Pod-based coffee machines have become ubiquitous in houses and office alike. From coffee amateurs to connoisseurs, everyone seems to have a Keurig or a similar machine on their countertop. To put it in perspective, almost one in three American homes have a pod-based coffee machine. But do you know whose house is not among them? John Sylvan's, the guy who invented Keurig's K-Cups.
"I don't have one. They're kind of expensive to use," Sylvan told the Atlantic. "Plus it's not like drip coffee is tough to make." This statement isn't outrageous by any means and actually makes a lot of sense, it's just not something you would expect coming from the guy who made the Keurig possible.
Sylvan sold his stake in the company 1997 for $50,000 and says he feels bad about creating the product at all. It's common knowledge that K-Cups create a host of environmental problems. The pods are non-biodegradable and cannot be recycled. Current estimates say that the K-Cups pods that were buried in 2014 alone could actually circle the Earth 12 times.
Looking at these stats, it would be hard not to feel a little bad about creating these pods of environmental destruction, not to mention the intense backlash K-Cups have received from angry customers. Google K-Cups and you'll find the #KillTheKCup movement along with a list of Youtube videos on how to hack Keurig machines.
Today, Sylvan works in less controversial (and more environmentally friendly waters). He runs ZonBak, a company that makes cost-efficient solar panels.
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