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LessWasteAn evidence-based archive of everyday plastic waste
Kitchen5 min read

Brewing better coffee with no waste

Coffee pods are the most quietly disastrous category in the kitchen. Three brewing methods make better coffee with none of it.

Stainless moka pot, ceramic mug and loose coffee beans on a linen cloth in morning light.

Coffee pods carry an exceptional packaging-to-product ratio: on our scales, about 3g of aluminium or mixed plastic per 7g of coffee. Packaging is a small share of coffee's total footprint compared with growing and brewing it, but the pod is the one part that is thrown away intact after ninety seconds. The good news: home coffee that beats pod coffee is genuinely easy.

Three setups, no waste

  • Moka pot — stovetop, stainless or aluminium, lasts decades. Strong, espresso-adjacent coffee in four minutes.
  • French press — ceramic or glass with a stainless mesh. Big, full-bodied cups, zero filter waste.
  • Pour-over with a reusable steel or cloth filter. Clean cup, no paper, no plastic.

Buy beans, grind at home

Pre-ground coffee is stale by the time you open the bag. A hand grinder costs less than a single month of pods and grinds enough for two cups in about a minute. Buy beans from a local roaster in a paper bag — most will refill a container if you bring one.

What about the grounds?

Compost them. If you do not have a composter, used grounds are excellent for the bottom of plant pots, garden soil, or — sprinkled lightly — under acid-loving plants like blueberries and rhododendrons.

Sources

  1. The role of flexible packaging in the life cycle of coffee and butterBüsser, S. & Jungbluth, N. · 2009 · The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment
  2. Global Plastics Outlook: Economic Drivers, Environmental Impacts and Policy OptionsOECD · 2022 · OECD Publishing
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