How To Recycle Your Coffee Pods

It literally takes 5 minutes
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If you are a coffee-lover like myself, you should be able to take something home from this post. A few years ago I treated myself to a coffee machine that uses pods, not really knowing what the environmental impact of these tiny caps of pleasure is capable of. Not long after, my conscience started holding me back from my daily cup-of-Joe. I then started researching whether it is possible to recycle coffee capsules, and found out the following. Some argue that pods are not recyclable because of their size and coffee inside of them. Others say yes, as long as you remove the coffee. I decided to put this to the test, and also contacted our local recycling center. I can now say that I have been recycling my pods for almost two years, and it takes me all of five minutes to do so. Below, a step-by-step guide.

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Step 1: You will need a plate or wooden board (to keep the mess in one place), a knife, a teaspoon and a bowl. Start by cutting open the top of the pods and removing the film covering it.

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Step 2: Remove the coffee from the pods by using the teaspoon. DO NOT throw the coffee away. We keep all coffee grinds whether from the pod machine, espresso machine, or French Press. Coffee is a natural pesticide which keeps snails, worms, etc. away from your plans. It is also makes for great compost (and it doesn't smell as bad as other kitchen waste).

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Step 3: Give the pods a rinse and make sure to place them in together in a smaller bag when you use a large recycling bag or bin at home. This makes it easier for people who work at the recycling plant. If you have a Nespresso machine and use the original Nespresso pods, you can return your used pods to the Nespresso shop where they recycle it.

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My plea to you is to try and recycle at least two things everyday, then aim to fill up a bag of recyclables every week. the size of landfills will reduce dramatically if every person recycles. It takes the same effort as disposing of ordinary trash, I promise.