For many instant coffee makers, the pods which transform a small dose of concentrated coffee into a mug of java or espresso haven’t always been particularly Earth-friendly in their construction — despite the fact coffee itself is derived from an Earth-grown plant. To combat this issue, a company out of Melbourne, Australia, recently took to Kickstarter to unveil what it’s calling the compPod, a fully compostable coffee pod compatible with Nespresso’s line of instant coffee machines. While it would be great to see a versatile line of pods capable of working with a wide array of machines, comPod is a positive first step.
Developed under the idea to help make “the world a better place, one coffee at a time,” comPods boast the incredible ability to fully biodegrade roughly six months after use. As stated on its Kickstarter page, comPods creator Dan McQuinn points to the fact that billions (an estimated number) of single-use coffee pods wind up making their way to various landfills annually. A staggering amount of literally anything — even something as diminutive as an instant coffee pod — McQuinn desired a way to start unclogging those landfills.
“Coffee shouldn’t cost the Earth,” stated comPods introductory Kickstarter video. “ComPod capsules brew just like your favorite Nespresso-compatible capsule but they help the environment instead of hurting it. Simply brew a delicious cup of coffee like any other Nespresso-compatible pod and when you’re done, throw your used coffee capsule in your compost, garden, or worm farm. The capsule will completely biodegrade within six months.”
For roughly $22, McQuinn allows interested backers to purchase a month’s supply of comPods — i.e., 30 capsules — to be delivered by February 2017. Though the capsules are compatible with nearly every model of Nespresso machine, save a few professional “pouch” and “capsule-holder” machines, comPods are in no way affiliated with Nespresso or its parent company, Nestle. As of this writing, the campaign had already raised just north of $1,000 to its goal of $11,177 with 25 fundraising days left.
