TerraCycle pod recycling, and a poem about coffee
Oh, how I long for you in the morning
Your musky aroma and the warmth of the pour
Of that steaming hot, rich liquid
And the stream of precious elixir
Filling my physical and metaphorical cup
I came upon you later in life
To keep me awake between lectures at night
Now each day when the new day breaks
I crave you to stir and arouse me
A sip of you and I have a little more strength
To greet whatever lays ahead
You clear my sleepy, cloudy head
And gently you awaken me
Okay, so I didn’t intend for my poem to sound quite so sensual.
Is it any wonder, though, when this sophisticated liquid elicits such a passionate response from all of us who partake? Coffee pod machines have also amplified the quality of the coffee that we drink at home.
What’s not so palatable is the amount of landfill that these little pods of heaven are creating.
More than ever, we need to be conscious about our waste. According to Solo Resource Recovery, 3 million single use coffee pods are disposed of by Australians per day.
Coffee pods are one of the trickiest things to recycle as well, given their size and the amount of components that go into some of them: aluminium, plastic, and of course, coffee grounds. Luckily there’s a program called TerraCycle, which can help.
TerraCycle, a social enterprise, recycles the tricky, every day things such as razors, cosmetic containers and yes, coffee pods. Partnering with several different companies across many industries, TerraCycle exists in 21 countries. They’ve even connected with Woolworths on an arising program called Loop. Loop ‘aims to change the way the world shops with refillable packaging offered with convenience and style’. (TerraCycle.com, 2021)
Small steps can change your coffee pod carbon footprint.
There are a few ways to get involved, depending on your budget, time-freedom and the types of coffee pods you use. The first step is creating an account with TerraCycle, which is easy and absolutely free.
The brands Green Barista, Di Stefano and Seven Miles are all Australian made with a strong stance on sustainability. Other participating brands include L’or and Nescafe Dolce Gusto. These pods can be collected in any bag placed inside any box. Whilst you don’t need to clean the pods you do need to squeeze out any excess liquid, make sure your parcel is completely dry and seal the bag and, obviously, the box. (I find that if I empty my pods straight in to a bag and keep it in my bin closet, the pods naturally dry out by the time I am ready to recycle them.)Then simply download a shipping label from your profile on the TerraCycle website, tape it to your parcel and ship it. TerraCycle will cover the cost of shipping, too! The coffee from Di Stefano and Green Barista will also be commercially composted.
Another way to get involved is to drop them off at a local collection hub. The TerraCycle website has a searchable map where you can find your closest collection point.
Lastly, you can get involved by setting up a collection hub yourself! If you’re comfortable with it, you can do this from home. However, you could also enlist a local business or your child’s school to act as a drop off point. Once the pods have been received, the steps are the same as above: package, seal and send.
Even more reasons to feel warm and glowy…
All TerraCycle projects donate a percentage to charity. If you become a collector, you can even pick your own charity to donate to. TerraCycle has raised over 44 million dollars for charities. And joining is free.
Participating in TerraCycle is just one way to feel good about enjoying the finer things in life. Do you have any suggestions, questions or know of a local program that focusses on sustainability? Then please email me at jodie@southernharbour.org and let me know.
