Enviro group sells reusable CUPPS

A new car and gold credit cards may have been the status symbols of the '80s, but the Penn Environmental Group is betting that CUPPS will mark one's social rank in the '90s. CUPPS -- the new Can't Use Paper, Plastics, Styrofoam mugs -- were designed by the University's environmental group to cut down on solid waste. "This should help to cut down the waste stream caused by frequent use of disposable cups," said former PEG co-coordinator Elise Granek. The College senior said it has already been very successful at the University of Vermont and the University of Colorado-Boulder where students often clip them to their backpacks for public display. University's Physical Plant paid for all freshmen to get a CUPPS and said if the program is successful they will continue to pay for entering freshmen in the upcoming years, she added. "CUPPS were distributed to all freshmen during orientation week and are being sold for $3 to upperclassmen," Granek said. "We are hoping that it can become a program used by everybody over the next four years." Students are also encouraged to use the hard-plastic CUPPS by fourteen local restaurants. These eateries have agreed to offer discounts to University students who use their CUPPS mugs. "As a group we went around to local restaurants asking them to participate in this program," Granek said. "Fourteen of them were willing to offer discounts." Among the restaurants participating are Billybobs, Muffins n' More, Little Caesar's Pizza Station, and several restaurants in the 3401 Walnut foodcourt. "It's a great idea and a great deal . . . come on down," Little Caesar's Assistant Manager Art Kephart said. Granek said PEG would like to continue distributing the CUPPS mugs at during New Student Orientation every year so that every University student will have one four years from now. The leaders of CUPPS spoke last semester with Recycling Superintendent Albert Pallanti who agreed to fund the program. "The program is solely run by the students," Pallanti said. "Penn Recycling serves only to assist them with finances and labor. It's the students of PEG who have done a great job." Penn Recycling is a division of the University's Physical Plant Department which is responsible for taking care of recyclable waste. Granek said that PEG intends to try and sell the CUPPS mugs to the fraternity and sorority sysytem and also hopes to meet with the different houses throughout this semester. "Everybody should benefit in the end," Granek said. "Restaurants spend less money on paper cups, students receive a considerable discount and the environment is better protected from litter and waste." PEG members said they are optimistic that students will soon be flaunting their mugs. "And hopefully, there will be a visable change in the amount of waste over the next few years," Granek said.

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