What if I already own a Keurig or Nespresso machine?

Sometimes it’s hard to argue with the convenience of single-serve coffee machines like Keurig and Nespresso; however, how much do you actually know about the coffee inside or the plastic or aluminum vessel that contains your morning dose of caffeine? Having done some research myself and turned up very little about either, my guess is, not a lot. 

Here’s what we do know: The coffee inside K-cups and Nespresso Pods has likely been roasted and ground months, and sometimes years, before it’s purchased by consumers. This isn’t our idea of “fresh,” but to each their own. 

When it comes to the plastic K-cup itself, Keurig claims on their website that they are 100% recyclable (#5); however, in practice, they are in fact a recycling nightmare because all their different components need to be separated first before they are even eligible for recycling. This includes the aluminum seal, the coffee grounds & filter, and the plastic cup. If you own a Keurig, do you take these steps or simply discard the spent K-cup into the trash bin? No judgment either way. If it’s the latter, this is pretty consistent with the majority of single-serve coffee machine owners. What single-serve pods offer in convenience to consumers as they are racing out the door to work or to drop their kids off at school, they severely lack in waste management for the total product lifecycle. For example, In 2014, it’s estimated that the world consumed enough disposable single-use coffee pods to wrap around the world 10.5 times. Yikes! 

Another helpful data point for consumers is that, despite K-cups being BPA-free, some studies have shown that these plastics can have harmful effects when heated, such as leaching harmful chemicals into your cup of coffee. Just as an example, for women, these harmful chemicals can throw estrogen levels out of whack. Not ideal.

You might be thinking, “great, but what the hell do I do now?” The good news is, you don’t have to get rid of your Keurig or Nespresso. There are sustainable options that allow you to continue enjoying the convenience of your single-serve coffee maker, but with the added benefit of fresher coffee, less waste in landfills, and no chemicals leaching into your morning cup of Joe. If you own a Keurig, check out the stainless steel reusable coffee pods from ecotrade company. If you own a Nespresso, check out the reusable coffee pods from Eco-logical Method. We hope this was helpful. Please reach out with any questions. Happy brewing!