This Is How Eco Friendly Coffee Pods Are Changing The Industry

As a nation of coffee enthusiasts, it’s no surprise that one in three Americans own a single cup coffee maker. However, the country’s coffee habit is substantially impacting the environment as many leading brands’ coffee pods aren’t recyclable, meaning they’re filling up landfill sites across The States. The population shows no signs of giving up their caffeine habit, though. In fact, America’s latest coffee trends show they’re more addictive than ever before. Therefore, the news that the industry is working to make eco-friendly pods and capsules one of its main priorities is very much welcome.

 What the big brands are doing

In 2015, industry leader, Keurig, sold more than 9 million coffee pods to the public. However, none of them could be recycled, meaning consumers had no choice but to dispose of their pods along with the rest of their household waste. Thankfully, Keurig worked hard to overcome this issue and launched recyclable K-cups for some of its products. Following their success, the company is now aiming to make all of its K-Cups recyclable by 2020. While, Starbucks, Nespresso and Tassimo all have pods on the market which are recyclable.

 A turning point for the industry

For years there has been pressure on the coffee trade to do more to positively impact the environment and to reduce the waste that comes with a good quality mug of coffee. So, the news that the coffee pod industry is going green is a step in the right direction and is encouraging others in the trade to do their bit too. In a bid to promote sustainable consumer goods and to cut down on the millions of paper cups and lids which the chain dish out a year, Starbucks, has just announced a $10 million design a compostable coffee cup.

 What you can do

There’s no need to ditch your beloved coffee brewer and pods in an attempt to stay green. When shopping for pods, look for brands that clearly state that they are recyclable and ensure that you dispose of them with the rest of your recycling rather than in the normal trash can. Or, if you love your go-to brand so much but find they don’t offer a recyclable option, utilize the collection service that Terracycle offers. It’s also worth reviewing the amount of coffee you consume per day and ensure you don’t exceed your recommended daily caffeine intake. Simply, ditching one or two mugs each day can be all it takes to reduce your carbon footprint and any negative impacts on the environment.

The multi-billion pound coffee industry has a responsibility to produce green, eco-friendly products. Thankfully, news of recyclable coffee pods is encouraging the general public and big names within the business to do their bit to preserve waste and its impact on the world.