Coffee capsules have just gained notoriety – a latest study has found that the single-use brewing method is less wasteful than previously assumed.
Worldwide coffee consumption has been steadily increasing for almost 30 years United States in the lead.
As young adults turn into more environmentally conscious, researchers in The University of Quebec in Chicoutimi, Canada, conducted an intensive study to find out the carbon footprint of various coffee brewing methods.
The team compared traditional filter coffee, coffee pods, brewed coffee (French press) and quick quick coffee.
Compared, quick coffee turned out to be the best choice for a cup of joe with an ecological conscience. That is as a consequence of the low amount of quick coffee used per cup, the kettle’s lower electricity consumption and the lack of organic waste to be processed.
But when coffee drinkers eat 20% of their surplus coffee and warmth twice as much water as they need (which is commonly the case), disposable coffee pods have proven, perhaps surprisingly, to be the most eco-friendly and efficient option as they optimize the coffee to water ratio .
Even higher are recyclable or reusable coffee pods that further enhance the environmental advantages.
![Carbon footprint generated throughout the coffee lifecycle, preparation of different forms of coffee and brewing methods. (Luciano Rodrigues Viana). Named author.](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/coffee-climate-01.jpeg?w=1024)
Ultimately, research has shown that a standard paper coffee filter has the highest carbon footprint. This method requires the most amount of ground coffee to make a medium-strength cup of coffee and uses more electricity to heat the water and keep it warm.
In comparison with traditional filter coffee, using K cups or other coffee pods (average 280 ml) saves 11 to 13 grams of coffee.
From farming the coffee beans to washing your favorite Latest York Post mug, your coffee goes through a protracted process – each of which has an environmental impact and contributes to your carbon footprint, all before you sit all the way down to take your first sip of liquid gold.
All of those steps eat resources and emit greenhouse gases (GHG). While coffee production is the most GHG-generating step — accounting for 40% to 80% of total emissions across the entire supply chain — and thus out of reach of consumers, the best we are able to do is to avoid wasting coffee and water when preparing the cup.
Nonetheless, the environmental advantages of using single-use coffee capsules are diminished if the ease of popping into the capsule forces you to extend the variety of cups of caffeine you eat throughout the day.