Good ideas: The disposable coffee cup that turns into a tree

That's just a little bit genius.

Good ideas: The disposable coffee cup that turns into a tree

Disposable coffee cups are one of those things some of use every day, but they've been an ecological nightmare for decades.

Enter a Kickstarter for a coffee cup that you can plant into the ground and turn into a tree.

The idea is so simple it's remarkable it hasn't been done before. The cup contains plant seeds embedded in the paper material itself - and if you're feeling green after your morning caffeine boost, just find a likely patch of soil to plop it in.

It biodegrades in six months, so even if the user isn't bothered to go planting their cup, it will turn into harmless plant food in a landfill.

And planting the cup is simplicity itself - just rip it open, dunk in water, and bury - and the seeds will germinate within four weeks.

The team behind the idea, "Reduce. Reuse. Grow." are looking for $10,000 in funding to get their plans off the ground, and they're just about to break that barrier with 11 days left.

The team claims they can produce their seed-embedded cup for two cents each - the same price as a current biodegradable cup.

To begin, the team is looking at a California launch, and they're keen that the seeds belong to native species - both to give them the best chance at success and to avoid any invasive plant species gaining a hold.

Smart stuff.

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