Starbucks Re-Use

 I know I kinda bitch now and then about Starbucks. But this new Starbucks store in Locate just south of the Museum of Flight, on East Marginal Way in Tukwila, WA has me rethinking my position. Made out of used shipping containers, it is a prime example of Re-Use. Unfortunately, it is drive- thru and walk up service only, so I could not get any interior shots, except the rest room, which I will omit, but very cool anyway. There is a nice outdoor seating area

Go Greenner on your coffee...

at first glance, one would think that coffee filters are no big deal. In fact if you have a french press, you don't even need one. Or an old fashioned percolator. But if you have a standard drip maker or a K-Cup brewer are you stuck using those paper filters or in the case of the K Cup brewer those little plastic cups? Here is a great answer:
Permanent Coffee Filters. They are made from a fine mesh screen that simply needs to be dumped and washed out. And there is a model for the K-Cup brewers! So finally, you can make coffee almost guilt free! No trees cut down to make the filter! And the fact that I could have bought a filter for a K-Cup means I could have avoided a big headache in telling my mom that I needed to take the coffee brewer back she bought me at Christmas! Unfortunately there is an amount of plastic with these filters, but on the other hand you don't throw them away so there is that. They are available at Goodmans and Target. I have seen them in Safeway as well. OR if this ain't your cup of tea... make your own out of cloth! Or try option 3- 4 Bushel Farm Gals Cold brew Coffee
Some permanent filter options:

Even a model for use with your K-Cup coffee brewer

How I make coffee and (save a bit of energy)

I have quit using my coffee pots (the one at work and the one at home) I used to make a pot of coffee, put it in a thermal carafe and that was it. I did that because That warming burner on a coffee pot is a energy hog. Now, I use two methods of making coffee. The more usual is I use a Black and Decker "Brew N' Go" coffee maker. A simply great little unit that makes a single cup of coffee. I like it because Muggsly fits in it, There are no filters invovled (the unit has a permanent filter) and each cup is freshly made. I use about the same amount of coffee per cup as I did in the regular coffee makers. And the best thing the unit shuts itself off when the coffee is made! I like it so much I bought one for the house. So I unplugged the Large Cuisinart computerized coffee maker with it's vampire sucking timer.
BUT ROB (you say) I'M COMING TO VISIT... WILL I HAVE TO WAIT FOR A CUP OF DELICOUS COFFEE?

No. In the few times I need more than one cup of coffee, I also use a french press. Here the advantage is 1- I can make 4 cups of coffee, 2-No filter (The french press IS The filter) 3- I can make coffee in even in a power outage ( I have an outside grill, a "jet stove", a chimenea- all ways to boil water!). I might try 4 Bushel Farms Farmgal's "cold brewed coffee" in the near future, but after it is done, I would use the french press to strain it.