The Most Environmentally Friendly Ways to Get Your Coffee Fix, From Keep Cups to Recyclable Pods

Is coffee our next environmental threat?

With the single use plastic bag ban in full swing in most states, it’s time for a bigger conversation about our habits with single-use plastic items, and the lasting effects they have on the environment.

It’s no secret Aussies love coffee. So, if you’re partly responsible for the 16.3 million coffees consumed on an average day, you might be part of the problem with plastic.

It’s estimated Australians use one billion disposable cups each year. If you do the maths it works out to more than 100,000 disposable cups every hour. The majority of these end up as waste, clogging up landfill and polluting the environment.

The reason this number is so high—aside from our obsession with coffee—is in part due to the confusion around recycling takeaway cups. There’s a lot of different information out there about which cups can and can’t be recycled, and it depends on what they are made of, how they are disposed and if the recycling plants in your area have the facilities to process them.

Even though takeaway cups may look like they’re made from paper, don’t be fooled into thinking they can be recycled. Most have a thin plastic lining to make them waterproof. This means they can’t be recycled alongside other cardboard or paper and may even contaminate the load in some cases. If the plastic can't be separated from the cardboard, it can’t be turned into paper and ends up as a waste product.

The difficulty in recycling doesn’t end there.

Coffee pods have also become hugely popular thanks to their ease and convenience and perhaps a little help from George Clooney. It’s estimated that we use three million pods each day…

… and while they’re technically recyclable, many end up in landfill where they can take up to 500 years to break down.

See, the aluminum and plastic pods can’t be disposed of in your own recycling bin because recycling facilities aren’t equipped to process such small items. Some pod companies like Nespresso encourage you to return used pods either in store, at collection points or via post, so they can be properly recycled. Some people opt for refilling pods themselves with varying success rates. We are also starting to see biodegradable and even vegetable starch pods on our supermarket shelves.

Neither coffee beans nor instant coffee share the same recycling difficulties as pods, but coffee snobs would argue that barista-made coffee is the only way to enjoy your favourite cup. However, it does involve owning a coffee machine or paying someone to make it for you, both of which can be quite costly. Meanwhile, instant coffee is cheaper, yet lacks the aroma and rich taste many coffee drinkers are after.

Still, our coffee drinking is contributing to a major pollution problem. Thankfully, there’s a few simple solutions to limit what you send to landfill, without giving up coffee, of course.

Reusable BYO Cups.

Reusable cups take the confusion out of recycling and eliminates waste. Different retailers and cafes are selling them in all different sizes, shapes and colours, and some cafes even offer a discount for bringing your own cup. KeepCup Australia has even diverted 3.5 billion disposable cups from landfill thanks to their reusable product, which lasts for about three years and can be recycled when it’s time for a new one.

Dine-in.

Alternatively, take an extra five minutes to sit down at your favourite cafe and drink from an actual glass or mug. You could spend the extra time planning your day or even buy a bickie to dunk in.

Bin your coffee correctly.

That means putting your takeaway cup in the waste bin so it doesn’t potentially contaminate recyclable items. If you do use pods, make sure you return them to be recycled or find a pod you can dispose of yourself.

It’s pretty clear we're not only addicted to coffee but convenience as well, whether that means picking one up on the way to work or simply pressing a button on a machine. Just remember, for a revolution on plastic to happen, we need to kick the habit and find alternatives to single-use products.

Header Image: 20th Century Fox