Garbage, make that plastic garbage, drives me bonkers. Ask my kids how often I’ve picked up coffee cups, straws and foam containers during my walks or bike rides. Why use valuable resources like water and oil to produce, ship, then throw something away almost immediately? And how about WHERE people are attempting to put IT all like in Singapore where they’ve built an island from incinerated trash? http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/16/science/16landfill.html
Or closer to home, at the Fresh Kills landfill in New York State where they are converting the 53 year old landfill site and touting it as the largest park in NY’s 100 year history. I don’t know about you but I wouldn’t want to hang out in a park called Fresh Kills no matter how you cover pretty it up. Maybe that’s just me.
Why don’t we stop the insanity!
Deep breath, rant over. Onto the brilliant idea.
This burning hatred of plastic garbage and frustration at the excessive production of it is the main reason why I typically avoid McDonald’s. I broke down recently because I’ve always been cheap but now I’m a student. Oh and they have lattes and Internet. Bring on the caffeine and french fries!
So I brought my own cup in (actually I forgot it in the car and had to go back and get it). The server/cashier/happy-McDonalds-person preparing the latte got the order but didn’t notice I had my own drink container. Ouch. Oh well, I had them pour the drink into my cup and they threw the plastic one out. It got me thinking again of an idea I’ve had for a while.
Outside Thunder Bay is Cousins restaurant, who will sell you a pie in a 10inch aluminum tin for which you pay a small deposit. Bring it back the next time and get your next pie in a new tin, leaving the dirty one behind and paying for just the food. (PS. Cousins’ blueberry pie is AMAZING)
McDonald’s could sell Happy Drinks which are actually the container, in a previously used stainless steel container for hot drinks or recycled plastic “bike water bottle” style. The customer pays for the container with a small deposit and voila, less garbage and less new plastic that ends up on the street. If you happen to find one on the street, return it to any McDs and make a couple bucks on the deposit!
Charitable organizations like Value Village, Canadian Diabetes Association, Salvation Army stores, could sell their used mugs and bottles to the chain and issue charitable receipts. Triple bottom line? Hell yes!
Needs space for clean containers and possibly different storage, but the transportation system is already in place to deliver crappy plastic disposable cups, right? Why not deliver it from a washing depot of sorts? Ok, that part I haven’t quite figured out yet but this next element of the idea might make up for it.
Why Don’t We create reusable mugs out of existing McDonald’s garbage? So far, as a species we’ve figured out how to make pens in recycled paper casings and a Google car. Mugs made from garbage should be easy-peasy-Japanesy!
Oh and there’s a jukebox in my idea.
Did I lose you just there? Let me explain.
The new McDonald’s layout include flat screen TVs, the previously mentioned Starbucks-like lineup of caffeinated beverages, high counters with space for laptops, etc.
In addition to creating “collectible-re-usedable” Happy Drinks why don’t we (we meaning “them”) offer customers who bring their own cups in or purchase the new container the chance to change the music. They (meaning “us”) could have a selection of music stations to choose from up there with the menu choices and watch their (meaning my kids) name in lights so-to-speak with their choices.
If you’ve ever waited for your 25c song to play on a jukebox you’ve probably got the gist. Difference here is your name would display publicly and you can embarrass your friends!
You could be sitting in a McDs drinking out of a cup that the company simply ships and cleans, rather than the mine-drill-pump-dewater-pipe-produce-package-ships-trash process while enjoying a CBC Radio selection or Hot 89.9 one. Depending on who’s paying. I know my pick already.
Happy Drinks. Happy for you, the individual. For the triple bottom line. And especially for our kids. They should have more chances to ::try:: to prove that their music is “better” than ours.
So Why Don’t We?
