Save the Environment, Drink Green Coffee

Going “Green” isn’t just the latest trend; it’s become an increasingly serious topic today as the years of neglect for Mother Earth have brought about global warming and a number of other concerns.   Now, more and more people are getting serious about what they can do to be more “Green.”

From using technologies like video conferencing  to reduce carbon emissions and the need to travel, to utilizing smarter utilities to save on energy output and costs, the movement to get Green continues to grow.

One company, the father and son team behind Gordon Grade Coffee,   has introduced their push to help us get to a better environmental state with “Dr. Drip Coffee.”

A staple to many of our mornings, coffee is usually sold to consumers in a Styrofoam or paper cup and sometimes made with filters that are not easily biodegradable.

Instead, Dr. Drip Coffee, company officials say, is “earth friendly” and a portable single serve brewing system that can be taken to the office, or on the road and still deliver a tasty up of 100 percent Arabica coffee.

Yours truly, an admittedly guilty user of a one-time use brewing systems, had the chance to try first hand a Dr. Drip Coffee, which retails for $8.99 for a package of five on the site.

The packaging comes airtight, so the worry over coffee that might not be fresh is gone. I even had some trouble ripping the packaging open, but once opened, there was a strong aroma of coffee.

Next I propped the paper brewing pod over my mug as the instructions on the package said and poured a glass of boiling water over the grounds and filter.

Be careful to pour only a bit at a time, I experienced some leaking onto the table from over the side of the mug – but I’m not sure if that’s because I poured too quickly.

I have always shied away from the old fashioned standard coffee pots because I am the only one who drinks coffee and would have to throw away an entire pot each time, and also because the measurement of water to coffee always seemed off to me.  Now, the chance to make a Greener decision and still get a good cup of coffee is pleasing.

The final result is a nice full, dark cup of coffee; after adding some cream and sugar to my liking, I have to say the coffee tasted just as good as the cup made by my single serve brewer.

Company officials note that while the coffee has a similar concept to instant coffee; it is not the same, as their offering actually brews a cup every time rather than just stirring in coffee flavored mix to some hot water.

In addition, having this Green coffee alternative on hand removes the need to get in the car and drive to a coffeehouse, saving on toxic Co2 emissions while also guaranteeing that all the discards are 100 percent recyclable, biodegradable and easily composted.

A battle many of today’s coffee makers are working to resolve – creating coffee to satisfy the needs of a giant audience of coffee drinkers -- while balancing convenience with environmental responsibility.

In comparison to other single brew coffees out in the market today, Dr. Drip Coffee, company officials note, leaves no negative footprint behind. “You won’t find our product in plastic pods lingering in a landfill for years to come.”