another rant

So a couple of days ago, I was at big school, meeting with some of the sustainability folks, and on our way to our next meeting, one of them said "how 'bout we just get a coffee on the way"? and THEN, proceeded to purchase a takeaway coffee in a POLYSTYRENE cup!!!! Which was thoughtlessly discarded into the rubbish bin en route to our next meeting.

I didn't know what to say, or where to look.

I mean, I TRY to not be judgemental, but HONESTLY folks - the uni campus is where this person WORKS - EVERY DAY! They have an office, and a kitchenette, and tea and coffee making facilities. How hard is it to carry your own mug????? Your are meant to be TEACHING about sustainability - not just the theory, but the theory in ACTION. HFS people.

And this person is LOVELY, funny, caring, passionate, committed. but......

There are some basic things we know about ourselves, which with a bit of self awareness, should help us to plan.

Thing we know number 1: we need WATER. REGULARLY. We can safely predict that if we are out and about for the day, we will at some stage need to have a drink. So folks, WHY would anyone buy bottled water? Surely it is just a matter of taking a refillable water bottle or biddon or whatever you want to call it with you? You can refill them whenever you like!

Thing we know number 2: In addition to water, some of us need regular infusions of caffeine, so again folks, why not keep a coffee mug or traveling coffee mug handy??? Why would anyone ever be so SURPRISED by a sudden caffeine yearning that they would need to purchase one in a polystyrene cup? And, I have never found a cafe that refused to wash out my travel mug and refill it.

sheesh.

Sorry folks, I know I am ranting to the converted, but I was so shocked.

Does one polystyrene mug matter?

Anyhoo, those of you who know the duck herder may suspect that this rant was just a cheeky way to introduce you to a new purchase. Please welcome STANLEY.

Three lovely things happened to push me to purchase Stanley the life time granteed thermos.

1) my new job will require much longer treks into western NSW, further than the 1 travel mug filled up again at a cafe half way distance I have previously been able to get away with. Therefore, Stanley, who can keep water hot for 26 hours and cool for 28 will solve the vast distances in time and space between good soyachinos on the Lachlan Valley Way and into the bowels of NSW.

2) Rhonda as usual, never fails to inspire me!

3) At the ZOO last week, Ma and Pa Duck Herder turned up with a picnic lunch, and for the 3rd time in my life, Pa Duck Herder proceeded to impress me with the elegant construction of a lovely cup of tea sans fire in the middle of nowhere.

So, I did my research and discovered that if you are going to buy a thermos, you should by one called Stanley because he will last forever, and apparently, will survive being run over by a bulldozer (The Cougarnaut provided me with this extra bit of information based on river rehab experience). And I reckon that if you are going to buy something new, buy the best quality that you can!

So there you go, rant over. And, now I own a 1.9 litre thermos!

I may need to give that person at uni a coffee mug. A second had one.

I think I might.