In a grocery store I go to often, I headed for the coffee aisle where I can choose either locally roasted or organic or fair-trade coffee. When I got to the place, the whole layout had changed. Instead of the bags I am used to there were boxes of single serve plastic pods. After a careful search, I found that the coffee I wanted was crowded into a small space with much less selection. I was appalled by the amount of plastic.

The irony is that this was the same week that the news was full of conversation about banning single use plastic straws. Praise for places that had stopped using them was strong. Hope that Canada would follow this path was expressed. Then I was faced with this evidence that a different single use plastic is becoming extremely popular.

I confess that those single serve machines do make a good cup of coffee. But they generate a huge amount of plastic waste.

There are alternatives even with the single serve machines. Some people use a refillable container and compost the coffee grounds.

I realize that the manufacturers of these coffee pods have made them recyclable, at least in some jurisdictions. Some people make the effort to peel off the lid, scoop out the coffee grounds, and toss the plastic into the recycling. But in public places where these machines offer coffee and tea, the garbage fills up with plastic.

These pods are becoming popular just when we have cut way back on the use of plastic bags. In grocery stores in particular people bring in their reusable bags. Sometimes the cashier reaches for a thin plastic bag for the meat, and I try to catch them before they do, promising that the bag that carries home the meat will get thrown in the wash.

That day that I stood looking at the shelf full of coffee stored in plastic, I wondered if I could take a vow to avoid single use plastic completely, at least for a period of time.

Then, I realized that the plants I was going to buy would come in disposable plastic. Most of them would be in super thin plastic that is definitely not recyclable. I will look for the recycling mark on others, but somehow I doubt there will be many. Once, I tried to offer to take back pots to a small grower for reuse, but the process of sterilizing them meant the grower did not want them.

Back in the grocery store, I work at reducing plastic use. I pile the peppers I want together rather than putting them in a bag. Next time I buy apples, I will walk past the bagged ones and do the same. Mushrooms will go in a paper bag. I will have to remember to go to the butcher counter or to a local independent butcher who will wrap the meat in paper, instead of buying the pre-packaged, wrapped in plastic meat.

There is a lot of single use plastic in my life. I don't think I could keep a vow to avoid it altogether. But I am watching where it appears, looking for alternatives when I can. As well as grocery bags, I keep some bags for other kinds of shopping and have gotten better at taking them with me. It just takes practice.

Again, many are working at reducing plastic. A restaurant gave us a compostable container to take home our leftovers. There are plastic cups made from corn, again compostable. More plastic could be made from organic materials so that it can become earth again instead of a menace.

We are better at recycling than we used to be. But I am aware that it takes a lot of energy. It's better than just throwing the plastic out, but single use items are a waste. And again, there are alternatives. We've gotten a lot better at carrying reusable water bottles, for example.

I hope single use straws do get outlawed. Recently, I was in a place where they offered pasta straws. People are imagining straws that we can carry with us. And really, how many drinks are actually better taken through a straw?

And I hope that the talk about straws will make us more aware of the need to address the hazardous plastics that are taking over.

Cathy Hird lives near Walters Falls.