They let you brew a cup of coffee quickly and easily, but at what expense? K-Cups are marketed on convenience, but behind every quick and disposable coffee pod is a dirty little secret: they’re piling up in landfills faster than you can say “java.” By buying buying freshly roasted  Hawaiian Ka’u coffee, you can enjoy a more delicious morning cup while also helping fight the battle against the K-Cup.

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One video production company created a humorous Cloverfield-style horror film to graphically illustrate how bad K-Cups are for the environment. Here are a few numbers to help put the problem in perspective. In 2013, one brand alone produced 8.3 billion of these little white cups. Since the Keurig coffee maker’s rise to fame, more than 60 billion K-Cups have ended up in landfills. This is enough to circle the Earth almost 80 times. Of course, all of that plastic will never break down. It will continue to sit in landfills for centuries. Most K-Cups are made from a type of plastic known as No.7, which cannot be recycled. Though there are recyclable K-Cups on the market, they make up less than 5% of all coffee pods produced.

The good news is that it’s very easy to do your part in fighting against the K-Cup monster. If you’re not ready to ditch your Keurig brewer, try using refillable cups to brew your favorite Ka’u Coffee. Or re-embrace simple, traditional brewing methods. When you buy high-quality beans such as our Hawaiian Ka’u coffee, it’s very rewarding to brew your own coffee in a French press or pour-over.

Visit Hawaii’s Local Buzz to explore our selection of premium, 100% Hawaiian coffee, and just say “no” to K-Cups.