Keurig Packaging is Not Eco-Friendly: Coffee Crisis

Keurig not eco-friendly

We all love our morning brew that wakes us up, and that afternoon cup o’ Joe to get us through the last few hours of the day. Coffee is almost a necessity for some, but those Keurig one-serving cups we have all come to love may prove to be coffee’s biggest curse. In the last few years, it has been found that Keurig is not eco-friendly due to its un-recyclable packaging.

The Problem

Keurig not eco-friendly

Keurig, a Vermont-based coffee company, has shot to fame in the last decade thanks to its one-cup coffee-dispensing machine. In fact, it iseven shown that one in three American homes have a Keurig cup maker. However, despite its convenience, the coffee-grind holders, known as K-cups, are nearly impossible to recycle. This is due to the four-layered plastic cup that is made of plastic #7, which can currently only be recycled in certain Canadian cities. Likewise, the aluminum foil that seals the pod is frequently forgotten as a recyclable and is often thrown into the trash.

Last year, thanks to Keurig’s not eco-friendly packaging, nine billion K-cups were unceremoniously tossed into landfills.

Keurig’s Solution

Even the executives at Keurig will acknowledge that Keurig is not eco-friendly. In fact, originator John Sylvan does not even own a Keurig machine due to the recycling crisis it has caused. In 2012, Keurig hired Monique Oxender to fix the fact that Keurig’s not eco-friendly packaging is harming the earth and Keurig’s consumer base. Oxender promised that by 2020, Keurig would create a fully recyclable K-cup. Despite a promising fiscal report with information about how Keurig not eco-friendly packaging is being improved, consumers are still pleading for a shorter time frame to fix this monumental problem.

How You Can Help

Consumers hold a lot of power when it comes to taking a stand against big companies. In this case, consumers have some options when it comes to Keurig’s not eco-friendly packaging. The first option is to limit your use of Keurig not eco-friendly cups. This will help decrease waste as well as give you a sense of satisfaction in knowing that you are not contributing your hard earned money to Keurig’s non-recyclable cups.
Keurig not eco-friendly Second, you can buy a drip-coffee machine for as little as $30, far cheaper than the $63 Keurig K-cup machines. Drip machines use biodegradable filters, not plastic cups. Both of these solutions can help your wallet and the environment. If you really love the concept behind Keurig, simply buy a reusable K-cup and fill with your own gourmet coffee.  Keurig has recognized its packaging flaw and is working hard to rectify the problem. The packaging of Keurig is not eco-friendly, and that’s a fact. Instead of looking at this as a downfall to your coffee regimen, look at it as a fun challenge and a way to mix up the way you brew your favorite cup of java.