About UYO

Before we start, you should know: this isn't a money making gig. No one takes a wage. It's a teeny group of friends who give their time and energy and money to support hospo, while hospo makes the world a better place for us all.

UYO is a not-for-profit, responsible-cafe finder working out of Aotearoa. UYO stands for Use Your Own. UYO is a ProActivist Cafe Guide...a what?

A Proactivist is anyone who goes beyond talking of the problem to courageously, innovatively, positively solution-ing the problem.

Proactvists are the 'move the convo along' version of activists: they create new systemic containers for things to thrive. Activists stir the shit (that's the @uyo.forever.ok instagram!) and then Proactivists move us beyond the concentric, divisive circle, the habitual defensive behaviour, that often shackles us in the mess that we are in, to allow for new ideas to take hold, creating easeful on-ramps for easy self enroll. It is post-cool: there is no need to impress anyone, just do the work.

We use the guide, and the associated instagram @uyo.forever.ok, as a tool to help customers, cafes and communities break up with unnecessary single use, while keeping everyone happy (including the accountant). Why? Because single use waste is a menace to our planet's resources, our societies' way of treating each other, and our one home.

We represent our planet, and we work for cafes who are committed to minimizing their environmental impact by welcoming us to use our own cups and containers, plates, bowls, cutlery, anything, when we take out. Every cafe listed here will pour a brew into any vessel we bring them, and will smile while they do.

We use social media to engage, connect, incite, inform, rant, rally, share, create and represent the reuse evolution, and the hospitality businesses who are stepping up.

We also work as a philanthropic social enterprise, stepping in to connect folks who can help each other do good, and stepping up to fund local projects and initiatives. We have no ego - we just want to see the world we leave behind to be one that life can thrive in, respecting the rights of all living things to clean air, water and land.

Laura Kitty Cope

Captain & Insta

Here to talk anything 24/7 ⭐ Click to TALK GOODNESS and we'll find a way to get shit done.

Sarah Moffitt

Web Geek

Project Coordinator @ Turboweb. Proactive, organiser, music lover, people person, doing loads of behind the scenes UYO stuff for the love of our planet. Talk to us about saving the world. All …