Have you recently been caught with your cup not matching your outfit? Two years ago, no one would’ve thought of this as an issue. Accessories used to be jewelry or purses, but recently, cups have become the new big thing. More specifically, Stanley cups.

Stanley cups are a trendy water bottle that have skyrocketed in popularity over the past year. The fad itself seems pretty harmless. After all, how bad can a brand selling reusable water bottles be? In reality, however, the new Stanley cup trend reveals the ugly problem of overconsumption in today’s society.

Viral videos of people waiting in lines to buy the new Stanley Valentine collection show just how popular the cups have become. Clips show fans of the cup fighting each other to get the last few red and pink tumblers on the shelves. The craze isn’t just limited to TikTok, however. Stanley cups have become the new favorite among our school’s students.

Part of the reason people love Stanley’s so much is because of their convenience. The cups fit in car cup holders, unlike a majority of their competitors. They also claim the large size of the cups helps them stay more hydrated. In theory, the Stanley craze should be better than everyone walking around with plastic water bottles, as the whole point of reusable cups is to cut down on the amount of waste that plastic water bottles generate. However, while Stanley cups are certainly better than single-use plastics, they come with their own set of issues.

One concern is that Stanleys could end up in landfills in a few years as another out-of-date trend. Some reusable brands like Hydro Flask avoid this by providing recycling or trade-in programs, something that Stanley does not offer yet.

Part of the reason why this is such a big problem is because of the sheer volume of Stanley cups being bought. New “limited edition” cups drop almost every month with holiday themes or new color variations. This marketing strategy makes people feel pressured to buy as many cups as possible before they’re gone. Younger generations are increasingly being fed media that compels them to buy as much stuff as possible. While older generations are often given credit for the consequences of climate change, some of the blame lies in these tactics of companies today.

While it may seem insignificant, this pattern of buying products solely because they are trendy or because an influencer told you it was a “must buy” has serious consequences. In a world where climate change is such a pressing issue, we can’t afford to continue these consumer habits.

This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t ever buy a Stanley cup. Just be conscious of how you’re using your purchase. Instead of contributing to the culture of overconsumption, try buying secondhand or donating your purchases.