Earth day is April 22 and Phoenix Coffee has unveiled a new sustainability initiative. The popular locally owned coffee shop with five locations, two of them in Cleveland Heights, is encouraging its customers to use reusable beverage containers. “It doesn’t matter if it’s one of our mugs or a mug of your own,” said Marcie Phillips, manager at the Coventry location, “the idea is to try and create a sustainable coffee community in Cleveland and reduce our dependence on disposable cups.”

Phoenix’s big goal is to increase the number of reusable mugs used at all the Phoenix locations by 10% per quarter. Phoenix is asking customers to sign a pledge agreeing to “fast” from using disposable cups during Earth Week, April 21 – 27. The pledge asks customers “to tote their reusable beverage container with pride and consider every sip an example of how small steps can impact the world we live in.” Customers that turn in their signed pledge receive a “Styro-Fast” button to wear.