I ran across an article the other day about Keurig single serve coffee pods sales surging–and how abusive they are to the environment. Apparently, only about 5% of the pods are recyclable, while the other 95% head straight for the landfills. I felt a pang of guilt while reading the article because we have a Keurig. The HH bought it nearly two years ago while I was out of town. Oddly enough, though, he used to make a giant pot of coffee every morning before he bought the fancy schmancy machine, but now, with the Keurig, he’s down to one cup of black coffee a day.
As I continued reading, my guilt kind of multiplied. The article cited that “the K-cups discarded in 2011 would have encircled the globe more than six times, and in 2013, more than 10 times.” Those little pods are tiny, people, so the sheer staggering amount of pods that get used and discarded each year is mind blowing to me. Luckily, for once, it’s not just us Americans. Europe has an equal {if not slightly more} love affair with the single serving pods.
Here’s what I can’t figure out, why on earth haven’t they figured out a way to make those pods compostable…or at the very least recyclable? I bet it comes down to money–it’s just not cost effective to use more expensive materials? Yes, they sell re-usable K-cup filters, but using one kind of defeats the purpose of the convenience of the Keurig maker if you’re having to fill your own filter and wash it out every time you want to make a cup of coffee, don’t you think?
I don’t particularly want the HH to give up his morning cup of Joe. It makes him happy…which in turn makes me happy. BUT, I really do hope they come up with a more viable solution than sheer and utter waste pronto.
Are you a Keurig user? Did you know they created that much waste? Seriously, mind blown.
~Mavis
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Rosaleen says
Someone gave us a Keurig, which I promptly returned. I won’t have one in the house. They take up too much counter space, and use too much coffee. It takes more coffee to make 12 single cups than a 12-cup pot. If I did have a single-cup brewer, I would definitely use the refillable pods, not the single-use ones. It isn’t that hard to have two or three of them to wash and refill, saving a lot of plastic going to landfills. It’s a bit of a pain, but not difficult and far cheaper.
Mavis Butterfield says
I think it takes up a huge amount of space too. I moved our to the laundry room so I didn’t have to bother with it taking up counter space in the kitchen.
Preppy Pink Crocodile says
That’s so interesting you mention they use more coffee per cup! I got a few free samples of the pods in the mail but am the last person on earth who still uses the normal drip coffee maker. So I just opened them and poured the grounds into my coffee can. I was shocked at how much coffee was in a pod (and shocked that the pods- not a single one of the four brands- were not recyclable). I think it was what I use to make about two cups of coffee for a one cup pod. If I had a machine I would for sure get a bunch of refillable pod from Amazon.
But Mavis- there have been a few studies circulating showing how gross the insides of the machines get after just a few months of use as they are not able to be cleaned. They are basically serving up mediocre, expensive, mold and bacteria filled coffee each morning.
I agree (as a coffee drinker) that you shouldn’t mess with his morning cup of joy. I totally get that. But you might want to look into it to see if the machine is really worth it. I have the least fancy machine ever- so no handy timer- but I still set it up the night before and then in the morning I just turn it on. It doesn’t take but a few minutes to brew. And I can clean it well with vinegar every few months too.
KK
Rochelle says
I wouldn’t mess with your husband’s cup of joe except maybe to find one of the 5% that is recyclable that he likes. A change from one pot to one cup has got to be good for his health.
I’m sure market demand will have the pod people fixing the problem soon enough.
Ashley says
Personally, I don’t care for the refillable pods. I feel like my coffee is always a little cloudy and sometimes there are grounds at the bottom of my cup (and I’ve tried a couple different brands of pods).
There are a couple more eco friendly kcup brands. Search for San Francisco Bay Coffee on Amazon and you’ll see the type I’m referring to. I do think they need to start making the other cups either this way or more recyclable though. It’s a bit ridiculous to be throwing out all those little cups. I wouldn’t mind washing them out and throwing them in the bin once a week if I could.
Felicia says
We had a Keurig for a while, it wasn’t bad when we were only using one k-cup a day. But then when we both were drinking it became 2-3 k cups a day. Which got expensive! So we sold it on Craigslist. Another reason we sold it? Got thinking about how hot the water was going through that little plastic cup, and then we were drinking that… Also, when it was just one of us making a cup, the reusable filter wasn’t bad. But multiple cups was hard because the grind would be so hot when you went to refill.
Melissa says
Have you tried the JavaJig? I have tried it for the first time this week— I was complaining about the waste produced by my Keurig and my hubby bought one of those things for me. Its pretty much just a reusable K cup with mini coffee filters instead of the wire basket. I think it works pretty well. For the KCups that I have used in the past, I actually use them to start seeds in…. punch a few wholes in the bottom, set them in my trays and I’m good to go!
sheila says
And that’s precisely why I don’t want one. Frankly I’m shocked they’re so popular. I have enough trash to deal with. I don’t need to be purposely making it worse. Between the increased trash, increased coffee, and increased $, I can’t see any advantages besides convenience.
Rose P says
Check amazon. Ekobrew sells a stainless steel refillable cup .
Kari says
I thought about getting a Keurig, but the cost of the k-cups is crazy. We switched to a French press a couple of years ago, and I will never go back! I use so much less coffee, and it tastes great! We buy a big bag of organic beans from Costco for $15, and it lasts us over a month (making one carafe a day.). There is no waste! We compost the grounds, and there are no filters or plastic cups involved.
Mavis Butterfield says
French presses are RAD. I love mine too.
Lori says
French press in this house too. Hot brew in the winter, cold brew in the summer. Hands down the best way to brew coffee!!
Uhmuna says
I don’t think I have to read an article to figure out that Keurig pods are bad for the environment. Anything with more packaging is worse for the environment.
Julie says
There are options out there that are more biodegradable than others. For instance, I enjoy San Francisco Bay Coffee sold on Amazon. They are 97% biodegradable. Even the bag the onecups are packaged in is biodegradable. I agree that there should be more of a push for K cup makers to make their product more earth friendly.
Natasha says
In the older keurig, you can use the cheaper k cups from Costco which I love… But the new keurig you can only use the bulky, keurig certified k cups, or the machine will not brew them. I have a little red refillable cup that I use quite a bit too, and have never had a problem with that in my old machine. It takes 10 seconds to rinse and fill.
Michelle says
I used one for a while wi th the filter. Then I found Nespresso! Awesome coffee from espresso. The pods can be recycled to a retail store or sent back to Nespressozposted paid! Best of both worlds!
Lynne says
We recently splurged on a Nespresso as well, for this very reason! I can recycle the pods! And frankly, I’ve tried the Keurig coffee, and am not impressed. I have not had a bad Nespresso yet. And heck, the milk frother that came with it is just peachy! 🙂
melissa says
i also read an article about how disgusting the inside of the keurigs get, being that you can’t really easily access all the inner working parts to clean – they test high for some nasty bacteria – basically you’ve got an algae growing experiment sitting on your counter that you’re drinking what comes through its tubing :/
Diana says
I’ve never understood the appeal of such an expensive, wasteful appliance. Furthermore, I suspect that some what is in the store-bought K-cups is instant coffee, so that really makes the joke on the person who thinks it is superior technology that makes a superior cup of coffee. The little French press I have in my office is my fave coffee making device. At home, I’ve gone back to a stainless stove-top percolator for now, because I’m so tired of shopping for ‘the right’ drip coffee maker, only to have it go bad in a couple of years for seemingly no reason.
JIllbert says
I don’t have a Keurig but I’m guilty of having a Nespresso machine. I love it! But, it’s different because the pods are aluminum and therefore recyclable. Still, the price of the pods causes me more guilt than the environmental impact.
Cari says
We gave up the pods ages ago! I mostly use the hot water function to brew tea bags or make the kids hot cocoa from a mix. Target has a set of 4 reusable k-cups for $10. If you were to get two sets of those, fill them with fresh ground coffee once a week, and store them in a resealable container….would that solve the problem? Your husband still gets the ease of pre-made pods and the environmental impact is greatly lessened. Then you can just wash them as you go with dish duty.
Lisa L says
Never had one but an electric kettle and a pour over cone makes a great cup of coffee! Easy to clean and you can make a cup or a pot. Uses a filter which filters out the bad stuff in coffee. Win-win
Colleen says
We just got a Keurig last week. I’ve started saving the cups to experiment with starting seeds in them.
Robin Kipling says
Taco time nw has made nearly all of their packaging compostable, including the little cups for salsa and drink lids. Seems that it shouldn’t be too hard to transfer that technology to keurig cups.
Kristina says
We have a Keurig and use it during the week with our refillable kcups and whatever coffee we like. We use the tiny paper liners to cut down on the grounds in the coffee cup. The used grounds and liner go right into the compost bin. I let the refillable kcup dry out during the day and then the next morning, a couple raps on the side of the trash bin gets rid of any stray grounds before filling it again. It gets thrown in the dishwasher with our dishes on the top shelf maybe twice a week. So the amount of non-compostable waste is very low (mainly the bag that held the coffee beans and the bag that holds the liners).
Stacy T says
I’m the only coffee drinker in my house and love my Keurig, I have 6 reusable kcups that I refill as needed (all at once) and store in my coffee canister and compost the grounds. Rarely when I forget to refill my cups I use a disposable one but it’s 1-2x a month at most.
lynne says
I, too, have a Nespresso Pixie machine, with the milk frother. The pods are recyclable, which is fantastic! I was given a single cup Keurig (no water tank) as a gift, used it a few times at work, and the coffee was just not good. Was not impressed. It is now in the rummage sale pile. My Nespresso makes a ridiculously good cup of joe.
Jane says
Where my husband works, all they have are the Keurig machines. We didn’t like the idea of super hot water passing through plastic (eek!) or the waste so we bought the stainless steel reusable cups but they were a pain (plus he was out of habit at first and left them in the machine and they disappeared). Now, we just make a large pot in the morning and he takes a large stainless steel insulated mug to work with him (the no spill kind). Problem solved:-). I think the expense of the cups and the machine is wasteful, too. Maybe a one-cup brewer with a timer so it’s all ready for him in the morning?
Lisa says
I have to keep myself from lecturing people that have one. Incredibly wasteful.
Vy says
I refused to get one for exactly that same reason, the waste. That said, if I were working out of the house (I do legal bookkeeping from home) I can see how a super fast cup of coffee to take me out the door would be wonderful (and save a ton of money over Starbucks). Plenty of plastics are recyclable, maybe we should start making some noise.
Christy says
Well, I personally use the reusable K-cup and don’t mind cleaning it out and refilling with my own blend of shade grown organic coffee. It does take more time, but I’m not wasting a whole pot of coffee and it is still faster than other brewing methods. I bought my husband the bio-degradable K-cups from Costco. http://www.sanfranciscobaycoffee.com/index.php/bio-degradable-onecup-launches/, but the whole thing isn’t bio-degradable (yet). See this article. http://www.spitthatoutthebook.com/tag/eco-kcup/ Looks like they are working to make it 100% compostable. I hope they figure it out soon. there are alternatives some better than others, and it is a trade off, but maybe try the reusable k-cup and see if it fits the bill?
Karen says
Y’all kind of have me thinking about the hot water thru the plastic cups. My mom has had her Keurig for years, probably since they first came out. My step dad died a couple years ago from liver cancer that had spread before they even diagnosed him. Now I am really curious about all this. My mother has had intestinal issues in the past two years and they can’t seem to figure out what is wrong. Makes you wonder, huh?
Jenn in Indiana says
Or maybe the bacteria they are testing high for? Something to check out. Maybe stop for a week to see if she has any improvements?
Cheri says
I, too, vote for the French press over a Keurig. Actually, I vote for a French press over any other method–except drip when I have company and need a big pot. Not only does the F.P. produce superior coffee (when I do it right–it’s not foolproof), it is also the most eco-friendly option. The pour over cone is also eco-friendly if you don’t use a paper filter with it, but I have not made many satisfying cups with the pour over method. Flavor is more watered-down or I get sludge. That said, I love the Keurig as an option for businesses. My dentist has one, and so does my vet. I can also see the Keurig as best for families who entertain a lot and want to provide their guesta with variety and families who drink coffee too seldom to keep their beans fresh between brewings.
Kim says
Wow! I’ll take the othe point of view. We each drink one cup every morning. A pot of coffee would be a waste and take more time. We can quickly make one cup (at diffident times as we head out the door) for less money than picking up a cup at Dunkin Donuts or (gasp) Starbucks. No styrofoam or paper cup. The coffee (depending on type brand you choose) will always be consistent.
Cecily says
I am curious as to why using non recyclable Kurig k-cups makes you feel guilty when buying eggs and apples in non recyclable plastic containers doesn’t. I’m not trying to be mean, I’m just saying that you could reduce your waste in other ways so that when someone in your family is producing some waste (and let’s face it, it is extremely difficult to produce zero waste) you don’t have to feel guilty because you will be doing all you can.
Siobhan says
Some thoughts:
1. A friend has a refillable pod that uses a filter. You buy the pack of filters that fit right in it and I’m sure you could just dump it in the compost. Easier than cleaning a reusable one.
2. When you do the eco-calculus on the K cups, you also have to think that it really does reduce coffee waste. Like your hubby going from a pot to a cup. Lots of people throw away lots of cups of coffee because they had to make a pot. It has to be grown, processed, shipped. I don’t know the numbers, put that in the pro column though.
Carol says
I do have strong opinions on this matter. I can’t believe, knowing the waste involved, that people would use a Keurig or similar pod coffee set up. Most recycled plastic doesn’t get recycled anyway. It is shipped somewhere else and buried or ends up in the ocean, polluting our food chain. Microwaving a cup of water and using a small French press is just as easy. Besides, ingesting something that has been heated in plastic isn’t necessarily a good thing. Plastic is notoriously unstable. If you frequent Starbucks, or another coffee business, bring your own cup! It’s fairly easy to buy eggs and apples without buying styrofoam or plastic.
Jen Y says
We rarely drink coffee, we’re hot tea drinkers here. But my son & daughter-in-law have a Keurig. They rarely use it though because it’s just so exspensive. They do like it & I occasionally buy K-cups as a gift.
I do have a coffeepot that stores under my counter since we only occasionally drink coffee. It has a dispenser so you put you cup under it & press the button like a soda machine. I love that I can put all the working parts in my dishwasher to clean it every time I use it.
Lauren says
Hate ’em! Wish they could be outlawed. So much waste that will never break down, and they cost about 10x more for a cup of coffee!
My husband recently blew up our coffee machine, and I replaced it with one I absolutely LOVE. It’s a Cuisinart, but what’s great about it is you can brew as few as 2 cups of coffee at a time, it has an automatic grinder, so it grinds the beans right before you brew it, and it has a timer! So you can set it the night before, and when you get up the next morning, coffee has magically happened! It was spendy — around $100, but I was able to stack a couple of coupons, and it was seriously worth every penny! Please, people! Ditch the Kuerig! Or only use it on weekends or something!!
Diana says
Keurig is nice, but in am concerned about what the heat does to plastic pods and what chemicals are released into the beverage.
Catherine says
Someone may have already mentioned this, but I’ll tell you what we do….We just got a Keurig this month, as an early Christmas gift to ourselves. At the same time that we bought it, I bought reusable pods. I just load up a bunch of them with our favorite coffee and put them in the drawer, and we’re good to go. After we’re done, I scrape the grounds out into the compost bin.
Jill says
We do the same! My husband initially bought a pack of 3 refillable pods – we now have about 18. We go through far less coffee this way, and we wait until almost all of them are used up before we compost and refill the pods. When we have company over, we get out our older coffee machine that makes a big pot. I find the coffee tastes great either way, and I love that we are not using the k-cups, and we can grind and use our favourite brand (Just Us) instead of the Keurig brand coffee (which I still enjoy, just not as much as our favourite).
Crystal says
What is bad as well is that the water reservoir in these things is impossible to totally empty. Which means it must be harboring bacteria. Which kind of grosses me out enough to never use one, even when it is someplace like at the doctor’s office.
cindy ultican says
we love our s and we have a refillable also that we use daily it still takes less time to fill it and use than making a pot of coffee,ive also used the leftover pods to start seeds,and my grandaughter plays tea with them,just gotta use some imagination,yes we still throw most away, but we still add the grounds to our compost,and my brother likes his coffee a little weaker so hell use his pod twice to make a big cup!
tracy says
Wow….some strong opinions here.
Costco sells k cups that are mostly biodegradable and are not plastic pods.
Sallie Borrink says
We tried the Keurig a few years ago and got rid of it because the coffee was tooooo strong! There is no way to adjust the brewing strength and I felt like it was eating my stomach.
I didn’t even think about the hot water on plastic aspect at the time. Now I’m extra glad we got rid of it.
We have had a French press for a few years and haven’t even tried it! LOL! Need to figure out what to do with it. LOL!
Kari says
Your French press should have included a little scooper. If it is the 32-34 oz carafe, we use 3 slightly rounded scoops of coarse-ground coffee, then fill up with very hot water (not quite boiling, though, or makes it bitter.). Cover and let steep for about 6 minutes, then slowly push down to push grounds to the bottom. There’s your perfect coffee!
Cecily says
That’s interesting that you thought the coffee was too strong. The one time I tried it I thought it was really weak. Of course, I like Starbucks which is pretty strong (and pretty expensive) and when I make coffee at home in my drip coffee maker I use an entire cup of fresh ground dark roast coffee for a pot. My MIL drinks what I call “brown water”. Different strokes for different folks I guess.
ChrisM says
I’m just wondering why people think it is so inconvenient to make a pot of coffee in a drip coffee maker. I’m sure it takes less than 20 seconds to measure the coffee and water. If you want one cup, measure a little coffee and 1 cup of water. Most newere coffee makers are programmable and you can set it up the night before. I will NOT be buying a Keurig ever. Even if the pods were recyclable, most people would still throw them away. It’s sad, but true. Most Americans do not recycle. Plus, the cost…
Courtney says
I also vote for getting a bunch of the refillable pods as recycling plastic is a bit o a misnomer… plastic can not be recycled indefinably, it will break down to the point that it can no longer be recycled, so you are just delaying the inevitable when you recycle. The plastic in recyclable pods,,,or anything else…will eventually end up in a land fill and it will never break down into its constitute elements, it is there forever, to the end of the universe forever. It is better to try not to take the plastic into the house if you can. Although I know it is hard…so many things come in plastic. Even paper has a limited number of times it can be recycled, but we know we can completely compost paper. When I left university (5 years ago, so things might have changed… lol) there was some debate in the scientific community if “compostable plastics” actually completely compost or if they just break down into a ‘microbead’ like substance. They only have a kureg at Hubbys work and he likes the refillable pods just fine. If your dear husband is a bit o a zombie in the morning, I would fix a bunch of pods up for him and just store them in a container, so he can grab n go 🙂
LoraC says
Love the Keurig. Not at all concerned about the plastic or waste.
Jenn in Indiana says
In regards to not being able to recycle the pods, you all should check out a book called “The Zero Waste Home” by Bea Johnson.
PattyB says
When the Keurig first hit the market I thought it’s really expensive and I didn’t think most people would buy it. But was I wrong! I hate appliances that are produced to do ONE thing, too. I have a electric drip coffee pot I use when I have company. For me, I was making 1/2 pot of coffee, drinking only 1-2 mugs a day. I felt like I had to drink the whole 1/2 pot! So I switched to tea.
Then I ordered some loose bulk tea from Monterey Bay Spice co. They also sell tea bags that you can seal with an iron. Well, I thought, why not make COFFEE tea bags? I put 1 1/2 tsp coffee in each bag, seal them up and have ONE cup of coffee a day… no coffee pot, no coffee filter, no wasted coffee, no drinking too much coffee! They are very hand to take on a trip too. I don’t like the coffee they give you for hotel rooms either. I usually bring my own tea bags and now my own coffee bags.