7. Compostable Coffee Pods
Compostable coffee pods sound like a guilt-free way to enjoy your morning brew, but the reality is more complicated. Most of these pods are only compostable in industrial facilities, which are rarely available to everyday consumers. When tossed into regular household trash, these pods don’t break down as promised—they behave much like conventional plastic, adding to landfill waste. According to NPR, this means “green” claims often mislead consumers into thinking they’re making a bigger difference than they actually are.