San Juan Island coffee shop ditches plastic cups
Published 1:30 am Monday, July 27, 2026
Submitted by San Juan County.
As communities around the world mark Plastic Free July, one local business didn’t need a campaign to get started. Caleb Aldstadt, owner of Third House Coffee in Friday Harbor, got tired of seeing plastic on the beach. So he did something about it in his own shop.
Plastic Free July began in Australia in 2011 and has grown into a global movement, with millions of people across more than 190 countries pledging each year to cut back on single-use plastic. Closer to home, that same spirit is behind Plastic Free Salish Sea, a community effort that helps San Juan County businesses and residents find practical, everyday ways to reduce plastic waste. Aldstadt’s switch didn’t start as part of either campaign — but it’s exactly the kind of independent, grassroots change both are built to celebrate.
Third House Coffee has swapped out plastic-lined cups and lids for a single, fully home-compostable cup. “I would see plastic on the beaches here, broken down into little particles, and some from coffee cups,” Aldstadt said. “That was a start.” It wasn’t one dramatic moment, he says, so much as a string of small steps to cut plastic out of his own life and his business.
The switch wasn’t a sacrifice. Because the new cup replaces what used to be two separate purchases — a plastic cup and a lid — Aldstadt says he’s paying less overall, and stocking less inventory, too.
“I think they work out great. The design is really well done,” he said. Fewer leaks, no popped lids and one less thing cluttering the counter.
A 50-cent discount rewards anyone who brings a reusable cup, and Aldstadt says most locals already do. The same goes for coffee beans — he offers refillable canisters so customers can skip the bag.
“We’re just consuming way less,” he said. “In the long run, it’s better for everybody.”
Aldstadt says the transition took some patience for both him and his customers. A few regulars missed peeling a lid off and on, but most adjusted quickly, and he expects any business making the switch will see the same short learning curve.
Aldstadt sources the cups directly from the manufacturer and says he’s glad to point other shop owners to the supplier or hand over a sample to try. For Plastic Free July, he’d like to see more San Juan County businesses take the same kind of simple, independent step.
Asked why it matters to him, Aldstadt didn’t hesitate: “Because the future deserves a better us.”
Aldstadt’s actions are inspiring. If a coffee shop can go plastic-free, why can’t we? Join us for Plastic Free July and make a difference. Want to see what other islanders are doing for Plastic Free July? Follow @plasticfreesalishsea on Instagram to see who is cutting back on single-use plastic.
If your business has taken steps to reduce waste, get in touch! The more businesses that do, the less trash goes to the landfill — and the Plastic Free Salish Sea initiative would love to help spread the word on what’s working to help encourage others in our community.
