topic Re: What Happens To The Used Coffee Pods? in Community Spirit

What Happens To The Used Coffee Pods?

icyfroth — Sun, 20 Apr 2014 01:16:24 GMT

Jon Dee - head of environmental group DoSomething and founder of National Recycling Week, Planet Ark and National Tree Day - says he will write to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission next week asking it to investigate the truth of the company's recycling advertising.

Illustration: Matt Golding.

A series of Nespresso sustainability advertisements featuring the company's recycling program use Clooney - appearances in addition to his commercials plugging the ubiquitous aluminium coffee pods that are causing the waste problem, alongside the plastic pods made by some of Nespresso's competitors.

''George Clooney has almost single-handedly launched an entire new waste stream globally as a result of fronting the Nespresso adverts,'' Mr Dee said. ''It shows the Clooney effect has undoubtedly been enormous in this. But George Clooney - for a guy who is so switched on to civil rights and other issues - to lead the charge in causing such environmental damage and waste and other issues is really disappointing.''

Re: What Happens To The Used Coffee Pods?

2106greencat — Sun, 20 Apr 2014 01:33:22 GMT

Too true - no way those plastic pods are going to break down in the next 10,000 years or so.

I have my old trusty coffee bean - filter gizmo, and it'll do me.

Re: What Happens To The Used Coffee Pods?

j*oono — Sun, 20 Apr 2014 01:35:45 GMT

I have a great tip for recycling.

When I can be bothered making real coffee (happy with instant at home) then I use the brown paper coffee filter bags in my little nespresso machine.

Not only can the bags and coffee grounds go straight into the compost bin, there is also another use for these bags.

Have you ever tried to make tzatziki and you are supposed to whip out a bit of muslin to drain the yoghurt over a bowl? Well I don't happen to have bits of muslin. I have found that by lining a cup with a coffee filter bag and filling it with the yoghurt it works perfectly. They are also great for draining the grated cucumber too.

This morning I am going to see if I can poach an egg in a coffee filter bag

You can buy little paper egg poaching bags from Coles and I don't see why coffee filters would be any different and they are much cheaper. Waste straight into the compost.

Re: What Happens To The Used Coffee Pods?

icyfroth — Sun, 20 Apr 2014 02:01:16 GMT

good on you Joono!

My mother used to make her coffee in a Melitta filter in one of those straining cups, I still have it. I always have instant at home but indulge myself with the one coffee bean coffee maker cup at work. Once it's phased out I'll probably just drink tea.

Healthier.

Re: What Happens To The Used Coffee Pods?

lurker17260 — Sun, 20 Apr 2014 02:07:00 GMT

My local coffee roasters sell refillable pods, so all you throw out it the grounds.
I haven't tried them yet because I only found put about them after I ordered my Nespresso pods (funnily enough from the delivery driver lol) but I know they roast great coffee.
I'll be giving them a go next time.

Or is that what you mean by the plastic ones?

Re: What Happens To The Used Coffee Pods?

icyfroth — Sun, 20 Apr 2014 02:35:21 GMT

I think they mean this kind of coffee pod when they mention plastic coffee pods:

these are the aluminium Nespresso pods we use at work:

and that's not mentioning the disposable plastic nozzles for the milk frother and the sleeves of paper cups.

Re: What Happens To The Used Coffee Pods?

freakiness — Sun, 20 Apr 2014 02:44:45 GMT

I don't use them, nor does the cafe I buy coffee from. The one that uses pods have awful coffee and their cups leak if you don't drink it fast enough. I like to smell the real coffee aroma.

Pods, imo, are just waste generators that limit your ability to make the coffee strong enough.

Re: What Happens To The Used Coffee Pods?

just_me_karen — Sun, 20 Apr 2014 03:12:11 GMT

I thought the plastic in those pods could be recycled?

I accidentally bought a box of those pods ... I don't have a pod machine...so I ripped off the lid and put the coffee in a paper filter and made it into a cup...then chucked the filter and grounds into my compost.

It was messy and the coffee was mediocre, but it was better than wasting them.

Re: What Happens To The Used Coffee Pods?

j*oono — Sun, 20 Apr 2014 03:17:39 GMT

It worked!

Coffee filter bags make perfect egg poachers. Wiltshire poachies cost $5 for a pack of twenty. Coffee filter bags cost $2 something for a pack of forty. Results... exactly the same.

Just fish them out of the boiling water with tongs and drain on paper towels. Then just plop them out onto your toast.

Re: What Happens To The Used Coffee Pods?

just_me_karen — Sun, 20 Apr 2014 03:21:10 GMT

Wow, that might be something I could do without ruining another saucepan with eggie bits.

Re: What Happens To The Used Coffee Pods?

spotweldersfriend — Sun, 20 Apr 2014 03:26:50 GMT

Ground coffee-about 25c-30c per cup.Pods-about 50c per cup plus the waste.

Re: What Happens To The Used Coffee Pods?

lurker17260 — Sun, 20 Apr 2014 03:26:51 GMT

These are the ones my local roaster sells. i think you then just chose the blend you like and off you go.

Re: What Happens To The Used Coffee Pods?

just_me_karen — Sun, 20 Apr 2014 03:45:38 GMT

They're reusable? That's a good idea if you have a pod machine.

I've been trying to buy reusable coffee bags (like tea bags) but can only find expensive ugly ones on etsy.

Re: What Happens To The Used Coffee Pods?

lurker17260 — Sun, 20 Apr 2014 04:08:39 GMT

I believe so Karen. I'm going to try them when my current lot of pods runs out.

Re: What Happens To The Used Coffee Pods?

banoras — Sun, 20 Apr 2014 05:28:14 GMT

I bought one of those Nespresso machines from Aldi....hated it so much, took it back immediately for a number of reasons

Pods are expensive

Non- recyclable

Coffee is rubbish

I guess thats enough reasons! Gone back to the plunger coffee, with gorgeous aroma and taste, still use the Aldi freeze dried packs of coffee and store in fridge.

Re: What Happens To The Used Coffee Pods?

lurker17260 — Sun, 20 Apr 2014 05:33:43 GMT

I'm going with the idea it's the quality of the coffee that makes the taste difference rather than the machine. That's another reason why I'm keen to try the refillable pods. I'll buy fresh roasted beans in a blend I already know I like.