5 1 16 1 1 7. When it comes to making a cup of coffee, capsules have a reputation for being environmentally unfriendly, as they are often hard to recycle. But new research by the University of Quebec in Canada suggests that pods may not be as wasteful as preparing coffee using a traditional coffee maker. The study gives new insight on the climate impact of the world’s most popular drink: it is estimated that two billion cups of coffee are consumed daily worldwide, with the average American drinking three coffee buttercream a day.