Coffee that cares: George Mason U’s new sustainable project goes beyond reusable mugs

At George Mason University, students need their coffee and tea, obviously, but now they can grab that daily java/cuppa with sustainability poured into every sip. The student-designed mugs and the plan of Sip Sip Club bring together a convenient coffee loyalty program and commitment to sustainability.

The Sodexo foodservice team, Mason Dining, has found that providing reusable options aligns with the broader campus-wide sustainability goals for a greener overall campus. The Sip Sip Club for coffee and tea is the latest initiative, and it’s getting a bit of buzz ahead of the new academic year.

The convenience and simple luxury of having a coffee loyalty card that offers discounts and special text promotions is already attractive to college students. And with the average college student enjoying (inhaling?) about two cups of coffee each day, amounting to over 700 cups annually, the daily coffee habit is an ideal point to move the needle on reducing waste in the form of disposable coffee cups.

Students, faculty and staff can join Sip Sip Club for a flat fee of $99.99 for the academic year. At that time, they get the exclusive Mason Dining mug and it’s off to the races with unlimited brewed coffee and tea from six campus locations until the end of the school year. The locations on campus include Starbucks, Dunkin’, Einstein Bros. Bagels, The Difference Baker, Mason Square Café and Randall’s Café. And for all handcrafted beverages, members get a 10% discount.  

The mugs themselves come in soothing soft green and cream colors, designed by Anna Simakova, a George Mason student who is interning in graphic design. The skyline of George Mason is depicted on the mugs, including the iconic Mason clock, a gift from the class of 1999 which was cleaned and updated with digital controls for better accuracy in 2020.

The skyline of campus is shown in this design by George Mason student Anna Simakova. | Photo courtesy of Sodexo

George Mason Career Services consultant Philip Wilkerson has been an early member of the club. “As a daily coffee drinker, I’m excited to get the most out of this program and enjoy all the coffee I can,” Wilkerson said in a statement. “I think it’s a fantastic initiative and I absolutely love the mug. It’s a great way to show my Mason spirit!”