumbler can be done via Adobe Photoshop. I found this video on Youtube which has some really simple tips. Just click How To Make A Customized Starbucks Tumbler to watch it.
I've noticed celebrities love using Eco friendly ways to enjoy beverages too
Me drinking my fav Green Tea CreamNow I can enjoy my green tea cream in my personalized tumbler! yum yum. See the whipped cream? Yum.
Even celebrities are using eco-friendly ways to enjoy their beverages! Being a fan of Japanese and Korean pop, I feel compelled to get a tumbler for myself too! I'm pretty sure hollywood celebrities use it too. If they are putting in the effort and still look so good, I don't see why I shouldn't give it a try.
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SeoHyun from Girls Generation (SNSD)
Here's Seohyun (Girls Generation) using a Starbucks clear Venti To-Go Cold Cup Tumbler, another selection off the shelves of tumblers at Starbucks outlets.
I remember my Junior College teacher used to carry this to class with ice lemon tea inside every day. Image source and credits to: http://style.soshified.com/2011/06/seohyun-starbucks/ |