Every year, without fail, Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL) season arrives the moment the first leaves begin to turn brown. As soon as that familiar notification popped up and my feeds filled with cinnamon swirls and pumpkin everything, I was hooked. I found myself visiting cafés all over town, excited to try every pumpkin drink I could find. Before long, a festive coffee or tea had become part of my daily routine and a little ritual I looked forward to every morning.
After about a week, though, I noticed a shift. I was relying on these drinks a little too much. If I couldn’t get one at the start of my morning, I was instantly grumpy. Beyond the mood swings, I realized I was spending far more money than I intended and, more importantly, creating a significant amount of unnecessary waste. While this beloved seasonal trend marks the beginning of autumn for many of us, it also comes with a surge in single-use cups, lids, straws, and other disposable products.
Once I realized that buying coffee out every day wasn’t financially or environmentally sustainable, I decided to make a change. I knew there had to be ways to enjoy PSL season without leaving such a heavy footprint or giving up the little ritual I loved.
First, I invested in a durable, leak-proof travel mug that I could bring with me wherever I went. While disposable cups can feel like the easiest or most convenient option in the moment, reducing waste at the source is one of the simplest ways to make a more sustainable choice.
Next, I headed to a few local grocery stores and experimented with different pumpkin syrups, creamers, and coffee blends to find my favorites. I even watched barista tutorials and taught myself how to make a pumpkin spice latte at home. What started as an attempt to cut back on waste quickly became a new skill and honestly, a pretty fun one.
Like many others, I love the sense of community and happiness that comes with seasonal traditions like PSL season. And I don’t think we should have to sacrifice the small pleasures in life to live more sustainably. Instead, we can find smarter, more mindful ways to enjoy the things we already love.
Sometimes, sustainability isn’t about giving something up. It’s about finding a better way to enjoy it. And if that means mastering your own homemade PSL all season long, I’ll raise my mug to that.