In June, ten-year-old Mia Hansen bought a smoothie at Jamba Juice. And like thousands of drinks they sell every day, hers was served in a styrofoam cup.
Mia knows that styrofoam is bad for the planet. From production to disposal, it creates pollution, releases chemicals, and junks our landfills and landscapes. (And oceans!)
photo from Change.org
“That’s just ridiculous,” she wrote. “It bothered me so much, my mom encouraged me to start a petition.”
So she started a petition online, asking Jamba Juice to stop using styrofoam cups. This is where the story gets cool. It went viral — and more than 130,000 people ended up signing on.
Today, Mia announced that Jamba Juice has greed to change. According to the update, “Mia and her mom secured a public commitment from Jamba Juice to completely stop using Styrofoam cups and switch to an environmental alternative by the end of 2013.”
Mia says,
“Your words made me feel so good. It made me feel like anyone of any age in any country can really make a difference in the world. Jamba Juice responded to me within three weeks of starting this petition! I spoke with them on the phone and they just sent me a letter that says very clearly that they will not have polystyrene cups in any of their stores by the end of 2013. Can you believe it??!!! Thanks, again, guys — We Won!!!”
I hate styrofoam cups. I know they’re a big source of pollution, and it seems like there are such better options. So whenever I can remember, I try to bring my own mug to the coffeeshop or food court, and use it instead. But that’s nothing compared with this. Way to go, Mia! (And props to Jamba Juice, too. Let’s hope the environmental alternative is truly green.)
I am waiting for that news & day when they go styro-free. I’ve been missing Jamba Juices but turned off by the plastic. (Don’t get frozen latte drinks for the same reason)
Has any one thought about job loss at all of couse not if it’s not yours. Why did’nt she get them to start recycleing instead and make new jobs. There are so many other ways of doing things banning in the US is wrong and should be stop finding ways to reuse and more jobs should be on the top of the list of all of us. Sad very Sad.
Hi Nate – she did in fact get Jamba on the path toward recycling instead, which will probably create jobs. (Though I’m not an economist!) But ultimately, if something is bad for society and a market failure is resulting in tons of waste, where there are better solutions available, we ought to ban it, right?
This little girl need more education with the facts about EPS, not Styrofoam. A very recylable material.
Do a little research.
Hi DRM – there’s almost no recycling of any polystyrene in the USA. This includes styrofoam, other extruded polystyrenes, and expanded polystyrene of the sort often mistakenly called Styrofoam. As a result, it lingers in landfills (or worse, getting into natural habitats) for hundreds of years.