Scientists, students and staff at Mission Bay are not only blazing new research trails. Many are helping lead the way to free UCSF of a lot of environment-unfriendly paper cups.

So far, some 900 free ceramic mugs have been distributed to the residents of Genentech Hall as part of the UCSF Office of Environmental Health and Safety's (EH&S) Paper Cup Reduction Program, which has targeted the new Mission Bay occupants for its 2003 campaign.

They are being asked to use the mugs instead of paper cups for beverages such as coffee, tea or water. The goal is to reduce the number of paper cups disposed into landfill, said Larry Wong, who manages the program for EH&S.

If an office or coffee shop substituted a reusable mug for a 16-ounce paper cup at a rate of just two per hour, there would be a solid waste reduction of 252 pounds per year and an annual greenhouse gas reduction of 226 pounds per year, said Wong, citing a study by the Alliance for Environmental Innovation.

The same study estimates the average life of a ceramic mug is 1,000 uses.

At Genentech Hall, the mugs — donated to the EH&S program by VWR International and Technical Scientific Services, Inc. — have been given away during "cookie hour" at the White Star Café. The café also gives a 10 cent discount on beverages to customers who bring their own mugs or containers.

Genentech Hall occupants who have not been able to attend the cookie hour, or UCSF members not located at Genentech Hall who would like a mug, may email EH&S at papercupreduction@ehs.ucsf.edu. Please list your name, phone number and location where you would like to receive the mug. Mugs will be distributed on a first-come basis.

Source: Andy Evangelista

Last updated January 28, 2005

Genentech Hall Library

At Genentech Hall, from left, Larry Wong, program manager for EH&S, Michael Baldwin, chair of the UCSF Chemical and Environmental Committee, and Sarah Galica, laboratory manager.