Jess Osborne, the barista at Blackbird Artisan Bakery in East Maitland, is pouring her lattes and cappuccinos into bright and beautiful cups that are made to degrade.

“I think this one’s my favourite right now,” Ms Osborne said, picking out the vibrant green and red Apple Ailse design by Tasmanian artist EM IN INK.

“But they’re all great, I love them all.”

Each biodegradable cup has a 15-digit code printed on its underside which can be used to enter an online competition that will net a lucky customer one million dollars. 

“It’s called the Cup Of Cash,” Ms Osborne said.

The code can be entered online at cupofcash.com.au to go into the draw.

As if caffeine addicts need any more encouragement, each cup has a different code, which means customers can enter as many times as they like. 

But they’ll need lady luck on their side in a big way – the competition is spread across Australia and New Zealand with one major prize and some smaller giveaways.

The promotion is being run by Biopak, the company behind BioCups – recyclable cups made from sustainable, plant-based materials that also feature new eye-catching artworks every three months from Australian and New Zealand artists.

The barista said Blackbird initially got on board to support Australian artists and because she felt looking after the environment should be high on everybody’s priorities.

“Well we have to live in the environment,” she said, matter-of-factly.

“Keeping it alive would be a good idea.

“Reducing waste cardboard and paper is always important – saves the trees.”

Each year Australia throws away an estimated one billion coffee cups. Richard Fine, founder of BioPak, said around 90 per cent of these end up in landfill, equating to 60 tonnes of plastic waste per year.

The Cup of Cash competition ends on July 31 this year.