Are coffee pods really eco-friendly? The truth behind the surprising findings

Coffee capsules notoriously produce waste — but some experts maintain that reducing how much coffee you use, even with a pod, can decrease emissions

However you prepare your coffee, the production of the coffee beans is the most greenhouse gas-emitting phase in the coffee lifecycle, contributing between 40% and 80% of coffee’s total emissions

If you drink one of the 2 billion cups of coffee consumed each day worldwide, you may have seen recent headlines celebrating the coffee pod, a single-serving container — typically made of plastic or aluminum — that can be inserted into a machine to brew a cup of coffee.

New analysis found that coffee pods may be more environmentally friendly than filter coffee. But could it really be true? Some experts and coffee enthusiasts questioned how good for the planet pods actually are, especially given the waste that coffee capsules notoriously produce. But some scholars maintain that — even though it’s important to consider how capsules are disposed of — most greenhouse gas emissions happen while coffee is being grown. So reducing how much coffee you use, even if that takes using a coffee pod, can decrease the emissions of your coffee habit.