Plastic has gotten a lot of attention for the incredible amount of environmentally damaging waste generated by its production and disposal, but one Costco shopper spotted another type of item that sparked an interesting discussion and may cause the savviest of shoppers to do a double-take.
What happened?
In the r/Anticonsumption subreddit, the shopper shared images of a disposable "eco-barbecue" marketed by Costco as being intended for one use.
"Nothing says good for the planet like using charcoal cardboard grills once!" the OP wrote of the CasusGrill product.
Many other Redditors seemed to be similarly baffled by the marketing.
"Wow. That's a real example of greenwashing. Call something 'eco', put a circle on it that looks like a seal of approval, and I reckon many will buy it!" one person said, though someone else chimed in to say they still thought it was a better option than other disposable grills that aren't mostly biodegradable and end up in the trash.
"I'm actually disappointed in Costco for carrying it," another Redditor shared.
Why is the disposable grill concerning?
Even though the grill creates less planet-warming pollution because it needs less charcoal to operate, according to the manufacturer's website, some Redditors pointed out that there was still a negative environmental impact because creating the grill unnecessarily used resources and took energy to produce.
Wealthier nations, in particular, are consuming things at a faster rate. According to UNICEF, five Earths would be needed to keep up with demand if everyone used resources at the rate of Luxembourg, the United States, and Canada.
This has led to a less healthy planet.
"Not only are the majority of rich countries failing to provide healthy environments for children within their borders, they are also contributing to the destruction of children's environments in other parts of the world," said Gunilla Olsson, director of UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti.
Why was this grill developed?
The founders of CasusGrill, a Danish company, explain on their website that they were motivated to develop the product after encountering large amounts of litter from single-use grills when camping in the French mountains.
Their grill consists of bamboo — which grows quickly and soaks up carbon dioxide — lava stones, cardboard, and briquette. While the stones aren't biodegradable like the other materials, they can be recycled or returned to nature.
As for Costco, the company did not respond to The Cool Down's email request for comment.
However, the company does state that its sustainability goals include plans to "responsibly source goods" and efforts toward "regenerative and deforestation-free agriculture, sustainable livestock, energy-efficient items, [and] sustainable packaging," among other things, so stocking the CasusGrill may be in line with those aims.
What can I do to prevent excessive waste?
Learning how to identify greenwashing can help you make smart decisions about which brands to support and which practices to incorporate into your daily life, and there are many paths to take.
One commenter on the OP's post had a positive impression of the grill, writing, "This feels like a step in the right direction even if it's not perfect — it doesn't need us to mine for metals for example."
"What's wrong with an aluminum pan?" another Redditor asked in the comments of the OP's post, referring to the lightweight material frequently used in camping cookware. As detailed by the Aluminum Association, aluminum is "infinitely recyclable."
The discussion also highlights the importance of interacting with nature in a respectful way in order to minimize our impact on the creatures that share the planet with us.
Ensuring trash is properly disposed of and staying on marked paths when applicable are part of the equation, while others might choose to forgo hot meals when camping to eliminate the need for single-use products in the first place.
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