If you suffer from procaffeination, or the tendency to not get anything done until you've had a good cup of joe, we feel you. For many, enjoying that morning coffee is like giving your brain a warm little hug, so it's no wonder we tend to take whatever shortcuts we can to fill up our mugs and make the rise and grind a little easier (pun intended).

For many, drinking coffee in the morning is as much a part of our routine as brushing our teeth is, which means that those cups pile up pretty quickly! We think you’ll be happy to know that to-go coffee convenient cups can be recycled in your home blue bins, so if you’re not able to use a reusable travel mug, you can at least dispose of your cups properly.

And that’s not all. We have another little tidbit of information that coffee lovers may find helpful.

We all know Keurig’s products have become extremely popular over the years, as coffee drinkers from far and wide have become as addicted to the invention’s convenience as they are to the caffeine it provides.

It’s not uncommon to see these machines decorating the counters of workplaces, offices, hotel rooms and homes. The little, ready-to-go pods are seen as convenient, as they mean your drink is ready in seconds, without having to measure out any grinds or fill a whole pot. They save you time and prevent coffee waste. They also come in a variety of types and flavours for both coffee and tea drinkers to enjoy.

It’s a popular product, yes, but that doesn’t mean that it’s perfect. Keurig has received criticism for the lack of recyclability of their K-Cup® pods. Garbage cans at offices and homes are often full of the little, plastic pods, putting Keurig under scrutiny about environmental waste.

Recycle BC and Keurig knew this had to change, and so they have partnered up (along with Emterra Environmental and Merlic Plastics), to test the new K-Cup® pods at the recycling facility to help create completely recyclable K-Cup® pods, which are currently starting to hit shelves in Kamloops. By the end of 2018, all K-Cup® pods produced and sold in Canada will be recyclable.

The new pods will make the recycling process much easier, as they can be thrown into blue bins simply by peeling off the lid and removing/composting the grounds (filter can stay in). Once that easy step is done, just toss the pod in your recycling bin and enjoy your beverage!

As coffee lovers, it’s our responsibility to do what we can to minimize the effects that our need for caffeine can have on the environment. While reducing waste should always come first, recycling is our next-best option.

To learn more about what can be recycled in your blue bins, click here.