Another week, another post featuring an infinitely more handsome man than my good self. Last week Daniel Craig this time George Clooney….

Since 2006 when my lookalike George Cooney started being the face of Nespresso, coffee pod sales have gone through the roof whilst tens of millions of coffee drinkers sedate their addiction every day without having to venture outside the house.

George certainly charmed my good self as it led to me purchasing one of these machines without a second thought a few years back when I should have known better…

The well-crafted machine that sat at pride of place in the kitchen alongside the beautifully metallic colour pods filled with pre ground java as well as the pièce de resistance aka the milk frother, gave me much joy before I left the house every day to begin the daily grind…

But what are the hidden costs to pay for what is such an indulgent convenience that delivers that steaming cup of coffee in a matter of seconds?

After crude oil, coffee is the most traded commodity in the world with sales of this elixir of life showing no signs of letting up.

It doesn’t take a coffee genie to work out that due to the intense manufacturing process and the waste left after the pods use, this is very much one commodity that really is not environmentally friendly.

I mean, come on level with me…once you’ve had your daily fix, what generally happens to those empty pods?

Now to be clear I’m not here to pick on Nespresso. Just about every supermarket and coffee brand has jumped up onto the pod train and they all seem to come armed with labelling that circumnavigates around the sustainability agenda whether it be ‘By buying this product, you are supporting a better future for people and nature’ or ‘Rainforest Alliance certified’ or Conservation International’.  All this alongside clear messaging stating that you can’t recycle the pod.

It’s more important than ever for a company to have a strong narrative to wrap around the products it sells that provides a decent honest backstory and mission statement of wholesomeness.  But I think we could all be forgiven here for getting somewhat side tracked here….

I have worked with a number of businesses who are trying to up their game in this area by scrutinising their supply chain and encouraging innovation throughout the sourcing, manufacturing and finished product process
Needless to say, I ditched my machine a few years back and upgraded to a proper barista which grinds and then brews my coffee.