I'm Coo Coo for Coo Coo Cafe

The "coffee cup crusade" continues... My friend and fellow blogger from Fresh Start Recycling introduced me to a cool, local and green coffee shop, Coo Coo Cafe. Rumor has it that they serve a darn fine cup o' joe. Let's all reduce our carbon footprint and do something good for this world. If you’re pro green, be sure to give Coo Coo Cafe a visit! Mother Earth will thank you.


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The Coffee Cup Crusade...

Further to my previous blog post, I've been doing lots of research on how one can recycle a disposable coffee cup in Vancouver. Obviously, reusable mugs are the best option, but not always feasible. I was told by the city of Vancouver that disposable coffee cups and lids are not recyclable. Little did I know, these cups have a lining of plastic inside them that deems them non-recyclable. However, there is an alternate option - compostable cups. Here is a Vancouver based company who supplies them:

http://www.bioplasticscanada.com/?page=corncups

After they are used, these cups would be shipped to commercial composting facilities where they are then broken down. The problem is, these cups are 5 cents more expensive for coffee companies like Blenz and Starbucks to purchase. Of course, this would make their costs go up. I don't know about you, but I'm more than happy to pay an extra 5 cents for my coffee knowing that the cup won't end up in a landfill. Would you pay an extra 5 cents for a compostable cup? What are your thoughts?

A Greener Vancouver?

It all began as I was having my morning coffee... As I took my last sip, I searched for a garbage can to toss it in. Before I launched it into the trash, I peered down at my cup. The lid is recyclable?! But why aren't we recycling it? I wonder how many Vancouver citizens are discarding these lids each morning. What about those free daily papers that I see strewn about the city? What a waste and what a mess! I would like to see a more sustainable, green Vancouver. We have such a beautiful city and I strongly feel that there should be a push for more recycling options, especially on Robson Street.

I'm sure that it would be relatively inexpensive to put some paper/plastic recycling bins on Robson street to start. I am personally willing to volunteer my time to encourage others to recycle. I can get a team of people together who could physically hold the recycling bins and approach citizens outside of establishments like Blenz and Starbucks. This would be virtually free for the city to implement. We could save a ton of materials that would otherwise end up in the landfill. Who's with me? What are your thoughts?

Yogurt Power!

At the beginning of this viral video, Sarah Haskins asks "Why am I holding all this yogurt? Because I'm a woman. And yogurt is the official food of women." I agree! I also frequently enjoy this delightfully fruity (AND low fat) snack. Sometimes I even sit around with my girlfriends and rave about "pro-biotic" and "pre-biotic" cultures. My fellow females nod in approval. You look great! Have you lost weight? It must be the pro-biotics... What the heck are those things anyways? I don't know about you, but I'm a little creeped out at the thought of tiny organisms swimming around in my belly... I'll leave the horticultural experiments to the experts, thank you! Check out this video by Sarah Haskins for a good laugh.

The Indomitable Spirit

"I discovered early that the hardest thing to overcome is not a physical disability but the mental condition which it induces. The world, I found, has a way of taking a man pretty much at his own rating. If he permits his loss to make him embarrassed and apologetic, he will draw embarrassment from others. But if he gains his own respect, the respect of those around him comes easily." Alexander De Seversky

From my friend Twitter Prodigy at:
http://twitterprodigy.com/2009/07/the-indomitable-spirit-an-example/

What the tweet?!

There's a lot of confusion surrounding social media marketing. You may find yourself asking: "How do I use Twitter, YouTube and Facebook for my business? What's the point of all this social media stuff? Why should I care?" Even if you do have a good understanding of social media, you may not have the time to participate.

In Today's Market, Less is More
Traditional marketing tactics are still effective, but on their own, they’re expensive and have limited reach. Budgets are under pressure. Marketing departments are disappearing. Your customers don't have the time or patience for one-way, static communication, but you still need to grab their attention. In order to reach your customers in today's market, participation in the online community is a must.

Participation. The 5th "P" of Marketing
Your customers are dying to tell you what they think and trust us, they're talking! The question is, are you listening? By reaching your customer and prospects through social media outlets, you will learn so much more about them. This leads to trust, engagement, word-of-mouth, loyalty and brand equity.

Search Engines Love Social Media
Without question, your customers and prospects are using search engines. Content must be distributed broadly for search engines to notice it, value it, and report it in search results. Social media is extremely effective for increasing your online presence and search engine ranking.

What's next?
To learn how you can use social media to grow your business, keep a close eye on my blog posts. Happy tweeting!

Recommended Read
Twitter Power. How to dominate your market one tweet at a time: Joel Comm