700 Used Coffee Capsules Turned Into Batteries, Keep Clocks Ticking

Coffee makes the world go ’round for millions every day, but in Vienna, over 700 dirty, used Nespresso capsules were combined with copper and salt water to make battery-powered clocks that linked together to keep a radio playing away happily.

Supposedly, the average coffee-drinker can get through 700 Nespresso capsules a year, which are discarded without thought. On display at Vienna Design Week, the installation highlighted recycling and sustainability, but also caught the eye of passers-by, as the coffee grounds produced enough energy to keep the radio playing. Certainly something to think about as you brew the next pot of coffee. [Mischer'Traxler via Dezeen]