Alternatives to Coffee Pods
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| We can work to be as gracious to Mother Nature as she is to us |
I’ve had an issue with the single use coffee pods for a long time now. Whether it’s Keurig or Nespresso or some other brand, these coffee cups are just not healthy for us or the environment.
This is as simple an issue for me - it's harmful to everything around, so much so that even the inventor is sorry he ever gave his idea to the companies. If you still want to continue doing so, that’s fine, but the harmful and expensive habit should be heavily taxed and it’s use banned in public places, just as in Hamburg, to protect people and our earth from the harm.
According to Mother Jones this is a growing industry - over $3.1Billion in 2013 was sold in single serve coffee pods. A considerable motivator to grow the industry - our generation know better though.
They are harmful to the environment -
9 billion pods make it into the oceans every year just from the US alone. These pods are not recyclable, they don’t degrade, they will never go anywhere. They will breakdown into small little pieces and most will end up in oceans, waterways and in the land and soil. There’s just nothing to say to defend these things from an environmental stand-point.
They are harmful to your health -
The plastics leach on to your coffee - the process uses the heating of the plastics and many chemical reactions occur. With all the time the coffee spends in the pods in all types of different conditions, you’re no longer drinking pure coffee by the time it’s in your cup. All that you’ve heard about BPAs, BPFs and phtalates entering our food chain applies in this case as well.
Then add to it the combination of plastic with aluminum - aluminum is already proven to be harmful to your health and likely cause Alzheimers.
They are harmful to your pocket -
The pods are some of the most expensive coffee that you will ever come across. Unless if you ask Nespresso and their supporting studies of course. A pound of even Folgers in a K-cup costs up to $50! Imagine paying $50 for a Folgers bag at the grocery store? Unfathomable.
And what making them recyclable?
Yes yes - Keurig is trying to make their coffee pods recyclable by 2020. Ive had my issues with that too - they continue to introduce non-recyclable pods with new products through 2020. If they were really serious about their sustainability they would stop introducing new flavors and brands in these non-recyclable ones.
Making it Recycle-able - will be just that… recycle-able IF the consumer divides them up into it’s different components (plastic vs aluminum vs paper) AND discards them appropriately. What do you think will happen?
Most of the consumers who use a K-cup use it because it’s convenient - it’s too difficult to boil coffee and wash the french press - do you think they’ll spend time with removing The K-Cups into it’s proper components?
The Alternatives
Well according to many discussions out there - the most environmentally friendly form of coffee seems to be the good old instant version. The version that most of us coffee drinkers don’t really enjoy. That’s fine. If we don’t like this one then there are other options.
Absolutely the best way to make coffee in the morning! The process, the smell, the timing! Just the best part of waking up. 😃
Single over your cup coffee dripper - no waste -
This is something I learned about while I was in Japan through their origami coffee culture. 😃 I LOVE this way and it is delicious, though it does require a little more time and attention than the French Press.
An old European way of making some delicious coffee. Just need to measure and then wait for the coffee to boil as well. I still prefer the French Press, but I have friends who prefer this one, and it makes some very good and strong coffee!
The Good Old’ Drip Coffee Maker
These machines are mostly made of plastic - at least we can get mesh filters that are made of steel or iron - and not aluminum - avoiding the harmful effect of aluminum. Careful not to use any filters that contain any BPAs in them - pure paper is ok, but reusable mesh ones are best.
Thank you for reading, please leave a comment if you have any specific questions and suggestions. Stay with love with mother nature and our beautiful blue and wishing you a plastic free day! 💙🐬💙
Next Up: Recycling 101
#noexcuseforsingleuse
#awaveofchange
#beinconvenient
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