Cuppa

I love my morning coffee and recently got one of the small one or two cup coffee makers. They are made for use with tiny packets of coffee that fit into a slot. Cold water is poured in and a button pressed, and the machine makes all sorts of lovely noises until coffee pours into your cup or mug. I used to have a large coffee maker, but it made far too much coffee for one person. I gave it away and opted for the "modern" machine that now adorns my counter top. What I found out is, that besides the expense of the coffee that comes in its own tiny container, the container itself must be discarded into landfill. These small cups, add enormously to the pile of non-biodegradable garbage that is fast filling our world. Reading the stats on how many of the convenient coffee packets are discarded daily, was shocking. And not excusable. When I read the instructions on the machine, something that most of us don't do unless an emergency arises, I found that the bit that holds the small coffee containers, has another layer under it which will hold and filter ground coffee. The left-over grounds are easily put into compost bins. I saw that I could still use my nice little helper machine, but that I had the option of making coffee from my own grind.  For considerably less than the amount of money to buy a month's supply of the small packaged coffee conveniences, I could purchase my favorite dark coffee in the bean state, and grind my own. I enjoy dark coffee and I was finding the packets made less than palatable coffee. One could make only one cup before the coffee turned to water. The recommendations said not to run a second watering through the packets. It was true, unless you wanted coffeeless hot water or add another packet. When I used up the last of the convenience packets, I bought myself some wonderful beans and a grinder and for the first time in a long time, did the morning crossword puzzle to the aroma of rich dark brew and the pungent taste of "real" coffee from fresh ground beans. Mmmm. Lacing my new morning delight with a dollop of sweet cream, I savored my "own" coffee. It made me think of other ways to sidestep packaging or cardboard convenience foods sold in containers that we really do not need. Meat can be purchased in large amounts and rewrapped  using much less freezer plastic. Many food items can be bulk purchased and put into recycled washable containers that can be used over and over again.  Homemade bread is so easy to make, it is ridiculous. And it's much less expensive and fun creating your own special additions. Toppings of oats or other cereals can be "invented" by the kids. Morning muffins are easy and can be stuffed with all sorts of interesting things: orange slices, bacon and cheese, berries. Let the kids invent their own Surprise Muffins. I hear someone saying, but it takes time. Sure it does but the time isn't that much more than fighting with wrappings and then having to store and recycle them. Maybe a family meeting to let the kids come up with ideas would help and certainly, their participation if not weekdays, weekends. Perhaps a Sunday breakfast using some of these sorts of principles and done by the family all working together would be fun. This kind of project sets examples. Now is the time to teach the young and the time we take to do it, is important. We want our tomorrows to make a better world for those who follow.