Stanley cups have become virtually ubiquitous. These trendy reusable bottles are a "cool girl" accessory, but they may also be one of the most pervasive symbols of overconsumption.
One TikToker responded to a "get ready with me"-style clip of a Stanley, saying, "This video just stopped me in my tracks."
@oliviastoberstudios girl is setting out on a long and arduous journey 🙏🙏🙏 #overconsumption #consumerism #stanleytumbler #walking ♬ original sound - Olivia
The video is displayed behind creator Olivia's (@oliviastoberstudios) talking head. The original TikTok shows a woman packing her Stanley for a walk. She adds a ring holder, a lip gloss holder, keys, a small backpack for the cup, which she fills with even more stuff, and she tops the whole thing off with a fan. With so many items on the cup, there is virtually no space to hold it.
"How is she even going to carry this?" remarks Olivia.
If you search TikTok for "pack my Stanley," you will see tons of videos with hundreds of thousands of likes. You will also find thousands of cheap items on Amazon by looking for "Stanley accessories."
What started as a way to avoid single-use plastic has turned into an item plagued by trend cycles and waste. Some influencers even toss their old bottles when new colors are released.
NBC News wrote about the Stanley craze: "On its face, the Stanley tumbler does make good on its environmental promise. The cups are known for their durability … But the cups have also become symbols of overconsumption, products whose green benefits no longer outweigh their environmental footprint."
Avoiding single-use plastic bottles keeps these items out of landfills and microplastics out of our oceans. There is, however, a caveat to reusable items — they need to be reused.
The MIT Office of Sustainability found, "If you used a reusable water bottle every working day for a month you would reduce its environmental impact per serving to a level that's below disposable bottles." Using a reusable bottle at least 20 times is an attainable goal.
The average American spends more than $200 a year on disposable water bottles. If you want to save money and make an eco-friendly choice, just one reusable bottle will do.
Folks in the comments were irritated with this overconsumption.
One person said, "Just bring a bag at that point."
Someone else commented, "Yet to meet a Stanley gal who is not an overconsumer."
"Carrying that would give me carpal tunnel," wrote another TikToker.
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