On Thursday, February 19, 2015, Earth Task Force (ETF), a student led conservation group at New Vista High School, executed a unique day of consciousness – Bring Your Own Mug Day. Bring Your Own Mug Day focuses on urging students to drink from reusable mugs instead of ones destined for the landfill. Students who brought in their own mugs could get them filled with sustainable caffeine. Donations from local businesses provided for this important project. Students from ETF set-up a booth during breaks and between classes to serve free coffee and chai, as well as a dairy free chai to support New Vista’s diverse population.

Bring Your Own Mug Day is important for encouraging students to take sustainable action, shop at local businesses and help to create an environmentally friendly community. It is among one of the most popular annual events occurring at the school. New Vista is an Eco-Cycle Green Star School, largely due to the many eco-friendly events Earth Task Force puts on. Creating green schools is a crucial part of making a more conscious community.

Many students showed up with reusable mugs making this a very successful event. An ample amount of chai and coffee was donated, and it was all successfully consumed by the large groups of students and staff who attended each time the beverages were being served. There was dairy-free chai available this year which satisfied more students and staff. More chai was brought in this year than in past years, which also made a better outcome for this event. Many New Vista students are helping to change the school and their behavior by producing less waste at events like these and hopefully in their lives outside of school.
Earth Task Force would like to thank The Cup, Sprouts, and 3rd Street Chai for their generous coffee, milk, and chai donations. These wonderful local businesses which donated to this project are supporting creating conservation awareness at school. Earth Task Force plans to continue to replicate this event in following years to raise more awareness for reusing materials.

Written by: Taya Bruell and Robyn Brandhuber