One frustrated Redditor just pointed out the hypocrisy of an environmental warning on a Yoplait yogurt cup.
The user, who said they work at a restaurant, posted about the issue in r/Anticonsumption, where members discuss ways to minimize their spending and their impact on the environment. They also have a whole flair for companies with harmful practices and another for plastic waste.
The post included a close-up of a cup of Yoplait Light yogurt, which they said came from the kitchen they worked at. Above the recycling label, the package read, "Crush cups to protect wildlife."
"Stop packaging all your products in plastic," the Redditor responded.
The image of an animal like a raccoon, a squirrel, or even a deer with its head stuck in food packaging is nothing new. The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) pointed out that this is a common event, sharing four stories that appeared in a single month — and those are just the ones that made the news.
According to the NWF, animals often reach into discarded packaging to eat the food residue left inside. But then they can't get out, as the edge of the package gets stuck on their ears or horns. Some animals are helped out of the situation by humans, but others remain unable to see, eat, or drink and will eventually die.
"Yoplait knows that their cups kill animals in this way yet they still refuse to change their packaging under pressure from animal welfare groups," said a commenter. "Once again, a corporation pushing responsibility onto the consumer."
Yoplait's suggestion to crush cups helps up to a point, because it is, indeed, harder for animals to get trapped when cups are disposed of in this way. However, that still leaves the problem of the plastic itself, which is harmful to people and the environment. Even recycling has its drawbacks, and most plastic packaging never gets recycled at all.
One commenter pointed out a simple way to push back against companies that use plastic packaging: "Stop buying."
But the original poster believed the issue was more complicated than that. "I'm all for coordinating consumer behavior in hopes of affecting industry production," they said, "but a far more effective method of reaching that same goal is regulation."
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