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Most of us know that only 5 percent of plastics are legitimately recycled, the rest take hundreds or thousands of years to decompose. As they break down they pollute our land, water and air. If we are worried about plastics in our landfills and microplastics everywhere, including in our organs then we need to pay attention to this statistic; “globally, coffee capsules make up about 576,000 metric tons of waste.” (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/feb/10/single-use-coffee-pod-environment-impact-better#). Most sources that track K-cup waist say the number of these discarded plastic cups could easily circle the earth more than 10 times. This is no small problem. Many of us have faithfully been putting the cups in our recycle bin each day, thinking we were being responsible. It would surprise most to find out that Keurig settled a class action lawsuit in 2022 to the tune of 10 million dollars for stating that their K-cups were recyclable when they are not. So why are we using plastic vessels that are made to be thrown away after a single use? Is there no other way to make coffee? Of course there are other ways to make a quick coffee using the same coffee maker, since we don’t want everyone to trash their Keurig machine. That would exacerbate the problem of plastic in our landfills.
The most sensible, if you have a single cup coffee maker is to buy the reusable mesh filters that you fill with your loose coffee grounds. It saves money and there is no plastic to discard after each use.
Check out these responsible options :
1.This reusable filter pod is made by Keurig https://amzn.to/49ht5Oe
2. Check out THIS COFFEE from San Francisco Bay in Compostable Pods https://amzn.to/3JglPra
3. Lavazza Organic whole bean Coffee 2.2 lbs Sustainable https://amzn.to/3VR3f0m
4. If you are in the market for a new coffee maker, consider getting a standard drip maker with a reusable filter basket. Cuisinart makes this mostly stainless steel coffee maker. Very durable! https://amzn.to/3VGGzj5
You can also cut down on coffee waist by asking for ceramic mugs at your favorite coffee shop or bringing your own cup or mug if you want to get coffee to go. Many coffee shops will even give you a small discount for bringing your own cup.
I know, it can be a tough choice between the health of the planet or seeing your favorite cult classic movie represented on your K-Cup.
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