Last post I mentioned 2 alternative ways to green up your Keurig coffee by avoiding disposable plastic k-cups. Here is a third alternative—a refillable BPA-free pod in which you use your own coffee grounds. When your coffee is ready, you just dump out the grounds in the garbage or use them for compost. Either way you reduce the plastic waste, and still get the convenience of a quick cup of coffee. Also works with teas. Available on Amazon.
I just found a great new innovative product that can help you meet your new year’s resolution to be more green. Keurig coffee makers are convenient and offer a selection of individual coffees, teas and cocoa. However, a “side effect” of these machines is that millions of plastic coffee pods or “K-Cups” become waste in landfills or incinerators. Also the plastic used is often #7, which can be different types of plastic, some of which may contain the hormone disruptor Bisphenol A (BPA).
So to my pleasant surprise I just encountered an eco-friendly version of the Kcup, called Terrace Café Cups, made by a local New York company. It uses only a ring of plastic with a biodegradable filter.
Another alternative is to have a fully biodegradable pod, much like a tea bag, that you use with a washable pod holster that you use each time. These are made by several companies including New Hampshire Roasting Company.
Fill your cup with an organically grown beverage, and you are well on your way to being greener in 2014!
Eileen Fisher clothing is known for its simple, comfortable design. It is casual but stylish and high end, and can be found at well over 50 Eileen Fisher stores around the country. What makes it special is that the company is committed to using sustainable fabrics such as linen, hemp, and organic cotton. The company makes an effort to work with fair trade producers, and to use low impact dyes on many of its products.
At the Green Festival in NYC (April 2013), I had the pleasure of witnessing a fashion show of the Spring Collection. The best part was that the classic, chic designs were worn by real live eco fashionistas, such as Greta Eagen, Sass Brown, and Emma Grady, all who write about eco fashion. Each model explained why she chose her piece. Eileen Fisher also used the event to highlight its new clothing recycling campaign “We’d Like Our Clothes Back Now, Thanks Very Much.” For more, see eileenfisher.com.
