A quality pour-over or French press is a great option when you've got time to linger over your morning coffee.

And classic brewed coffee is helpful whenever you need to caffeinate a village.

But single-serve coffee machines, like the kind from Nespresso and Keurig, are convenient whenever you want a quick cup of coffee. You just have to look past the part where they create heaps of waste...

A Swiss company called CoffeeB is making a single-serve machine that skips the pods in favor of compressed coffee balls that are fully compostable. So, you can save the world and still get to work on time.

Every year, billions of aluminum and plastic coffee pods are sold all over the world. Some are recycled via a mail-in collection program, but about 70% are thrown away, contributing to a lot of waste. The CoffeeB Globe works just as easily as a pod-based system, but without the pod.

The coffee balls are made from high-quality beans that are certified organic and produced in accordance with Fairtrade standards. The coffee is roasted, ground, and pressed into spheres, with a natural coating to protect the flavors and aromas. 

Put one of the pressed balls into the machine. The CoffeeB Globe will squeeze it, pierce it, and run through hot water at high pressure to extract the flavors. Once brewed, the ball is ejected into the collection tray, and because the material is completely compostable, you can drop the spent ball into your garden or grass, and it will decompose naturally.

Make this your morning routine, and you'll reduce your carbon footprint without giving up sweet, sweet coffee. Or without hauling a bag to the post office every few weeks like some kind of jittery Santa who, rather than doling out gifts, has a strict return-to-sender policy.