On a typical morning in my college home, at the latest possible second, my alarm rudely returns me to reality. Stumbling down the steps, I make my way across the cold, creaky floorboards and into the kitchen. I sluggishly replace the K-Cup and stare as the Keurig brews a fresh mug of Green Mountain goodness. The aroma lifts the haze, and the first sip prepares me for the day.

And yet I feel guilty. With each K-Cup, I’m adding another single-use plastic to the world. My fridge is full of them. They contain my toothpaste and are in packages delivered to my home. And I have tried to end this toxic relationship. I re-use Ziplocs, skip straws and bring my own bags to the grocery store.

Although Keurig has committed to recyclable cups by 2020, not all materials put in recycling bins are actually reused. And plastics that are not reused can end up in oceans. According to current estimates, by 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean by weight than fish. Plastics, including those that break down into tiny particles, can harm or even kill marine life and can eventually be ingested by humans.

I don’t know how to feel about using a product that even its inventor refuses to touch. And I often find myself frustrated when consumer goods are incased in plastic. Should I stop buying strawberries because of their container? What about shampoo? Would my personal boycott help the environment? Or would it be in vain?

The mantra of personal responsibility says that if I use less and recycle more, I can help save the environment. But, according to Massimiliano Delferro, researcher at the Institute for Cooperative Upcycling of Plastics, even the perfect recycler will end up sending their waste to a landfill. “Only 9% of your blue bin will be back in the market, all the rest goes to the landfill. Even if 100% of the blue bin could be recycled,” Delferro said. So, should I feel K-Cup culpability?

Megan Kashner, director of social impact at the Kellogg School of Management, said that while individuals are responsible for their consumption, companies are also responsible for the items they market and produce. “You've used a Keurig because it was invented and promoted, and it has incredible ease of use. So, if Keurig had chosen different approach to ease of use that did not rely on single-use plastic, then you would not be using single-use plastic,” Kashner said.

The burden of sustainability may not be on individuals or companies at all, but instead may fall on the shoulders of government. According to Malcolm Preston, Kellogg School of Management adjunct professor and former partner in sustainability and climate change at PricewaterhouseCoopers, regulation has the power to quickly motivate companies. Preston also said that the threat of regulation or opportunity for subsidies can offer a financial incentive to become more sustainable.

I often find myself feeling overwhelmed when thinking about the magnitude of the sustainability issue. Its reach spans from international relations to individual choice, and my actions seem trivial against the backdrop of global practices. However, there is still room for hope.

Martin Block, integrated marketing communications professor at Northwestern University, said that companies recognize they will bear the brunt of the blame when consumers finally see effects of unsustainable living. “From the creator’s point of view, if it [sustainability] can be solved, it can be turned into a marketing asset,” Block said.

None of these solutions, however, remedy my immediate Keurig conundrum. Whether it be a K-Cup, toothpaste tube or strawberry container I am not going to successfully cut all single-use plastics out of my life. For the moment, I’ve decided to channel my guilt toward educating myself on responsible recycling practices, voting for green candidates and talking to my friends about doing the same.

“In terms of our consumption, should we be personally responsible? Yes,” Kashner said. “Take the question of the working, learning and living environment that our kids and following generations of kids in all countries are going to inherit. We have to take that into account when we vote, we have to take that into account when we invest and we have to take that into account when we choose whose product to buy.”