5 ms·

I think people also probably just realized how much of assholes they're being by using single-use containers for making coffee every day. The one-use concept is

I think people also probably just realized how much of assholes they're being by using single-use containers for making coffee every day. The one-use concept is nice in theory, but it creates so much trash. It's obnoxious.

stephengillie 11y ago
In theory, if their pod was disassembled and emptied, would it be entirely recyclable? I know the coffee grounds would decompose well.
- mikestew 11y ago
  As I understand it, no. The type of plastic that survives the hot water without leaching yummy chemicals into your drink is apparently not recyclable. Source: from memory, and too apathetic to go look it up.
  - stephengillie 11y ago
    Strange, I could swear the plastic was (1)LDPE.
    - stephengillie 11y ago
      The article says the plastic is (5) not (1). I'll have to do more research. In the meantime, look for Compostable K-Cups. They're a solution to this problem, which hasn't been marketed enough for you to be aware of it.
- boyaka 11y ago
  The recyclability issue is discussed in the eastbayexpress article linked by anigbrowl in reply to one of the sibling comments. ---Quote: Coffee companies are well aware of the problem. The second brewing system Keurig introduced, the Vue system, tried to address the issue of recyclability in what the company called "an incremental step on our environmental journey." The system doesn't work with the original K-Cup packs, which are made from number seven plastic, a blended plastic that's nearly impossible to recycle. Instead, the Vue capsules use a plastic cup made from polypropylene, number five plastic, and users can peel the foil lid and filter away from the cup. The cups are then recyclable — in theory. The problem is the cups are too small to be captured in most recycling facilities where machinery separates objects by size and density, said Mark Oldfield, assistant director of public affairs for California's Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery. Most facilities filter out items under two-inches in diameter. In any case, number five plastic is rarely recycled in California, Oldfield said. "It's very difficult to deal with something like that," he added. "It's something where convenience is trumping our typical mantra of reducing and recycling."
  - stephengillie 11y ago
    After reading halfway thru the article, I was reminded about Compostable K Cups. These are a paper lid, cardboard ring, and paper mesh, without the plastic cup cover.
mikegioia 11y ago
Aside from the watery taste, this is exactly why I don't use one. There's absolutely no need to involve that much plastic into every single cup of coffee!
worklogin 11y ago
This is a very self-righteous post. Do you ever eat out? Get coffee or drinks from restaurants? Use mayo/mustard packets? Eat frozen foods? They are all analogous. They're all conveniences that use disposable containers. And no-one is calling people a holes for eating Hungry Man.
- mikegioia 11y ago
  Do you eat two Hungry Man's every morning before work? It's not self-righteous and it's not analogous to your examples. People drink multiple coffees per day. People put Keurigs in the office and get used hundreds of times per day! Introducing waste for activities that happen as frequently as coffee drinking is why it's different.
  - boyaka 11y ago
    I'm going to have to side with GP on this one. One Hungry Man package has got to be at least 4-5 of these cups, same goes with most to-go packaging. Waste is not the issue here. The problem the CEO is arguing about with DRM has to do with lock-in to only being able to use Keurig hardware and cups.
    - mikegioia 11y ago
      > Waste is not the issue here. I replied to worklogin's comment about lambasting the waste aspect as being self-righteous. I know the article is about DRM but we're having a tangential discussion about the waste...
  - mmanfrin 11y ago
    Keurigs in the office are the most ridiculously wasteful things -- it wastes more time having everyone sit and wait for single-use pods to brew than for someone to just open up a stupid packet of grounds for a large carafe. I really can't understand why offices use keurig.
    - function_seven 11y ago
tdicola 11y ago
Conversely though, wouldn't K-cup and other single use cups be more water efficient? You don't need to rinse out and clean a filter, pot, etc. You just pour enough water into the brewing machine to make a cup of coffee.
- jbigelow76 11y ago
  So you can either be a K-Cup asshole or a water wasting asshole, pick your poison. Honestly, the asshole tent is large enough to accommodate all of us in some way or another :)
- anigbrowl 11y ago
  We recycle all our rinse water and tea bags/coffee grounds in the garden. We just keep a large bowl on the counter for the waste and empty it out when it gets full. Obviously this isn't practical if you live in an apartment or so, but if you have the option it works great.
cwyers 11y ago
If you actually just drink one cup of coffee a day, like I do, I think the amount of trash created is pretty analogous to making a single cup of coffee in a larger coffee pot. It's certainly better than if I was getting a cup at Starbucks every morning.
- disposition2 11y ago
  I usually only do 1 cup a day and still ended up getting the re-usable pods for 2 reasons: I prefer to pick my coffee and not be limited to coffee suppliers that make compatible K-Cups, the extra (unwarranted) trash. And yes I get take-out, etc...which is usually not recyclable. Atleast with this 'solution', it is one more instance where I can be active about limiting my trash.
m0llusk 11y ago
No one who uses these really cares about waste. The reality is that Nespresso kicked their asses competitively just as they outperformed Massimo before that.

stephengillie 11y ago

In theory, if their pod was disassembled and emptied, would it be entirely recyclable? I know the coffee grounds would decompose well.

mikestew 11y ago
As I understand it, no. The type of plastic that survives the hot water without leaching yummy chemicals into your drink is apparently not recyclable. Source: from memory, and too apathetic to go look it up.
- stephengillie 11y ago
  Strange, I could swear the plastic was (1)LDPE.
  - stephengillie 11y ago
    The article says the plastic is (5) not (1). I'll have to do more research. In the meantime, look for Compostable K-Cups. They're a solution to this problem, which hasn't been marketed enough for you to be aware of it.
boyaka 11y ago
The recyclability issue is discussed in the eastbayexpress article linked by anigbrowl in reply to one of the sibling comments. ---Quote: Coffee companies are well aware of the problem. The second brewing system Keurig introduced, the Vue system, tried to address the issue of recyclability in what the company called "an incremental step on our environmental journey." The system doesn't work with the original K-Cup packs, which are made from number seven plastic, a blended plastic that's nearly impossible to recycle. Instead, the Vue capsules use a plastic cup made from polypropylene, number five plastic, and users can peel the foil lid and filter away from the cup. The cups are then recyclable — in theory. The problem is the cups are too small to be captured in most recycling facilities where machinery separates objects by size and density, said Mark Oldfield, assistant director of public affairs for California's Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery. Most facilities filter out items under two-inches in diameter. In any case, number five plastic is rarely recycled in California, Oldfield said. "It's very difficult to deal with something like that," he added. "It's something where convenience is trumping our typical mantra of reducing and recycling."
- stephengillie 11y ago
  After reading halfway thru the article, I was reminded about Compostable K Cups. These are a paper lid, cardboard ring, and paper mesh, without the plastic cup cover.

mikegioia 11y ago

Aside from the watery taste, this is exactly why I don't use one. There's absolutely no need to involve that much plastic into every single cup of coffee!

worklogin 11y ago

This is a very self-righteous post. Do you ever eat out? Get coffee or drinks from restaurants? Use mayo/mustard packets? Eat frozen foods? They are all analogous. They're all conveniences that use disposable containers. And no-one is calling people a holes for eating Hungry Man.

mikegioia 11y ago
Do you eat two Hungry Man's every morning before work? It's not self-righteous and it's not analogous to your examples. People drink multiple coffees per day. People put Keurigs in the office and get used hundreds of times per day! Introducing waste for activities that happen as frequently as coffee drinking is why it's different.
- boyaka 11y ago
  I'm going to have to side with GP on this one. One Hungry Man package has got to be at least 4-5 of these cups, same goes with most to-go packaging. Waste is not the issue here. The problem the CEO is arguing about with DRM has to do with lock-in to only being able to use Keurig hardware and cups.
  - mikegioia 11y ago
    > Waste is not the issue here. I replied to worklogin's comment about lambasting the waste aspect as being self-righteous. I know the article is about DRM but we're having a tangential discussion about the waste...
- mmanfrin 11y ago
  Keurigs in the office are the most ridiculously wasteful things -- it wastes more time having everyone sit and wait for single-use pods to brew than for someone to just open up a stupid packet of grounds for a large carafe. I really can't understand why offices use keurig.
  - function_seven 11y ago

tdicola 11y ago

Conversely though, wouldn't K-cup and other single use cups be more water efficient? You don't need to rinse out and clean a filter, pot, etc. You just pour enough water into the brewing machine to make a cup of coffee.

jbigelow76 11y ago
So you can either be a K-Cup asshole or a water wasting asshole, pick your poison. Honestly, the asshole tent is large enough to accommodate all of us in some way or another :)
anigbrowl 11y ago
We recycle all our rinse water and tea bags/coffee grounds in the garden. We just keep a large bowl on the counter for the waste and empty it out when it gets full. Obviously this isn't practical if you live in an apartment or so, but if you have the option it works great.

cwyers 11y ago

If you actually just drink one cup of coffee a day, like I do, I think the amount of trash created is pretty analogous to making a single cup of coffee in a larger coffee pot. It's certainly better than if I was getting a cup at Starbucks every morning.

disposition2 11y ago
I usually only do 1 cup a day and still ended up getting the re-usable pods for 2 reasons: I prefer to pick my coffee and not be limited to coffee suppliers that make compatible K-Cups, the extra (unwarranted) trash. And yes I get take-out, etc...which is usually not recyclable. Atleast with this 'solution', it is one more instance where I can be active about limiting my trash.

m0llusk 11y ago

No one who uses these really cares about waste. The reality is that Nespresso kicked their asses competitively just as they outperformed Massimo before that.