When I was travelling around Europe in December (couple of years ago), I visited a lot of Christmas markets. These markets are famous for offering hot mulled wine (glühwein in German, vin chaud in French, etc) in little stalls.

At many of these wine stalls, they have a system that really impressed me: they serve the wine in a ceramic mug, and they charge you a few Euros extra as a "deposit" for the mug. If you give the mug back, they return the deposit. Otherwise, you can just walk off with the mug, and they keep the deposit.

This is a great alternative to plastic cups, while also catering for the majority of people who are too lazy to lug their mug around everywhere.

On that note, John, it's become a challenge, or at least a laugh (or little sigh of dismay) when I must deny myself a coffee for stepping out for lunch without my thermos mug. It's actually doing the cafe's a favour because I'm 'drinking-in' more.

Check out this re-usable mug called the Keep Cup.

http://www.keepcup.com.au

It has low embodied energy, will last you at least four years, made from polypropylene (recyclable) and are made in Australia.