The Environmental Impact Of K-Cups
The coffee pod industry is a 5 billion dollar industry and somewhere around 16 million U.S. households currently have a single-serve coffee pod brewer on their countertop.
And on that scale, people have begun to ask, “Are coffee pods bad for the environment?” That’s what we want to address here. What is the environmental impact of the K-cup and how can we do better?
WHAT IS A K-CUP?
In 1997, Keurig launched its signature, single-use coffee pod. Officially called the K-Cup, each pod consists of a small plastic cup, aluminum lid, and a filter. Each cup is filled with ground coffee, tea, hot chocolate, or other brewable substances. K-Cups are designed specifically for the Keurig brewing machines.
The Life Cycle Of Coffee Vs a K-Pod
With most coffee, the life cycle consists of a fairly simple number of steps:
Grow the coffee cherries
Harvest and process the beans
Roast the beans
Package the roasted coffee
Purchase, grind, and brew
Once your drink has been made, the leftover grounds and filter can be disposed of or used for composting. Even the paper filter will be broken down and gone within a matter of months. Either way, the rest of the equipment lives to brew another day, with the exception of the packaging bag that the coffee beans came in.
But with coffee pods, the life cycle is more complex. Manufacturing the pod requires plastic, aluminum, and paper which have to be gathered, processed, and manufactured into the empty pods before being filled with coffee and sealed. From there, rather than going to a single bag, the coffee is distributed into many plastic/aluminium cups, which are then re-packaged into much larger boxes. Once packaged, they are placed on pallets and distributed. From there, the pods are purchased, and each pod is then used in a pod-friendly machine to make a single cup of coffee.
Are K-Cups Bad For The Environment?
K-Cups Cannot be Recycled
Part of the problem with recycling tiny coffee pods stems from traceability.
The capsules are often too small for some sorting systems at recycling plants to pick up. Also, recycling centers can be overwhelmed with mountains of trash, so sifting through a mound of garbage for tiny capsules isn't always efficient. K-cups bog down the entire waste management system and make things more expensive to recycle that would otherwise be easy and inexpensive such as aluminum cans.
Coffee Pods Fill Landfills
The environmental impact of K-cups is hard to overstate. Let’s start with the obvious ways the Earth takes a hit each time you press that single-serve button. The plastic can take centuries to break down. The unfortunate reality is that #7 plastic that makes up an overwhelming majority of all coffee pods not only is not biodegradable – but it is not even recyclable in most places yet. That means that the majority of every K-cup, thrown into the recycling bin or not, is going to end up in a landfill.
Reduce your coffee environmental impact
So you understand the effects of single-use coffee pods. Does that mean it’s time to give up on your favorite, frothy morning routine altogether? The fact is that without a coffee pod, you can still brew your coffee. You can even make some pretty incredible, nay, superior coffee with really simple methods that require just a little upfront cost and little-to-no recurring costs, apart from the coffee beans.
There are countless ways to enjoy coffee sustainably and responsibly. Here are a few tips:
Choose beans certified as sustainably grown and manufactured
Make only the amount of coffee you need, minimizing water waste
Buy local organic, fair-trade coffee beans
Is There An Environmentally Friendly K-Cup Alternative?
The truth is, you don’t need a pod machine to quickly and easily make a delicious cup of coffee in the office. K-cups and pods became popular because at the touch of a button, users have access to refreshment that are easily accessible. With Buzz Towr you can have an even better cup of coffee at the touch of a button and reduce your office’s impact. By working with a local company, who will deliver the coffee right to your door your footprint is significantly reduced and you can have your single cup of specialty coffee without all the waste of a K-cup. Additionally we work with local roasters and ensure that every cup will be delicious.
Contact Buzz Towr
Boost company culture and productivity, and support local roasters by placing one of our Buzz Towrs on-site. For the best in office coffee, schedule a walkthrough or contact us today for questions about wholesale delivery and coffee services. We look forward to working with you!