Welcome to the second edition of The CoSee Edit! CoSee is an eco-minded, values-led community fostering unexpected and new relationships through sustainable living. We are building something unique – digital and physical spaces and events where people can pause, share ideas, and support what matters.

✨ This week, we’re exploring what it means to live imperfectly sustainable, why collapsible cups (and food-grade silicone) are great investments to make + where to get discounts on bringing your own cup, and what’s buzzing at Climate Week NYC + the Brooklyn Book Festival. ✨

Ready? Here we go! 🚀

Let’s pair your coffee with a new sustainability habit. 

2-Pack Collapsible + Reusable Coffee Cup* ($13.49)

Living sustainably — and living our values — is a lot like walking on a tightrope. Every step counts, but the balance is tricky. In 2019, I bought a silicone collapsible coffee cup on Amazon. Six years later, it’s still going strong — durable, easy, and convenient. 

I know, I know — Amazon has its critics. It’s often the big bad wolf of retail. But like most things in sustainability, the reality is complicated. Metrics aren’t perfect — a product’s “carbon footprint” can vary wildly depending on how you measure it, and sometimes the most “sustainable” choice on paper doesn’t make sense for your life in practice. Decision-making here can feel like this moment from The Good Place (see the 1 minute scene from 1:35 to 2:35). 

If you already have a reusable cup you love, amazing! Show it off! If your local store has it, great. If not, and Amazon works for you, no shade. Perfection isn’t the goal here — longevity and intentionality are.

And if you want to be known as the reusable coffee cup person at your local café, here’s the one I’ve been carrying for six years* that has given me such an esteemed reputation. 😇☕

Every refill in your collapsible cup = one less disposable cup in the trash. Remember, most paper cups aren’t truly recyclable because they’re lined with plastic. By switching, 

Silicone is generally a safer alternative to plastic for food storage, though not perfect. Like plastic, it can leach chemicals into food + the environment – but usually only at extreme (too hot, too cold) temperatures, making it safer for everyday use. Unlike plastic, silicone doesn’t absorb odors or flavors and tends to last much longer. The catch? Some cheaper silicone products use fillers and additives that reduce these benefits, so steer clear.

✅ Look for FDA-approved, food-grade silicone: This means the product meets U.S. safety standards for food contact (sometimes labeled as “21CFR177.2600”).

❓Double Check Your Products: Don’t be shy about asking questions! For our Amazon pick, we went straight to the source and reached out to the seller. They responded quickly: “We are arranging the documentation on the food-grade safety of our cups and will provide it. The cups are made from BPA-free, food-safe silicone.”

🌍 Seek out LFGB-certified silicone: This European standard (especially common in France and Germany) is considered even stricter and more comprehensive than the FDA’s.

⚠️ Remember: not all “food-grade” silicone automatically meets FDA or LFGB standards, so double-check product details when buying online.

Thank you for being here. Forward this to a friend, reply to let us know what you’re reading or drinking, follow us on Instagram, reach out to [email protected] for partnership opportunities, or just stay tuned.

We’re building this together — 1 book, 1 cup, 1 sustainable, intentional habit at a time.

CoSee Shop

P.S. *Our Disclaimer: these are affiliate links from Amazon. To help us start up our business, please use our codes for your purchases.