What's an item that you remember used to be reusable, but is not anymore?
I was gifted this mug by a friend who found it on the side of the road. I haven't eaten McDonald's in at least 15 years, but I was immediately brought back to childhood when I would go there for breakfast. I remember getting flapjacks in their styrofoam container and if I was with my grandmother or great aunt, they'd get tea in one of these coffee mugs.
Over the years, McDonald's saw the waste in styrofoam and changed their food containers. But at the same time, they got rid of reusable coffee mugs in their locations. Waste goes down, but then goes back up. For me, the coffee mug doesn't just represent a vessel for a beverage. It's a sense of comfort and relaxation, especially when eating at an establishment. Taking that away just makes our experiences more fleeting and unmemorable.
McDonald's certainly isn't the only company guilty of this. So, I'd love to hear about items that you remember being reusable and memorable, but have since gone away. We need to look backwards with our waste problem, so we can march forward.
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