Coffee pods just got a boost of good publicity — as a new study reveals that the single-use brew meth♒od is less wasteful than previously assumed.
Coffee consumption around the world has been steadily risin🅷g for almost 30 years with the
As young adults are becoming increasingly eco-conscious, the University of Quebec at Chicoutimi in Canada con𒆙ducted an extensive study to determine the carbon footprint of different coffee-making methods.
The team compared ꦇtraditional filter ﷽coffee, coffee pods, brewed coffee (French press) and soluble instant coffee.
In comparison, solubl♔e coffee appeared to be the best option to enjoy a cup of joe with an eco-friendly conscience. This is credited to the small amount of soluble coffee used per cup, the kettle’s lower electricity consumption and the absence of organic waste to be treated.
But when coffee 🐲drinkers use a 20% surplus of coffee and heat double the water neede🔴d (which happens often), were — perhaps surprisingly — revealed to be the most environmentally friendly and efficient option as they allow you to optimize your coffee-to-water ratio.
Even betterꦺ are recyclable or reusable co🦋ffee pods, which further the green perks.
In the end, the research found that the traditional paper filter for coffee has the highest carbon footprint. This method requires the greatest quantity of coffee powder to produce a cup of coffee at average strength and consu✱mes more electricity to heat the water and keep it warm.
When compared to traditional filter coffee, using K-cups or other coffee pods (280 ml on average) saves between 11⛄ anꦍd 13 grams of coffee.
From the agricultural production of the coffee beans down to washing your favorite New York Post mug, your coffee goes through a long process — all of which has its impact on the environment and contributes to your carbon footprint, all before you sit down to take your first sip♏ of liquid gold.
All of these steps consume resources and emit greenhouse gases (GHG). While coffee production is the most GHG-emitting phase — adding 40% to 80% of the total emissions throughout the supply chain — and, thus, beyond the consumer’s hands, the best we can do is to avoid wasting coffee and water while preparing a cup.
However, the environmental benefits of using🌄 single-use coffee pods are diminished if the ease of popping in a po꧙d pushes you to increase how many cups of caffeine you consume in a day.