A lot of solutions are already being explored in this area, with Starbucks giving discounts to the order of 10-25 cents to people who bring their own reusable cups.

Starbucks is also trying to reconstruct the cup to replace the lining to make them recyclable. Starbucks also sells its line of ceramic and reusable cups to reduce paper cup usage.

On another front, cups are being used as service by companies (not Starbucks), where reusable cups are rented for a fee and then returned back to any store in the network to get your money back.

While the solutions stand tall in their own way, they are not able to bring about an impact that is needed. It is clear that people are trying to be motivated to reduce paper cup usage however it is not enough to influence their behavior. Thus, the problem seems deep-rooted and understanding the user becomes of prime importance in order to bring about the change.