The internet is going bananas over wasteful plastic packaging.
A Redditor recently raced to r/AntiConsumption to share a photo of their recent purchase from a grocery store in Quebec: a single banana wrapped in plastic and styrofoam packaging.
This over-packaged fruit, labeled ironically with the words "Together against waste!" perfectly represents the absurdities of modern consumer culture.
"I have paid for a bunch of bananas that cost less," the Redditor wrote in a follow-up comment. "If someone can explain to me the actual purpose of this, I'm all ears!"
Overpackaging fruit in single-use plastic that will outlive us all is certainly wasteful. But rather than shame, the solution lies in collectively advocating for corporate responsibility.
Supermarkets respond to public pressure and shopper values. We can vote with our wallets to support stores that avoid plastic wrap without good reason.
And while we push for top-down change, our daily habits make a difference, too. Small swaps — such as bringing reusable produce bags to the grocery store and saying no to plastic bottled drinks — shift demand away from wasteful models. Through many drops of water, the mighty ocean is filled.
If you'd like to change how you buy and use plastic, consult our step-by-step guide and start reducing your carbon footprint. Also, support businesses that are committed to plastic-free packaging.
Commenters expressed frustration at the absurd packaging.
"I live in Quebec and I usually see products packaged like this with similar labeling," one wrote. "They're the produce that's about to go bad so they're packaged separately from the rest of the produce with a discounted price to sell the food before it spoils."
Another simply labeled the action "corporate gouging."
Rather than attack the individual store, we can channel this energy into anti-waste activism. Vote with your wallet, advocate with corporations directly, and model the habit changes you want to see.
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