This is a story about my spoon, the horrible waste on earth, and about what we need in life.
Eight years ago I got this spoon at a Yogurtland outlet in USA. It was for a small froyo, for $3.25. It came with a paper cup, and a plastic spoon. There are mochi balls, bursting bubbles, green tea foyo, vanilla froyo...!
If you are not familiar, it is a chain selling self serve frozon yogurt (froyo). It has a bunch of flavors to choose from, and a bunch of toppings to add on top.
You pay at the end by weight. You just put you cup on the scale, and pay.
It is famous for
people sneakily filling up sample cups then leaving
people eating the froyo then refilling up before paying
people adding absurd amounts of froyo and toppings
Back to my spoon....
Typically, someone would buy the froyo, eat it, and throw out the cup and spoon. At 500 people per week across 300 locations over the 15 years un business, this would be almost 8 million spoons. Yogurtland is one of many just in the froyo market.
I actually bought the froyo for the spoon, so I could buy things at supermarkets and eaet them.
My spoon has lasted me 8 years and going strong.
It is in my essential items kit that goes with me everywhere, along with my toothbrush, toothpaste, passport, and small emergency medical items.
I can take it anywhere, fits in my jacket pocket, stays with me in airplanes since it is plastic.
It is critical to my life and my health. When travelling, even with no place to stay, or in unsantiary places, it allows me to eat safely. It allows me to buy yogurt and eat it from a store. I can eat noodles on a roadside stall and not have to use cutlery that may be unsanitary. I can buy trailmix or nuts, and eat without using my hands.
It is absurd to think millions of these are thrown out every year, only to fill up oceans and landfills with plastics that never degrade.
It is sad things so useful are casually discarded.
It is sad to think the enourmous unneccessary waste I have used in the past. I have probably used thousands spoons just myself. I have purchased so many cutlery sets over so many years. It seemed normal.
I realize I just need one throw away spoon for the rest of my life to have what I need. In fact everything I need to live my life perfectly fits in my jacket pockets.
Hey! Thank you so much for upvoting my article with $10. I didn't expect it. I guess you are interested to marry a Filipino one day? Hahahah that's what I think or maybe you are a very very generous person here.
I want to read more of your articles @ewyr so I landed in this ode of Yogurtland article.