The next time you visit Starbucks, your drink may be served in a new and improved cup. On April 18, just a few days ahead of Earth Day, the coffee giant unveiled its new lineup of single-use cold cups, which were created to be more sustainable.
According to the company's announcement, the redesigned cups are made with 10 to 20 percent less plastic, depending on the size, when compared to the previous versions.
The coffee chain is introducing the cups at select stores in the U.S. and Canada this month and plans to complete the full rollout over the next year.
Starbucks said this redesign will keep 13.5 million pounds of plastic out of landfills each year.
Additionally, the coffee chain expects the cups to decrease emissions, conserve water in the production process, and simplify the workload for employees because there will be fewer lid combinations.
Previously, Starbucks employees had to store and stock multiple lids separately, which the chain said "created clutter and took up valuable shelf space."
Beyond using less plastic, the new cups will also include some accessibility features. These include raised dots, which will indicate sizes for those with impaired vision.
Starbucks has deployed multiple sustainability efforts over the years. In January, the company announced that it would accept reusable cups for all orders at company-operated and participating licensed stores in the U.S. and Canada.