Jackie's Java is one of the first roasters in the country to sell single-serve coffee pods with packaging that is recyclable in their efforts to become one of the most environmentally conscious roasters. The pod packaging they began using in mid-March is award-winning for its environmental friendliness and sustainability.

“As a small coffee roaster, we are proud to take these leaps in making our product more environmentally friendly than many larger roasters,” says Jackie Harris, owner of Jackie's Java.

Jackie's Java is a small coffee roaster in Fort Collins, CO, founded by Colorado State University alum Jackie Harris 12 years ago while she completed her business degree. Now, her coffee is sold in more than 220 locations primarily in Colorado and Wyoming.

Jackie's Java single-serve pods are made with Polyproplene (PP) instead of the commonly used Polystyrene (PS). PP produces 30% less greenhouse gas emissions than PS when the cups are being manufactured. PP also holds out moisture 10x better than PS, keeping the coffee fresher and better tasting.

From the manufacturing of the cups and boxes to when customers are pouring their cup of coffee, Harris and her employees are constantly thinking of the environment. Jackie's Java single-serve coffee pods have a unique easy-pull tab on the lid, making it possible for customers to easily disassemble their cups and recycle them properly. The pod boxes are produced using 75% post-consumer recycled paper board and are 100% recyclable as well. The lids on our cups are 100% recyclable and the filters are 83% compostable.

One in three American homes have a pod-based coffee machine. The cups are generally not recyclable or biodegradable, so the 9 billion cups sold in 2015 ended up in a landfill. With the recyclable and biodegradable packaging used at Jackie's Java, consumers can minimize the negative impact on the environment these products generally have.

“We pride ourselves on being environmentally friendly in all aspects of our business,” Harris says.

The roaster sources coffees directly from farmers as much as possible – actually going down to these remote locations and spending time on the farm. Harris’s team gives away all of our burlap bags the coffee beans come in to whoever wants them, usually local Fort Collins farmers. They also reach out to people who can use the chaff (the skin that comes off the bean during roasting) for composting and farming in the community. Harris also delivers many of of the coffees in an all-electric powered vehicle with power generated from wind.

From the first step of sourcing their beans to the final stage of discarding the packaging, Jackie’s Java is making big strides to be the most environmentally conscious coffee roaster possible. With the new coffee pods now out, the company is excited to sway consumers to shop locally and think globally.