Cause:

The gas station near our house just reopened after renovation and is offering free coffee to lure in customers.

Effect:

Coffee cups discarded everywhere. I saw these all on our short walk this morning. Too bad they didn’t think about what people might do with the cups after enjoying the free coffee.

This is just one small problem that reflects a much larger question that we, as a society, have not yet addressed with any seriousness: What responsibility do companies have for their products after they’re sold?

Should Duracell offer free battery recycling, or Goodyear free tire recycling? What about all our clothes? Who should be responsible for disposal of the old garments: the consumer? The manufacturer, who has made fast fashion a fad, adding to the castoff clothing? Should oil companies help offset the carbon produced by use of their product? Should that gas station provide cleanup for the neighbourhood when their cups end up scattered everywhere?

It’s a sticky wicket, no question. We all want the free coffee, but we don’t want to take care of the empty cups.