PH Coffee baristas show off new glass jars and coozies | Photo by EllieAna Hale

EllieAna Hale
Community Engagement
Intern & Reporter

Located in the heart of the Pendleton Heights neighborhood, PH Coffee has been fostering community efforts and local events for nearly half a decade. 

To expand these efforts, the cozy coffee shop at 2200 Lexington introduced a new sustainability initiative, the Glass Jar Program, aiming to eliminate disposable cups and promote a more environmentally conscious approach to coffee consumption. 

Launched officially on January 10, the Glass Jar Program allows patrons to ditch single-use cups in favor of reusable glass jars. 

Customers have two options to obtain these jars: participating in the PH Coffee deposit program, where a customer pays $2 for a glass jar and then is refunded once the jar is returned, or bringing in their own reusable cup. For those opting for their own reusable cups, anything larger than 12 ounces incurs a 50-cent upcharge. 

This initiative isn’t entirely new to the Kansas City coffee scene; it takes inspiration from a similar program implemented by Oddly Correct in 2019. However, PH Coffee is seeking to encourage a ripple effect through their implementation of this program.

PH Coffee secured a $5,000 grant from GrubHub and an additional grant from the Kansas City LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce for being recognized as an Ally Shop to support this initiative and the costs that come with the implementation of the jars. These grants provided the financial backing needed to secure the vision of a sustainable coffee shop.

Owner of PH Coffee, Eric Rosell, expressed his optimism about the impact this initiative could have beyond the walls of his own shop. 

“We’ve made a decision that impacts the conversation positively about sustainability in coffee shops. When people come in, it makes them think, ‘Oh, why aren’t other coffee shops doing that?’” Rosell said. 

Rosell believes that small businesses, like his own, can make a significant impact on the community by taking steps towards sustainability.

“Every one of us as small business owners, we can really make a small impact that can benefit our community at large,” Rosell said.

It’s not just about paper and plastic cups; it’s about sustaining a movement that encourages a new world of environmentally conscious coffee shops. 

PH Coffee hopes to inspire other coffee shops to consider their environmental footprint and take on sustainability challenges within their establishments.