View Full Version : Keurig coffee cups. I guess we haven't learned anything.......
I have been thinking about this. There are soooooo many versions of this for sale now. This article says it well.
http://www.carbondiet.ca/green_advice/food/k-cup_coffee_maker_garbage_an_environmental_issue.ht ml
Miss Cellane
11-9-13, 1:54pm
I have been thinking about this. There are soooooo many versions of this for sale now. This article says it well.
http://www.carbondiet.ca/green_advice/food/k-cup_coffee_maker_garbage_an_environmental_issue.ht ml
K-cups, disposable wipes of all kinds, paper products, disposable diapers, plastic packing containers for everything from cold cuts to pens to electronics.
No, we haven't learned.
And as long as saving time or gaining convenience is the most important thing on most people's minds, things will stay this way.
Gardenarian
11-9-13, 2:00pm
I have seen these around and wondering why on Earth anyone would use them...there are so many ways to make coffee.
Once people get used to the k-cups maybe they'll forget how we made coffee in the old days - just as most everyone uses tea bags now.
I have seen these around and wondering why on Earth anyone would use them...there are so many ways to make coffee.
Once people get used to the k-cups maybe they'll forget how we made coffee in the old days - just as most everyone uses tea bags now.
OK, we all have our failings, simple livers and not-so-simple livers. And here's mine..
Hello, my name is catherine, and I am addicted to my Keurig coffee-maker.
Yes, it's excessive, yes, it's eco-unfriendly. But a) when I use the plastic pods, I still scoop the used grounds out and put them in my composter. and b) I have switched over to using the EZ-cups, which are very light paper filters, which eliminates the plastic.
But I am a hard-core coffee drinker. As testimony, my daughter sent me this this week: I love it!
http://i.imgur.com/JQCBTVe.jpg
They do make an attachment for these that lets you use your own coffee and a reusable filter, bringing the cost down to normal for a cup of homemade coffee and getting back to 0 waste. Of course this device entirely negates the convenience of having a K-Cup machine in the first place, but for those of us who find these crazy devices mysteriously growing on the kitchen counter one morning, there is hope!http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31z3bv2ZddL._AA160_.jpg
They do make an attachment for these that lets you use your own coffee and a reusable filter, bringing the cost down to normal for a cup of homemade coffee and getting back to 0 waste. Of course this device entirely negates the convenience of having a K-Cup machine in the first place.
Not really.. it doesn't take long to do. I also have one of those plastic Melitta mini-drip filters that you simply place over your coffee cup and then pour in boiling water, but prefer the Keurig with the EZ-cups because:
--the water is just the right temperature--not too hot, not to cold. If I have to boil it, as I do with the Melitta, it's too hot.
--There are fewer steps: Keurig, 1) Fill cup 2) put cup in machine 3) press button. Melitta 1) Put filter in the device and put device on the cup, 2) put water in the kettle and boil it, 3) put coffee in the filter, 4) wait for water to boil, 5) pour it in and wait for it to drip
--It takes more coffee: 3 T for the Melitta, only 2 tsp for the Keurig for the same amount of coffee
--It takes a little more time. And when you are a coffee addict in need of a fix, time is everything :)
In any case, I'm saving my Melitta mini-drip filter in case of a power outage (since I have a gas range). I need to be prepared for such catastrophes as no power for my Keurig.
ETA, my EZ cups are simpler than the ones in your picture, kib.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1mTk2RI0edQ/UEP4o3z13FI/AAAAAAAACvc/F21cQKgzaZM/s320/2012-08-23_17-33-21_215.jpg
But mine last longer. :~)
Seriously, the only option I saw at the time I received this machine as a christmas present was this $20 filter setup. (they're a lot cheaper now). When the filter goes, I'll probably switch over to the paper kind, even as a convenience-shunner I must admit getting used coffee out of the little gold cup is a pain in the tush.
But mine last longer. :~)
Seriously, the only option I saw at the time I received this machine as a christmas present was this $20 filter setup. (they're a lot cheaper now). When the filter goes, I'll probably switch over to the paper kind, even as a convenience-shunner I must admit getting used coffee out of the little gold cup is a pain in the tush.
Yeah, I tried one of those, also, and it was a pain because you had to remove and replace the insert that the coffee machine came with, and also, it was kind of hard to keep the coffee tasting good. Over time, despite soakings in vinegar, the filter just started to change the way the coffee tasted. Definitely try the EZ cup.
I also prefer the individual cups to the pot because the pot sits there, coffee gets stale, and you wind up throwing it out. Individual cups are slightly less wasteful in that regard as long as you don't use the disposable plastic pods.
I just use a press pot - no filters to throw out, easy to clean, trivial to operate.
LOL catherine! I LOVE that sign! My DH and DD will love it!
I use a Mr. Coffee 4-cup drip machine......but we all know that means its only 2 cups at most. Sometimes I just make 1 cup with it, and then add a few grounds later and run more water through for a second cup.
I have one of those gold filters. I throw the grounds in the compost.
Seems like most everyone flocks to the newest gimmicky thing. (Think Cabbage Patch Doll, pet rock, etc., etc.).
They have one of those coffee machines at my Honda place. I did have some hot chocolate through it and felt really guilty. But I did save a bug in the waiting room and released it in some bushes outside.........does that even things out? lol!
iris lilies
11-9-13, 7:13pm
But I still don't see the advantage. Just make a pot of coffee in a cheap drip machine. If you have one of those tiny 4 cups makers (yes, it makes only 2) that takes, what two minutes?
Is the advantage that you can have a different flavored coffee in each cup?
I am not picky about coffee and will drink yesterday's coffee. or the day before coffee. And if I'm desperate and am having coffee headache, I will drink it cold.
I think the "advantage" is how fast and incredibly easy it is (if you use the premade k-cups). It has a water reservoir you fill up once a week or so. So any time you want a cup of coffee during the day, you push the on button and about a minute later it starts blinking. Pop in a coffee cartridge and push down on the lever. You're done. Period. It takes about 90 seconds and there is no cleanup and basically no ritual involved.
I can't turn my nose too far up because we actually have one, but I know what you're saying, a pot and a tea strainer works just fine for me.
rosarugosa
11-9-13, 9:22pm
I am so challenged in the kitchen, but I can make such a nice pot of coffee in my little Farberware percolator that I don't feel the need to contemplate an alternative. But let's revisit when my percolator dies again a month after the warranty expires . . .
Although I expect the Keurigs don't last any longer, so maybe it will be time to totally invest my energies in that stovetop percolator I bought last year.
I use a drip maker with a thermal carafe (so much better, I think, than the ones that continue to cook the coffee after it's made). Filters and coffee grounds go in the worm bin.
I think the "advantage" is how fast and incredibly easy it is (if you use the premade k-cups). It has a water reservoir you fill up once a week or so. So any time you want a cup of coffee during the day, you push the on button and about a minute later it starts blinking. Pop in a coffee cartridge and push down on the lever. You're done. Period. It takes about 90 seconds and there is no cleanup and basically no ritual involved. That last bit is key, especially with regard to the many small offices where Keurig machines are popping up. They've long offered coffee to those waiting in their waiting room, whether it is an auto mechanic, an accountant, or even a doctor's office. In a small office, keeping the coffee pot fresh, and the area around the coffee pot clean is one of many small jobs that take office staff away from the work that you're paying them for. As economic pressures and the simple desire to cut costs to boost profit have prompted employers to seek out ways to cut staff, the justification for Keurig coffee makers gets stronger, as one of many small jobs that can be eliminated along with one member of staff. Everyone else still has a lot more work to do than before (generally), but that can be mitigated to a small extent by these other small changes.
This explains not only the prevalence of Keurig machines in small offices, but also switching to automated phone systems over having a dedicated receptionist (our office no longer has any receptionist - if you're expecting a visitor, you need to remember to be there to greet them when they arrive), switching to e-fax services (running incoming faxes around the office is another job that a receptionist would have had to do), etc. I recall a trip to India about twenty years ago when I first realized this trend, because there in India there were laws in place to prohibit businesses from cutting staff by using automation. Our hosts had tea brought by a staffer dedicated to doing these small chores, making tea, running papers down to the lawyer's office down the block, sharpening everyone's pencils, etc. Some of the offices I worked in had physical reminders of the old "every exec has his [because they were all men] own secretary" approach, which is a long-distant memory now, of course, replaced by electronic communications that junior execs and even many senior execs manage for themselves, now.
I do like the fact that so much attention is being paid to making these k-cups more environmentally responsible. The ones we use are biodegradable except for a very thin net that serves as its filter. (The entire "plastic" structure of the k-cup, really a pod, is vegetable matter, as is the "plastic" bag that the pods are sealed in.)
catherine
11-10-13, 9:06am
But I still don't see the advantage. Just make a pot of coffee in a cheap drip machine. If you have one of those tiny 4 cups makers (yes, it makes only 2) that takes, what two minutes?
Is the advantage that you can have a different flavored coffee in each cup?
Yes, that's another advantage. DH likes medium roast, I like dark. He likes decaf at night, I don't drink decaf.
DH and I drink different coffee at different time, etc. So we have 2 different coffee makers.......both have gold filters. I realize that that's more plastic too......
Maybe they can figure out how to make those k-cups out of biodegradable stuff........like soy, etc.
I recycle almost all of what I use (which still takes lots of energy and resources to be turned back into something), but there's still tons of non-recyclable stuff.......like the plastic packages that cheese, crackers, etc., etc., come in. Really.....where is all this stuff going? We used to have a landfill about 10 miles from us, but it closed.........so now its on to somewhere else. :(
ApatheticNoMore
11-10-13, 11:59am
Ok I use tea bags. :|( My caffeine dosage from loose leafs seemed to be all over the map and some days dancing on the ceiling, so it's been awhile.
I use a drip maker with a thermal carafe (so much better, I think, than the ones that continue to cook the coffee after it's made). Filters and coffee grounds go in the worm bin.
Same here. Fill it with hot water from the Insta-Hot on the sink (195*) and let it go. Stays hot for a whole day without any hot plate burn taste. Gold filter, compost bucket under the sink for grounds. Not entirely plug & play like a Keurig, but not high maintenance either.
catherine
11-11-13, 9:28am
compost bucket under the sink for grounds.
OT but never thought to put my compost bucket under the sink.. I've always been bothered by it being out in the open on the counter, even though it's a somewhat cute covered crock. Thanks for the tip!
Just kinda free associating here............
I used to have my compost bucket under the sink, but it was too much trouble to open the cabinet every time. I just keep it on the counter with the lid off! Only the 2 of us here, and it doesn't bother me.
I noticed that when I keep the lid on, there are many more fruit flies than if I keep it off. Go figure!
Our compost bucket is actually a kitty litter bucket re-purposed. Handy because the lid is made so roughly 1/3 of it hinges open while the rest is pretty securely snapped on. It also fits very nicely under the sink now that we've decided to go without the 100 or so chemicals that used to reside down there.
I'm just too scared to deal with the under-the-sink area. !pow!
The friend I visited this past weekend had a Keurig. This was my first experience actually using one. I used it for both coffee, as well as getting hot water for tea.
Didn't like it. Not one bit.
The different mug size selector is annoying. I couldn't get a full mug, no matter how much I tinkered with it, and I wasn't using a huge sized mug.
May I admit how much I missed my electric kettle at home?
I don't drink coffee at home. Only tea or hot chocolate. My electric kettle is so much quicker and more useful to me than the Keurig.
iris lilies
11-11-13, 2:33pm
I have learned, after 25 years of marriage, to just live with the counter top compost bin. I am not allowed to throw away food scraps, they must be composted! Our kitchen has rules that are instigated by the High Commander here and he's got German blood (well, Swiss) and so, it's easier to comply than argue. DH is quite mild mannered until it comes to kitchen rules and rules about tools.
I have trained myself to view fruit flies as benign. Perhaps they are NOT dirty, I don't know, but I do not want to know otherwise. Big fat house flies that leave black specs everywhere are filthy, ugh, but the little fruit flies are not. Do not ruin my buzz by "educating" me otherwise.
I think I got the idea of using kitty litter bucket from here so it was probably Gregg's idea.
Oh wait, this thread is about k-cup coffee makers.
iris lilies
11-11-13, 2:34pm
I think the "advantage" is how fast and incredibly easy it is (if you use the premade k-cups). It has a water reservoir you fill up once a week or so. So any time you want a cup of coffee during the day, you push the on button and about a minute later it starts blinking. Pop in a coffee cartridge and push down on the lever. You're done. Period. It takes about 90 seconds and there is no cleanup and basically no ritual involved.
I can't turn my nose too far up because we actually have one, but I know what you're saying, a pot and a tea strainer works just fine for me.
90 seconds is 1.5 minutes.
We drink instant coffee and it takes 2 minutes in the microwave oven. But I realize that most people would not drink instant coffee. I wonder if anyone here would own up to that? I am picky about red wine but not about coffee.
I realize that most people would not drink instant coffee. I wonder if anyone here would own up to that?
Me, Me!! Holding both hands in the air and waving!!
catherine
11-11-13, 3:38pm
Since we're on the topic of coffee, I have to say that even as a die-hard coffee drinker, I really am flummoxed by the whole Starbucks thing. Aside from the ridiculous cost, the need to stand in line in order to have your coffee prepared by a barista.. I might do it on an odd occasion, but it's NOT a need-to-have.
When I'm working in market research facilities, they always have coffee there--either prepared in carafes, or they have Keurigs with a huge selection of coffee and still, more often than not, my clients will insist on a "Starbucks run." I love coffee, but I am not going to go out of my way or stand in line to pay a premium for it.
But I realize that most people would not drink instant coffee. I wonder if anyone here would own up to that? I am picky about red wine but not about coffee.
When I'm in a hurry, I eat a spoonful of instant coffee powder and wash it down with a glass of water, I'm not proud or picky when the pager goes off.
I'm by no means a purist about my coffee, I don't drink instant coffee only because I really think it tastes awful, I'd rather drink a glass of hot water. If I need an instant boost I'll wash down a caffeine pill. OTOH I will drink wine in a box if it's around.
I'm going along with the Keurig thing because it was a gift from MIL and Adam loves it. Part of the newer healthier me, I pick my battles; having a whole second coffee ritual in addition to that monstrous machine on the counter just isn't worth the fuss, so I try to use it responsibly and see the good in it.
I love coffee, but I am not going to go out of my way or stand in line to pay a premium for it.I feel the same way about composting.
puglogic
11-12-13, 11:23am
I doubt there's anything in the world that could get me to use a machine that leaves behind a trail of little petroleum cups. The coffee isn't that good (it tastes like instant to me) and I'm trying to make LESS waste, not more. We drip a thermal carafe-full in the morning and heat it up during the day (45 sec) if we want more. But learning there's an alternative to that ridiculous waste has been good. Thanks for this thread.
I know alot of people don't want the government intruding, making rules, etc........but I don't see what the problem would be to require people to compost, recycle, etc. And to require manufacturers to not make un-recyclable packaging. That's the very least that should be done.
I find it hard to believe that I've been recycling many things for 38 years, and still, probably very few people do it now, and still, non-recyclables are being made. It just doesn't make sense to me, if we want the planet to be able to support life. When I drive down the road to town on trash day, I see plastic bags full of glass, plastic bottles, food cans, and cardboard. I don't get it.
Careful, CathyA! You're talking blasphemy there! :D Plenty are those in my community who think the government should mind its own beeswax and stay out of ours, even if trying to do something helpful and even if NOT controversial (as this would certainly be) And requiring manufacturers to consider a cradle-to-cradle design (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cradle-to-cradle_design) ethic would (I'm assured) mean the end of civilization as we know it........
But there is actually a LOT of recycling done in this country. This might make you feel slightly better: http://nypost.com/2013/11/09/5-things-that-will-blow-your-mind-about-the-recycling-industry/
Careful, CathyA! You're talking blasphemy there! :D Plenty are those in my community who think the government should mind its own beeswax and stay out of ours, even if trying to do something helpful and even if NOT controversial (as this would certainly be) And requiring manufacturers to consider a cradle-to-cradle design (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cradle-to-cradle_design) ethic would (I'm assured) mean the end of civilization as we know it........
But there is actually a LOT of recycling done in this country. This might make you feel slightly better: http://nypost.com/2013/11/09/5-things-that-will-blow-your-mind-about-the-recycling-industry/
More governments should charge per pound for waste disposal - and then let folks decide whether they want to sort their trash, compost, pick products with less packaging, etc. or pay the town or some private interest to do it for them.
I use Keurig cups that are just a regular filter with aluminum foil on top and a plastic ring that the filter and aluminum foil are attached to. It's the best tasting Keurig coffee I've found, too, but godawful expensive. I bring a box to work, since we only have a Keurig at work, and I drink 3-4 cups during the work day.
iris lilies
11-12-13, 9:22pm
More governments should charge per pound for waste disposal - and then let folks decide whether they want to sort their trash, compost, pick products with less packaging, etc. or pay the town or some private interest to do it for them.
That's a lovely fantasy.
My ghetto neighbors cannot be bothered to sort any trash correctly into the 3 types of bins that are clearly labeled and color coded, bins that are HUGE. More importantly, they often cannot be bothered to put trash in any receptacle let alone sort it.
I guarantee you that they would not honor any sort of system that required them to pay more or even pay at all.
And I can guarantee you that I am not interested picking up their trash and putting it, in your scenario, in MY trash bin. That *I* pay for. Nope.
sweetana3
11-12-13, 10:03pm
Doesn't have to be ghetto. I see trash all over whether downtown or suburbs.
Japan was probably the cleanest most recycling place we have visited. One town even got rid of its trash containers and told people to take trash home and recycle it. Almost no trash anywhere. Clean clean clean.
In Gloversville, NY, you have to put your trash properly sorted in clear garbage bags. If you don't sort it by the rules, they don't pick it up. Really really strict. I think it is because the town has to pay so much to haul it away to a landfill. Of course, NY also has beverage can deposits which cause the purchaser or finder of can to recycle to get the funds back. Pretty big business is done at the can machine in front of grocery stores.
As I understand it, in Bisbee one man is responsible for figuring out the recycling, bless you Andy. He actually made money for the city with his cardboard, newspapers and aluminum, but community pressure forced the addition of plastics, which still cost money to get rid of. Doing your best to recycle in Bisbee is a pain, there are some specific bins around town, some things have to actually be brought to the dump.
In Tucson, there is single stream recycling, which is SO incredibly easy. We have our own bin! They take "everything"! My sewer and garbage bill is half what it was in Bisbee at the same time they come to my front door!
While I have the sneaking suspicion the Tucson model doesn't actually do half of what Andy does, it raises the awareness and participation of a lot more people. When I look at reality, Tucson makes it easy enough I'd guess +80% of the population participates in recycling. While incentivizing through cost might encourage some people, I think simplicity with a built in cost accomplishes more.
Miss Cellane
11-12-13, 10:26pm
More governments should charge per pound for waste disposal - and then let folks decide whether they want to sort their trash, compost, pick products with less packaging, etc. or pay the town or some private interest to do it for them.
My city does something like this. You have to buy official city trash bags--the 15 gallon bags are $1.45 each and the 30 gallon bags are $2.15 each. Recycling, and you can recycle quite a bit, is picked up curbside for free.
So you have the choice to throw everything out and not recycle, but it will cost you money. Most people recycle--you can see the recycling bins on trash day. I fill up one 15 gallon bag about every two weeks. Most of my recycling is junk mail, and the packaging from food which I can't seem to reduce. This system does add the plastic trash bags to the landfill. But I think it reduces the amount of trash overall that goes into the landfill.
However, some landlords, for buildings with 2-6 apartments, use the fact that they have a dumpster for the building as an added incentive for their tenants, because you don't have to pay for the trash bags. What they don't say is that the cost of the dumpster, and therefore your trash, is factored into the rent you pay.
That's a lovely fantasy.
My ghetto neighbors cannot be bothered to sort any trash correctly into the 3 types of bins that are clearly labeled and color coded, bins that are HUGE. More importantly, they often cannot be bothered to put trash in any receptacle let alone sort it.
I guarantee you that they would not honor any sort of system that required them to pay more or even pay at all.
And I can guarantee you that I am not interested picking up their trash and putting it, in your scenario, in MY trash bin. That *I* pay for. Nope.
I'm sorry you have to put up with that - we have commingled recycling so we just have the one recycle bin, a big one provided by the city. At least in my area people seem pretty good about it. Even those going deposit bottle hunting on trash day don't make a mess.
Yeah, if they made it a law to properly dispose/recycle your stuff, we'd be finding alot more stuff dumped on our property. Its hard figuring out how to control the uncontrollables...........
Its hard figuring out how to control the uncontrollables...........
Maybe not. Put a $1 deposit on every recyclable container and require that every container be recyclable. Even Iris' neighbors won't be slinging trash at a buck a pop.
In the similar but bigger picture the solution to so many problems is painfully simple. If it is more profitable to save the world than it is to trash it the world will be saved. Proper policy can go a long way toward jump starting that, but I won't talk about that because then it would have to be moved to a different (and more notorious) section of the forums.
Maybe not. Put a $1 deposit on every recyclable container and require that every container be recyclable. Even Iris' neighbors won't be slinging trash at a buck a pop.
In the similar but bigger picture the solution to so many problems is painfully simple. If it is more profitable to save the world than it is to trash it the world will be saved. Proper policy can go a long way toward jump starting that, but I won't talk about that because then it would have to be moved to a different (and more notorious) section of the forums.
Exactly Gregg! Don't want to step on anybody's toes here in the U.S. Don't want to infringe on rights..........
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