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Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Making Single Serve Coffee Eco-Friendly

My husband was recently given a used Keurig machine in perfect condition. I wanted to get rid of it immediatly because I am not a fan of single-serve coffee machines that require disposable plastic pods for every cup of joe you brew. It is irresponsible to choose convenience without considering the impact. But boy, did he love that little machine - so we comprised. I said he could keep it if we could find a refillable pod. Only took one trip to Bed, Bath and Beyond (my favorite store on the planet) to find what we hoped existed: the very convenient Solofill Cup,  a reusable single-serve filter for the Keurig brewing machines. Simply fill the Solofill Cup up with your favorite brand of coffee, snap it shut, and pop it into the cartridge slot. Works like a charm - and saves you a ton of money, since you won't be buying pre-packaged pods anymore. The Solofill cup is BPA-free, however, it is still plastic. And the heating of plastic is never the best choice. So, go with the Solofill is you absolutely must use a single-server coffee machine, but if you have want to the healthiest, most eco-friendly coffee possible, then choose a coffee maker and filter system that uses no or little plastic. They are few and far between, but no impossible to find. To learn more read my post "How to Make Plastic-Free Coffee" post (coming soon)...

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

The Story of Stuff ... 20 Minutes to Change



This little 20 minute "movie" is gaurenteed to significantly change the shopping habits of anyone who watches it. Even my 6 year old was moved by it. After seeing it, she decided she didn't want to buy anymore plastic toys. Not that we have a ton of plastic toys - but The Story of Stuff  makes you stop and think about the polution that is produced by the making of even just one small toy or plastic bottle and the working conditions of the person who made that product for you. The Story of Stuff paints a whole new (toxic) picture over our day-to-day consumerism . Watch this movie!