One of the main reasons people steer away from buying a capsule coffee machine is the amount of waste created by the single serve plastic and aluminium coffee pods. But are all coffee pods bad for the environment? In this post we will discuss the popularity of capsule coffee machines and the environmental impact of traditional coffee pods. We will also introduce you to our new EcoPure coffee capsules, which have significantly less impact on the environment compared to traditional coffee capsules.
The Popularity Of Capsule Coffee Machines
The growth in the use of coffee pods around the world cannot be denied. In the USA coffee pod machine sales increased six-fold between 2008 and 2013. But this trend is by no means specific to the USA. Sales of coffee pod machines in Europe out-paced drip coffee makers for the first time in 2013. And here in New Zealand it seems like almost every time you visit friends or family they are proud to tell you about the new addition to the family – the capsule coffee machine. But the amount of waste that they create, means that traditional coffee pods are not for everyone.
The Environmental Impact Of Traditional Coffee Pods
The environmental impacts of traditional coffee capsules are so great that even John Sylvan (the inventor of K-Cup – an american coffee pod system) has admitted that he sometimes feels bad about what he did. And he is right to be concerned – traditional coffee pods take over 500 years to decompose and in 2014 more than nine billion K-Cup pods alone were sold. In fact, if you placed all of the coffee pods sold in 2014 end-to-end you would have enough to go around the world 10.5 times. But not all coffee pods were created equally.
Our Solution: EcoPure Coffee Capsules
Segafredo Zanetti (in conjunction with the University of Milan) have come up with a solution to this problem – EcoPure coffee capsules. EcoPure is a product that is added to the plastic in coffee capsules. EcoPure won’t interfere with the flavour of the coffee and allows the capsule to be deposited with your green waste to biodegrade naturally. These capsules biodegrade 230 times quicker than traditional capsules!
To use EcoPure capsules you will need to get your hands on a MyEspresso coffee machine. Alternatively you can come into our showroom for a demonstration.
As the popularity of capsule coffee machines continues to grow, it is good to know that there are eco-friendly options available. Everybody should be able to enjoy the consistent and convenient drinks that capsule coffee machines provide without feeling guilty about their environmental foot print.
Do you have a question about coffee pods? Ask us in the comments below.
