Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Keurig: Convenient Coffee at What Cost?

I don't have a Keurig, nor do I have any intentions of switching from the coffee maker we received as a wedding present nearly four years ago.  Truthfully, I haven't given much thought to the Keurig, except to puzzle over its popularlarity & the (in my opinion) exorbitant price of owning one. 

That was until today when I saw this video that shows that the non-recyclable Keurig cups are quickly cluttering up our already taxed landfills. To me, that hot new kitchen appliance isn't looking so attractive anymore.
 
So what to do?  If you own a Keurig, consider purchasing a refillable K cup like the EkoBrew.  You can fill it with any standard hot beverage of choice AND prevent those little Keurig cups from winding up in the landfill, saving both you & our environment.  After the initial $12 investment, that's a pretty sweet deal. 

4 comments:

  1. Oh geez I adore my Keurig.
    Yeah It's got issues like it requires a 2-3 times a year vinegar descaling or it will cease to work & the whole K-cup fiasco - in that they aren't recyclable & trying to reuse a K-cup is beyond difficult (Iknow, I've tried). But I found the reusable EkoBrew's almost immediately after getting my Keurig - so I bought 6 of them & they work like a champ!
    The patent for K-cups is about to expire so I suspect more eco-alternatives are in the works as we speak.

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  2. Jane,

    I'm so happy to hear that the EkoBrew cups actually work! It's nice to hear of a green product that doesn't just work in theory. P.S. I went outside last night & nearly suffocated in the smell of fabric softener. Made me think of your previous comment. :)

    Alison

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    1. While I'm not a big fan of using plastics much (which is what the EkoBrews are made of)...the husband wanted the Keurig no matter what - so it's a compromise.
      They are dishwasher safe which is good, but a lot of times I just soak them in a little white vinegar+water solution - which is my go to cleaning agent for just about everything.

      As far as fabric softener goes - I'm convinced it's not doing us any additional favors (aside from softening fabric reducing static). I knew of 2 separate folks who both had a myriad of chronic health problems (i.e. they were sickly all the time) & they both had one thing in common - they reeked of fabric softeners. LOL

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  3. You can reduce static cling from a dryer by adding a fist sized ball of aluminum foil to your clothes before drying.

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