Skip to main content

Feed it to the worms: Australian company debuts compostable coffee pods

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.

Rick Stella
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Rick became enamored with technology the moment his parents got him an original NES for Christmas in 1991. And as they say…
It’s not even Prime Day yet, but nearly every model of Amazon Echo is on sale
The Echo Spot on a nightstand.

With Amazon’s two-day October Prime Big Deal Days event (October 8-9) merely a week away, the markdowns have already started rolling in on much of Amazon’s top tech. As a matter of fact, while looking through Amazon deals, we came across four exciting promos you can take advantage of already!

Amazon Echo Pop — $18, was $40

Read more
Prime Big Deal Days is a week away, but this Blink camera pack is 62% off already
The Blink Outdoor 4 installed on a fence

Full Prime Day deals may not kick off until October 8 courtesy of the Amazon Prime Big Deal Days event, but that hasn’t stopped Amazon cutting the price on some highly sought after technology. In particular, it currently has the Blink Outdoor 4 3-camera system reduced by a massive 62%. Normally $260, it’s down to $100 for a limited time, making today an unmissable time to buy. One of the best Prime Day security camera deals around, it’s hard to find better value elsewhere. If you’re keen to secure your home, read on while we take you through what to expect.

Why you should buy the Blink Outdoor 4 3-camera system
Launched in 2023, the Blink Outdoor 4 is one of the company’s newer additions, building on the success of the previous model. The fourth generation of wire-free smart security camera, it’ll keep you aware of everything going on outside your home.

Read more
Best Buy deals: Save on laptops, TVs, appliances, and more
best buy shuts down insignia line smart home products store 2 768x768

Best Buy is one of the biggest retailers out there, along with Amazon and Walmart, and it has a truly massive selection of products for you to pick from. Not only that, but it often offers some of the best deals you'll find out there, which is why we often draw from it for several of our roundups, such as the best TV deals, best laptop deals, and best phone deals. To that end, we've gone out and collected some of our favorite Best Buy deals across several product categories and put them for you below.
Best Buy TV deals

There may be no better place to purchase one of the best TVs than Best Buy. There is almost always some huge savings to find on TVs at Best Buy, and that’s certainly the case right now. You’ll find deals top TV brands like Sony, Samsung, and LG, and more budget-friendly brands like TCL and Hisense are in play, too.

Read more