Dear (cup of) Joe,
I loved making love to you in my Keurig. For the first time, it was so nice that I could have my single cup of whatever flavor I want and it was perfect every time. Our relationship was strained back in the Mr. Coffee days. How much coffee to put in? How much water? How to grind the beans? How to store the coffee? Coffee got stale before we finished it. Etc. But, we made it through that tough time and found a way to live together through the assistance of the k-cup. Now I find that I need you every morning. Unfortunately, I think it’s time that I re-think our relationship.
For one, you’re not very kind to my mother (Earth, that is). The UU in me can’t let this stand. While the K-cups could theoretically be recycled, recycling centers DON’T WANT THEM. It is too hard to really separate the paper filters and foil from the plastic. It bogs down the whole recycling conveyor belt system. Plus, how many people even bother to try to break apart the pieces for recycling? Most just end up in a landfill somewhere. I know Keurig has talked about trying to find an alternative, but they’re been at it for a few years and nothing has changed. I’m tired of waiting and hoping that something is going to change in this relationship.
And, if it does change, will that be enough for me? When you take into account the energy and resources used to produce the k-cup in the first place, ship them, transport them to recycling center, recycle them into something else… are we really doing the Earth any favors. The short answer is no.
So I did some research for k-cup alternatives, to see if I could make our relationship work again:
- The My K-Cups by Keurig did not have great reviews and still sounded like a lot of work and cleanup.
- The Eko-brew. It’s better reviewed and sounded easier, but is not compatible with the B30 machine (the one I have).
- The “Green Cup – Coffee Pod Adapter”. It works very well and the coffee pods you use are completely compostable. It would be perfect EXCEPT that each pod comes individually wrapped in a non-recyclable, non-compostable foil envelope. Grr. So much for that alternative.
So, then I got to thinking that maybe I could really give a drip or French press coffee another try. The coffee grounds and filters could be compostable. I could even get a reusable filter and forgo the paper filters altogether. Score! Much better for the environment, right?
But, then I thought further… What about the impact of drinking coffee at all? It’s not like there are any local coffee farms that have ethical green practices. So that means, they are being grown far away and have to travel here.
(More reading about impacts from coffee farming from the NRDC.)
Tiny Footprint Coffee looks like a environmentally-responsible coffee company. But, even that coffee would still have to be shipped to me. Is it worth it? Do I really need my one cup of coffee THAT badly? Probably not. But, if I did, this company is one I’d look to.
There are other ways that stopping the brew will help me.
- Save money.
- Improve cholesterol.
- Improve blood pressure.
- Reduce iron-deficiency anemia.
So, with this all said, I’m going to break up with you, (cup o’) Joe. It wasn’t me, it was you.
Yours truly,
Kate
P.S. I guess this means I need a new tag line for my blog… “sleep-deprived mother reanimated with _________”? Help me fill in the blank.
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Good luck. I’ve got an on again off again relationship with coffee. i can’t seem to stay away.
I will definitely miss the jump-start to my brain in the morning!
That’s quite a breakup! I don’t know that I could do it! Good luck!
If I had more than one-cup a day I might be more concerned, but I should be able to kick the habit. My husband is already off the caffeine, granted I’m not sure he’s going to want to forgo his decaf.
Bah!
You should just do what we do — Go to Roots and get Fair Trade Organic coffee. In all honesty, ever since the plight of Coffee farmers was raised to my attention at Church a few years ago, the treatment of the farmers has been as big an issue to me as anything (most coffee farmers are basically kept in poverty by the major coffee brands who pay them such a low rate that they are barely able to feed themselves). If you go to Roots you can get bulk coffee by Equal Exchange (that’s who we got started on through the Presbyterian Coffee project) or any number of other FT brands. The bag that you fill is made of paper, and getting unbleached coffee filters is pretty easy…. and the flavor is something else. Love my Peruvian Decaf.
So, I get my caffeine, the farmers get a living wage, and the earth doesn’t get too screwed up.
I always hated making coffee with a drip or french press, though. Too complicated, and as it is now, I can barely have my cup in the morning because Ellie’s too distracting. If there was an easily-workable Earth-friendly K-cup solution, I’d be interested. I’m thinking since I’m only addicted to one cup, I should be able to kick that habit without too much trouble. We’ll see…
I have to agree that I battle this decision frequently. And one point you make is valid for me: I cannot tell you how many cups are interrupted by a small person making big demands. By the time I get back to my cup, I have to add more to warm it (we don’t own a microwave anymore–by choice), which will again be interrupted almost always. And I just cannot guzzle coffee! LOL!
I tried switching to tea–because I want that hot cup in my hands (that will, again, be interrupted). It hasn’t cut it for me yet.
My mother has a Keurig, so I do buy her pods for Christmas, birthdays, etc.. I am not only uptight about the huge waste of non-recyclable pods since I am a tree-hugger, but I also have huge guilt spending so much for a hot bev when people are freezing in our own country. Just me. LOL!
So, I continue my fierce debate within my head–especially when I am battling headaches from cutting back!
I too have a relationship with Joe. Seriously we broke it off for a while and now I just can’t cut it out. I use the old fashioned coffee pot- no filter, just a screened basket- I compost ALL of my grinds(the garden loves it). If caffeine is what you are looking for, you can try some element water- it has this herb in it that gives off caffeine and it taste just like water. Down side- its a million plastic bottles although easier to recycle then the K-cup. I still think the MY-k cup is the way to go. But that’s just me. Only time I didn’t drink coffee was while i was preggo. Don’t know how I survived.
The old fashioned coffee pot and composting is an awesome way to go. I just hated grinding coffee and measuring stuff and cleaning stuff…and that was before the little one.
It really sounds like a love hate relationship!
creative energy?
adventures?
passion?
a sleep-deprived mother reanimated with .. . love!