Ping!

Bouncing off the side, the Pringles can gracefully arched into the bin. The crowd erupted into cheers, signaling the first goal of the day. Congratulatory pats showered down my back as I basked in my moment of glory. It was a great 1+1 deal – I got to score and also did my good deed of the day by throwing the can into the recycling bin.

When it came to snacks, Pringles were hands-down my No. 1 choice. Not only did they serve as a form of entertainment to bored fifth graders during recess, they came in a convenient can that ensured portability as well as protection for the delicious crisps. The smile on the front always aroused good memories of sharing Pringles at sleepovers with my friends. So, imagine my surprise when my mom suddenly cut off my daily supply of Pringles. And her reason? Because they were bad for the environment! “But, Mom! Anyone can tell the can is made out of paper!” But she was insistent. No. More. Pringles.

I was crushed. Desperate to prove my mom wrong, I began to research fervently — if I could disprove her,
she could not stop me from eating my Pringles, right? But little did I know, I was the one who was oblivious to the dark truth. Titles such as “Pringles Tube Tries to Wake from ‘Recycling Nightmare,’” and “Why Pringles’ ‘Idiotic’ Packaging is a Recycling Nightmare” flashed before my eyes. Through my research, I found out that the Pringles cans were impossible to recycle due to the variety of different materials used in the packaging. Because recycling machines cannot separate the plastic caps from the foil-coated cardboard sleeves, they end up in the landfill. After learning the truth, I could not help but feel betrayed by the smile on the can.

I was numb from the harsh truth – I had been oblivious to the fact that the hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Pringles cans I had consumed, each a shade of cheery red or zesty green, with the same smile plastered on the front, were piled up in a landfill somewhere. From then on, the only thing I could see was the face on the Pringles cans. I could feel Mr. P’s gaze on the back of my head in the grocery store, at school, and on the streets. The once-friendly, but now eerie smile was a constant reminder of the horrible deed I had done.

In an attempt to spread the truth, I began to nag my friends to stop eating Pringles, but like my previously naïve self, they were more interested in satisfying their cravings. But I was determined to convince my friends of the dangers of the cans they held in their hands. After hours of research, I gave a passionate presentation during class, where I showed my classmates the photos of plastic lids floating in the ocean. And, to my relief, my sincerity and plea for action got across.

My now-informed peers began to change; many started to choose more eco-friendly alternatives. And, the change quickly spread beyond my fifth grade classroom. Inspired by my presentation, some of my friends approached the nutritionist and asked her to stop giving out Pringles as snacks each week. After hearing from my classmates about the environmental damage, the nutritionist immediately agreed to drop Pringles. Instead, bananas quickly became a popular choice for both the taste and nutrition. And, bananas also come in portable cases that are even biodegradable — an excellent 1+1 deal.

Through my voice, I had unwittingly thrown a rock that created ripples within my community. Although I had started with the simple goal of convincing my classmates, I ended up changing a part of our school community forever. As a result, all the students stopped consuming their weekly share of Pringles, which meant 972 fewer cans per week, 3,888 fewer cans per month, and 34,992 fewer cans per school year that were dumped in landfills. No longer fooled, I can now smile back in defiance at the Pringles can.