To my alarm I noticed the Keurig machine at the local chain store has changed. Now instead of the famous, iconic K-Cup they have developed some new mischief. A non-compatible new cup style. Honestly my first thought was that they were foolish to do such a thing. Then I actually did some reading on the move, realized the reason behind it, and now I think they are more foolish.
I will explain. The K-Cup is a primarily plastic cup with an aluminum foil top and a paper filter, all ingeniously sized for a single cup of coffee. The only issue is an environmental one, and it is a legitimate issue that many have raised. I have a Keurig machine at home, (my second) and I love it, but this morning, I cut one apart to see if I could come up with the solution. I think I have. Before I get into design mode, I will say that the main benefit of the naughty little cup is the freshness of it’s contents. They are sealed individually until use. So the coffee always tastes fresh as possible. This is a huge advantage. The other issue is ease of cleanup. Keurig has a little alternative cup that you can load with coffee yourself, rinse and reuse. It simply is a pain in the neck for most, messing about with those little grinds; trying to clean them out of that little filter screen.
So here’s a quick sketch I did this morning of the K-Cup.
The top is the layer of aluminum (green), for freshness.
The center is the organic material (blue), specifically the coffee and the ultra thin paper filter that surrounds it. The main part of the cup at issue is the plastic casing (red). I sketched it this way to allow me to easier explain the Keurig solution (which involves an entirely new product line) and my own solution.
First the Keurig solution. A whole new cup, called the “Vue” with a similar plastic assembly to what you see above, only the filter and aluminum top separate after use, and the plastic can easily be recycled in a #5 accepting facility. (not one here in Syracuse) Seems like a great solution, but really, it is wildly unnecessary. Also of note, is that Keurig advises you to toss the portion of the cup that is organic WITH the aluminum seal. Less than ideal.
My solution. We have established we want a fresh cup of coffee, we want individual brews, and we want to easily be able to separate the plastic from the aluminum foil, from the organic material. The solution is wildly simple, and could be made for Keurig machines without any concern for Keurig patent fees or any such thing. The solution could be on store shelves within weeks and would be wildly cheaper, equivalent in taste, and tremendously better for the environment. Simply sell a filter unit, pre-filled with coffee, that is just the right size to fit inside the DIY K-Cup unit Keurig already sells for the unit. It could just be a round ball of various flavored coffee, already in a thin filter, completely easy to insert, use, and remove, and because it is entirely made of coffee and ultra thin paper, it is easy to dispose of. (Ideally, it could be tossed right in the compost bin.) Now, no plastic is used, so no recycling of plastic is involved. Lastly, that pesky aluminum foil bit. Well you want fresh coffee, yes? Wrap the little suckers individually in an aluminum wrapper. That would provide for your labeling, your freshness, and is far easier to recycle than #5 plastic.
Now somebody please make this happen. I’ve gotta think of something worthwhile for tomorrow.
100 Good Ideas 