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Bicycle made from 300 Nespresso pods takes recycling to a whole new level

Bicycle made from 300 Nespresso pods takes recycling to a whole new level
Vélosophy

Single-use coffee pods might make a good cup of joe, but they're detrimental to the environment.

"Coffee pods are one of the best examples of unnecessary single-use plastics that are polluting our planet," John Hocevar, the campaign director of Greenpeace USA, an environmental nonprofit organization, told USA Today. "Many end up getting incinerated, dumping poison into our air, water and our soil."

Currently, 29,000 single-use coffee pods are thrown awayeach minute. You have to ask yourself, is it worth filling up the landfills to satisfy your caffeine habit? While the aluminum capsules are recyclable, it's not as easy as tossing them in the bin. Instead, you typically have to take them a designated collection point created by the brand.

But Nespresso has taken it one step further by using its recycled pods to make a bicycle, illustrating the potential for repurposing the often thrown out by-product of its coffee.


RELATED: Half of Americans don't recycle their beauty products. Here's how you can change that.

The company partnered with Swedish lifestyle bike brand Vélosophy to create the design, dubbed RE:CYCLE, "a perfect balance of sustainability and style, designed to illustrate the potential of recyclable aluminum and motivate Nespresso fans to recycle their capsules," according to a press release.

The limited-edition RE:CYCLE is the brainchild of former Ikea communications manager and current entrepreneur,Jimmy Östholm, who founded Vélosophy. It retails for $1,446 on the Vélosophy website. Each bike is made out of 300 Nespresso pods, and yes, it has a cup holder. For each bicycle sold, Vélosophywill donate a bicycle to a girl in Ghana so she can get to school.

Östholmapproached Nespresso about acquiring recycled aluminum after being inspired by the company's recycling campaigns. Östholmsays it was a bit of a challenge to shape the lightweight aluminum into a sturdy and safe bicycle, but he soon figured it out. "I wanted to start a conversation about aluminum," Östholm told Fast Company. "I think many consumers are interested in knowing where their materials come from, but there is just less awareness about aluminum as, for example, plastic."

RELATED: Horrified by how much plastic is in the ocean, this girl ramped up her recycling game

Because the material can be repurposed indefinitely, Nespresso encourages its customers to make sure they aren't single use products by recycling them. If they end up in the landfill, they'll take 150 years to decompose. But if you recycle them, you can have a full bicycle on your hands in a fraction of that time. As of right now, Wired estimates 25% of Nespresso pods are recycled.

This isn't the only time Nespresso pods have been turned into something other than a cup of coffee. They've been used to create Swiss Army knives, ballpoint pens, and even other Nespresso pods.

If you want to recycle your Nespresso pods and consume your coffee guilt-free, you can take your pods to one of the company's collection points. There are 122,000 locations across the world. Once turned over, they will be processed by a recycling plant where the aluminum from the pods will be separated from the coffee grounds. The coffee grounds are then turned into topsoil, compost, and even biogas.

And who knows? Maybe you'll be able to ride your former coffee pods to work one day.

All images provided by Prudential Emerging Visionaries

Collins after being selected by Prudential Emerging Visionaries

True

A changemaker is anyone who takes creative action to solve an ongoing problem—be it in one’s own community or throughout the world.

And when it comes to creating positive change, enthusiasm and a fresh perspective can hold just as much power as years of experience. That’s why, every year, Prudential Emerging Visionaries celebrates young people for their innovative solutions to financial and societal challenges in their communities.

This national program awards 25 young leaders (ages 14-18) up to $15,000 to devote to their passion projects. Additionally, winners receive a trip to Prudential’s headquarters in Newark, New Jersey, where they receive coaching, skills development, and networking opportunities with mentors to help take their innovative solutions to the next level.

For 18-year-old Sydnie Collins, one of the 2023 winners, this meant being able to take her podcast, “Perfect Timing,” to the next level.

Since 2020, the Maryland-based teen has provided a safe platform that promotes youth positivity by giving young people the space to celebrate their achievements and combat mental health stigmas. The idea came during the height of Covid-19, when Collins recalled social media “becoming a dark space flooded with news,” which greatly affected her own anxiety and depression.

Knowing that she couldn’t be the only one feeling this way, “Perfect Timing” seemed like a valuable way to give back to her community. Over the course of 109 episodes, Collins has interviewed a wide range of guests—from other young influencers to celebrities, from innovators to nonprofit leaders—all to remind Gen Z that “their dreams are tangible.”

That mission statement has since evolved beyond creating inspiring content and has expanded to hosting events and speaking publicly at summits and workshops. One of Collins’ favorite moments so far has been raising $7,000 to take 200 underserved girls to see “The Little Mermaid” on its opening weekend, to “let them know they are enough” and that there’s an “older sister” in their corner.

Of course, as with most new projects, funding for “Perfect Timing” has come entirely out of Collins’ pocket. Thankfully, the funding she earned from being selected as a Prudential Emerging Visionary is going toward upgraded recording equipment, the support of expert producers, and skill-building classes to help her become a better host and public speaker. She’ll even be able to lease an office space that allows for a live audience.

Plus, after meeting with the 24 other Prudential Emerging Visionaries and her Prudential employee coach, who is helping her develop specific action steps to connect with her target audience, Collins has more confidence in a “grander path” for her work.

“I learned that my network could extend to multiple spaces beyond my realm of podcasting and journalism when industry leaders are willing to share their expertise, time, and financial support,” she told Upworthy. “It only takes one person to change, and two people to expand that change.”

Prudential Emerging Visionaries is currently seeking applicants for 2024. Winners may receive up to $15,000 in awards and an all-expenses-paid trip to Prudential’s headquarters with a parent or guardian, as well as ongoing coaching and skills development to grow their projects.

If you or someone you know between the ages of 14 -18 not only displays a bold vision for the future but is taking action to bring that vision to life, click here to learn more. Applications are due by Nov. 2, 2023.
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