HOW R.CUP WORKS
r.Cup is the nation’s leading reuse platform. Many people might not realize this startling fact: live events send 4 BILLION single-use cups to the landfill every year (in the US alone!) Together with our partners, we’re changing that.
The Mountain View Art & Wine Festival is committed to sustainability and is teaming up with r.Cup to eliminate single-use waste. By switching to reuse, you’re helping reduce waste, CO2 emissions, and overall climate impact.
The first 10 people to return 10 r.Cups to the r.Cup booth at the intersection of Villa St. and Castro Street will receive a free drink ticket!
FAQs
Q: Where do I return my r.Cup when I’m done?
A: When done, please return used cups to the clearly labeled r.Cup Bins. You can return r.Cups at any time, and will need to do so before leaving.
Q: Is it safe to use (and reuse) r.Cup?
A: YES! r.Cup’s reuse system includes commercial washing and sanitization. Reuse is food safe, protects public health, reduces CO2 emissions, stops single-use pollution and reduces
waste.
Q: Can I just buy a cup without the drink?
A: r.Cups are not for sale. The cups are the property of the Mountain View Art & Wine Festival, the same way cups and plates are the property of a restaurant. r.Cup is being used as a solution to the single-use cups that would otherwise be used. Therefore, a drink purchase is required to obtain an r.Cup. The drink purchase does not include the purchase of the cup.
Q: Can I take this cup home with me?
A: No. Please return to the clearly labeled r.Cup Bins so cups can be collected, washed and reused again. It’s important so that we can help keep r.Cup’s cycle of reuse going. Each r.Cup can be used hundreds of times!
Q: Wait, isn’t this cup plastic? How is this helping?
A: r.Cup is made of #5 Polypropylene plastic which is high quality, durable, food safe, BPA-Free, dishwasher safe, reusable, refillable and easily recyclable. Each r.Cup can be used hundreds of times. The continued reuse of these cups allows us to displace tons and tons of single-use waste. And, at the end of the day, any damaged cups are upcycled into items even cooler than the r.Cups. It is a closed loop system. We are using plastic to fight plastic!
1. Order a beer and if you do not want to purchase a festival glass you will receive a beer in an r.Cup reusable cup
2. When you are finished with your drink place your cup in the r.Cup specific return bins. Do not put them in the debris, recycling or compost bins.
3. After cups are returned to the r.Cup Bins, r.Cup picks up, washes, sanitizes, inspects, and then repackages cups. The San Francisco-based r.Cup Wash Hub operates under all health department regulations and features the latest technologies from its partner Ecolab - a world leader in planet-friendly sanitization.
4. r.Cups will then take the disinfected cups and use them at the next event.
We're Committed to being a Greener Event
Mountain View Art & Wine Festival and the City of Mountain View are working to create a more sustainable and eco-conscious event.
This year the event will feature the use of r.Cup, is an organization that specializes in creating safe reusable cups for each event. The festival organizers are thankful for the city's support in helping to bring this forward-thinking concept to reality in activating it at the event.
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
The festival is also encouraging the use of public transportation, bicycles, and carpools to minimize carbon emissions and reduce vehicular traffic. Downtown Mountain View is served by VTA Light Rail and Bus service as well as Caltrain. The transit center drops riders off at the festival “doorstep”.
The festival has taken steps to make it easier than ever for festivalgoers and vendors to be environmentally friendly by recycling and composting where possible. Festival food and beverage vendors are required to use recyclable and compostable foodware and drinkware.
Specially marked free-standing containers will be positioned at receptacle stations throughout the festival pedestrian route for recycling glass, plastic, aluminum, paper, and cardboard; as well as for composting food scraps (including meat and bones), paper plates, bio-degradable cups, chopsticks, skewers and napkins. There will be large recycling and compost containers in strategic behind-the-scenes locations for event staff, vendors, and sponsors to utilize.
RECOLOGY
“We’re pleased to partner again with the Chamber of Commerce, and greatly appreciate the concerted effort they’ve made to refine and improve recycling operations,” said Jocelyn Baird, Recology Mountain View Waste Zero Specialist. Recology Mountain View is an employee-owned company that provides recycling, organics, and garbage collection service to all residents and businesses in Mountain View. Waste Zero is their rallying cry, and they strive to find the best and highest use of all resources collected. For additional information, please visit Recology’s website at: www.recology.com.
