It’s no secret that disposable, single use coffee pods have been on the receiving end of seemingly endless public and media backlash. And rightfully so, considering the high impact that these pods have on the environment. These single cup, one-time use plastic pods are non-recyclable, and they have created a growing problem for disposal (think of landfills 10 years from now – or 5!). It’s become clear that somethings gotta give. Or in this case, give back.
But before you raise a fuss, did you know that Keurig has a greener alternative? That’s right, so put down your pitch forks and lower your fists. The 200 and above series machines allow users to opt for the sustainable and eco-friendly alternative, the Keurig My K-Cup.
We recently teamed up with Keurig and a Montreal-based coffee roasting and distribution company known as Terra, to share a greener, socially responsible alternative with you. By combining the Keurig My K-cup with better than fair trade coffee grounds, we can’t think of a better collaboration to share with our fellow readers and coffee lovers.
Keurig K-Cup – One Cup, Unlimited Use
As a collective team of coffee addicts with different tastes and strong ethics, we all have different preferences when it comes to brewing our cup of Joe. We also like to keep our waste down to a minimum, so getting a Keurig machine was not originally an option. That was until we realized that the Keurig My K-Cup existed.
Being able to use our own grounds was also super important (make that: mandatory!) particularly, using our office favourite, Terra. The Keurig 200 model allows us to personalize the boldness of our coffee, and a variety of size formats in ounces. From tumbler to single shot, we were pleased to know that the Keurig My K-Cup can do it all.
The Keurig My K-cup comes in two models. The original model is used for all Keurig brewers pre 2.0 (brewers: K10 MINI Plus, K40/45, K60/65, K70/75). Since we are using the Keurig 2.0 machine in our Nudabite office, the Keurig My K-Cup is also compatible with 2.0 brewers: K200, K300, K400, K500 and K560 and can be purchased online.
Terra Cafe – Better Than Fair Trade
The case for better than fair trade coffee was made in an article in the Huffington Post, which described the actual status of fair trade coffee having “small to negligible effects on coffee growers, especially the poorest ones.” This came as a shock to us, given the public perception of fair trade certified goods, which by default raises questions and diminishes consumer trust.
A few months ago, we discovered Terra — a Montreal-based cafe and roasting shop that has been around the District Central (Ahuntsic-Cartierville) neighborhood since 1978. Terra sells what could be described as “better-than fair-trade” coffee, tea, sugar and chocolate that are ethically sourced from international farmers and small businesses. Terra’s founder, Carlo Granito, is a humanist entrepreneur who is passionate about coffee and tea, and believes strongly in supporting not only the farmers, but communities as a whole.
Carlo and Terra remain conscientious of the struggles that international farmers face, and offer their customers a premium selection of better than fair trade goods.
Terra abides by a specific roasting method known as Torréfaction Artisanale Granito (T.A.G), which is said to be far superior to certain automated industrial roasting standards. With Terra, Carlo has created the Humaniterra Foundation, which was designed to aid local and foreign communities. This is a company with an initiative that we can get behind. 100%! Of course, the coffee sold at Terra is flavourful and as expected, roasted to perfection. There’s something to be said about a company that puts heart and soul into their business, which we fully support.
“The only way to be the best, is to do what you love and my greatest pleasure is to see the end result of the work we do so passionately, make people happy” – Carlo Granito
A photo posted by N U D A B I T E (@nudabite) on
Where Can I Buy The Keurig My K-cup?
The Keurig My K-Cup can be purchased online at Keurig or at Terra:
290 Port-Royal W. Street
Montreal, QC
H3L 2B4
Oh, and in case you are wondering what to do with those remaining used coffee grounds, they work wonders in the garden!
Happy brewing, Nudapeeps!
