One woman's criticism of a TikToker's stash of Stanley cups sparked a heated discussion among commenters and shed light on a concerning trend.
TikTok user Author Rae Douglas (@seeraewrite) shared a clip of a TikToker with a collection of 16 Stanley cups neatly organized by color tucked away in a drawer.
@seeraewrite #stitch with @saltbysabrina this is truly wild, i desperately hope no one feels pressured to keep up with this level of consumerism #deinfluencing #consumerism #overconsumption #overconsumerism ♬ original sound - Author Rae Douglas
"When I heard people talk about overconsumerism on this app … this is what they're talking about," she said.
"This level of consumerism is not natural and not sustainable for the vast majority of people," reads text superimposed on the video.
"This is truly wild, I desperately hope no one feels pressured to keep up with this level of consumerism," Rae said in the caption.
Normally, buying a reusable water bottle is a positive thing since it can replace hundreds of disposable ones and save consumers $1,300 a year. Investing in an insulated water bottle also keeps unrecycled plastic out of landfills.
According to the Container Recycling Institute, over 60 million plastic water bottles are thrown away yearly just in the U.S. Sadly, most of these — including those placed in the recycling bin — end up in waterways, roadsides, or landfills.
If enough people bought reusable ones, it could make a considerable dent in plastic waste.
However, these environmental and money-saving benefits are lost when reusable bottles become a status symbol or collectible item, as Stanley cups have for some people. One TikToker even had dozens of them in almost every color displayed on their wall.
While there's nothing wrong with treating yourself to something, as Rae mentioned, it's always a good idea to consider how your purchases might impact the environment — and your wallet — in the long run.
Thankfully, many people are starting to voice their concerns about overconsumption, which will hopefully encourage others to rethink their shopping habits.
If you have extra water bottles or anything else you want to get rid of, many companies will offer store credit or cash for unwanted items. Donating, selling, or upcycling stuff you no longer need are also great options.
"Overconsumerism is like a nice way to say organized hoarders," one person joked in the comments.
"Not to mention it completely defeats the purpose of buying a reusable cup," another said, adding a facepalming emoji.
"That's like $700 worth of the same cup over and over," another commented.
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