Kristina Smithe was running the California International Marathon in 2019, grabbing cups of water to stay hydrated, when she started to think about how much waste such events produce. On the flight home, she did the math: 9,000 runners, 17 aid stations and something like 150,000 cups used once and thrown away.
“I was just shocked that, even in California, it’s not sustainable,” Smithe said.
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A runner discards a reusable silicone cup by Hiccup during the PNC Women Run the Cities race on Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt)
A runner discards their Hiccup, a reusable silicone cup, during the PNC Women Run the Cities race on Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt)
Eddie Ashton, 10, of St. Paul, Minn., hands out a reusable silicone cup by Hiccup along the PNC Women Run the Cities route on Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt)
Kristina Smithe, founder of Hiccup, a reusable silicone cup, stands for a portrait with her rescue dog, Tina, during the PNC Women Run the Cities race on Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt)
Runners pass a table with reusable silicone cups from Hiccup during the PNC Women Run the Cities race on Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt)
A used Hiccup, a reusable silicone cup, is discarded on the ground before being collected during the PNC Women Run the Cities race on Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt)
Runners get hydration via Hiccup, a reusable silicone cup, during the PNC Women Run the Cities race on Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt)
Water is available to runners in Hiccup, reusable silicone cups, during the PNC Women Run the Cities race on Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt)
That sparked her idea for something more durable — a lightweight, pliable silicone cup that could be used again and again. After working out a design, Smithe ordered her first shipment and tested them at a race in 2021.
Now her business, Hiccup Earth, has 70,000 cups that Smithe rents out to interested races to replace the typical white paper cups that can pile up like snowdrifts at busy water stops.
Billions of disposable cups are used around the world each year. These cups are often made of plastic, but even if they are made of paper, they typically have a plastic lining that makes it difficult for them to biodegrade. And making these cups, and disposing or burning them, generates planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions.
“That’s just a small subset of the amount of plastic waste that we produce, but it’s a pretty visible one,” said Sarah Gleeson, solutions research manager and plastics waste expert at climate nonprofit Project Drawdown. “It’s something that generates a lot of waste, and waste — depending on what exactly it’s made of — can really last in landfills for hundreds of years.”
As she was getting her business off the ground, Smithe emailed race directors to ask if their event used disposable cups.
"The answer was always yes,” she said. Her response: “If you’re looking for a sustainable solution, I have one.”
Now, she rents out the cups by the thousand, driving them to events in massive totes and leaving bins with the company logo for collection after use. Smithe picks up the used cups and washes them in a proprietary dishwasher.
At the PNC Women Run the Cities race in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, in early May, Smithe helped quench the thirst of thousands of runners, dropping off 17-gallon tote bags full of her flexible blue cups.
After that race, Smithe, 35, estimated she's taken her cups to 137 races and spared 902,000 disposable ones from the landfill. She also says her washing process needs only 30 gallons (114 liters) of water per 1,500 cups. An average efficient household dishwasher uses 3 to 5 gallons (11 to 19 liters) for far fewer dishes.
“It’s just a solution to a problem that’s long overdue,” Smithe said.
One trade-off is that the cup rentals cost race directors more than other options. Disposable cups might run just a few cents each, while 10,000 Hiccup cups would rent for about 15 cents each. That price drops if more cups are needed.
Gleeson, of Project Drawdown, sees the reusable cups as just one of many ways that innovators are looking to cut down on waste. Such solutions often have to be rooted in convenience and grounded in local or small applications to get more people to adopt them. Some cities, for instance, are experimenting with reusable food takeout containers that customers return to nearby drop-off spots later on.
While no one solution can fully tackle the problem, “The scalability is there,” Gleeson said. “I think in general, high adoption of these kinds of solutions is what is able to bring costs down and really maximize environmental benefits that you could get.”
Alexa St. John is an Associated Press climate reporter. Follow her on X: @alexa_stjohn. Reach her at ast.john@ap.org.
Read more of AP’s climate coverage at http://www.apnews.com/climate-and-environment
The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.
A runner discards a reusable silicone cup by Hiccup during the PNC Women Run the Cities race on Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt)
A runner discards their Hiccup, a reusable silicone cup, during the PNC Women Run the Cities race on Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt)
Eddie Ashton, 10, of St. Paul, Minn., hands out a reusable silicone cup by Hiccup along the PNC Women Run the Cities route on Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt)
Kristina Smithe, founder of Hiccup, a reusable silicone cup, stands for a portrait with her rescue dog, Tina, during the PNC Women Run the Cities race on Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt)
Runners pass a table with reusable silicone cups from Hiccup during the PNC Women Run the Cities race on Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt)
A used Hiccup, a reusable silicone cup, is discarded on the ground before being collected during the PNC Women Run the Cities race on Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt)
Runners get hydration via Hiccup, a reusable silicone cup, during the PNC Women Run the Cities race on Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt)
Water is available to runners in Hiccup, reusable silicone cups, during the PNC Women Run the Cities race on Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt)
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Keionte Scott peeked over at the Miami sideline to see the reaction of his teammates as he sprinted 72 yards untouched for a touchdown returning an interception against defending national champion Ohio State.
They certainly were excited, as were a Pro Football Hall of Fame receiver and a former coach who won national championships with the Hurricanes.
Scott picked off a screen pass by Heisman Trophy finalist Julian Sayin, Carson Beck threw a touchdown pass and 10th-ranked Miami shocked the Buckeyes 24-14 on Wednesday night at the Cotton Bowl in the first College Football Playoff quarterfinal.
“I was full of emotions. ... That was a pretty cool moment,” said Scott, who has TD returns on both of his interceptions this season. “Just having fun. ... That’s what this team relies on, man, just going out there playing free and just having fun.”
The Hurricanes (12-2, CFP No. 10 seed) have won two playoff games to get into football’s final four after needing an at-large berth to make the 12-team field, after not even playing in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game. One more win and they will get to play for a national championship in their home stadium.
Next for Miami in coach Mario Cristobal’s fourth season is a CFP semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 8 against No. 3 seed Georgia or No. 6 seed Ole Miss, the SEC teams in the Sugar Bowl on Thursday night.
There hasn’t been a national title for “The U” since 2001, which was their fifth; Cristobal was a standout offensive tackle for the Hurricanes in their 1989 and 1991 championship seasons. The Hurricanes were denied a repeat championship in 2002 with a double-overtime loss in the Fiesta Bowl to Ohio State, the only other time the teams met in a bowl — and the last Miami played in that game.
“It is 100% not about me. I’m part of their team, I’m a part of that family,” Cristobal said. “It is my obligation as a former Miami Hurricane player and all the things that Miami did for my brother and I to do my best to try to provide these guys with even better opportunities so they can fulfill all the great things they are destined for.”
Before receiver Michael Irvin and coach Jimmy Johnson were Super Bowl champions with the Dallas Cowboys, they were part of the Hurricanes' 1987 national championship. Irvin excitedly ran down the sideline while Scott was scoring for a 14-0 lead, and Johnson was nearby when acknowledged by Cristobal during the on-field trophy presentation.
Now it's third-ranked Ohio State (12-2, CFP No. 2 seed), which went into the game as a 9 1/2-point favorite according to BetMGM Sportsbook, that can't win back-to-back national titles for the first time in program history.
The Buckeyes hadn't played since a 13-10 loss to now-No. 1 Indiana in a Big Ten championship game matchup of undefeated teams on Dec. 6. They still got a first-round bye, then lost just like all four teams that went directly to the quarterfinal round in the inaugural 12-team playoff last season.
“We worked really hard during the last three weeks leading up to this game to come out of the gates and win the first quarter, win the first half, be ready to go,” Buckeyes coach Ryan Day said. “I think the guys bought into it. But at the end of the day, we didn’t get it done.”
Scott's interception return came only 1:42 after Beck's quick pass to Mark Fletcher Jr. out of the backfield for a 9-yard score.
Beck, who was part of Georgia's national titles in 2021 and 2022 when Stetson Bennett was the starter, completed 19 of 26 passes for 138 yards.
When asked what stood out to him about these Hurricanes, Beck said, “Just the way that this team has responded to adversity. We knew coming into today that it wasn’t going to be easy.”
The TD throw to Fletcher, who also ran 19 times for 90 yards and was the game's offensive MVP, was the seventh of 13 consecutive completions for Beck. That set a record in the Cotton Bowl, which was played for the 90th time.
Sayin, a freshman backup behind Will Howard for Ohio State's championship run last season, was 22 of 35 for 287 yards with two interceptions and a TD to Jeremiah Smith. Sayin was sacked five times.
AP All-America receiver Smith, the Miami native, caught seven of those passes for 157 yards, including a 14-yard TD on a fourth down in the fourth quarter.
Carter Davis added a 49-yard field goal in the third quarter and ChaMar Brown ran for a 5-yard TD in the game's final minute for the Hurricanes, whose 24 points were the most Ohio State gave up this season.
Miami: The Hurricanes have won six games in a row since an overtime loss Nov. 1 at SMU, less than 25 miles from AT&T Stadium, where the Cotton Bowl is played. They also made their CFP debut in the Lone Star State, winning 10-3 at No. 7 Texas A&M in the first round on Dec. 20.
Ohio State: All-America safety Caleb Downs, who started in the CFP for the third season in a row, became the first player to force two fumbles in a CFP game. ... The Buckeyes had gone four consecutive quarters — the equivalent of a full game — until Bo Jackson’s 1-yard TD run to cap its opening drive of the second half.
Miami waits to see who it will play in the Fiesta Bowl. Ohio State is scheduled to open the the 2026 season at home against Ball State on Sept. 5.
Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
Former NFL football players Ray Lewis, left, and Michael Irvin react after Miami running back Charmar Brown, not visible, scored a rushing touchdown during the second half of the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal game against Ohio State Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Miami head coach Mario Cristobal, right, hugs defensive lineman Ahmad Moten Sr. following the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal game against Ohio State Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin, center, is sacked by Miami defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr., left, and defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor during the first half of the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal game Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Miami quarterback Carson Beck, right, prepares to hand off to running back Mark Fletcher Jr. during the first half of the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal game against Ohio State Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Ohio State kicker Jayden Fielding, with Joe McGuire holding, misses a field goal against Miami during the first half of the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal game Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day looks o during the first half of the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal game against Miami Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)
Miami defensive back Jakobe Thomas, right, makes a tackle on Ohio State tight end Will Kacmarek during the second half of the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal game Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)
