Stomped out

Dear Betty Crocker,

I am a big fan of your Warm Delights microwaveable treats. They are the perfect antidote to fourteen hours of three little boys running amok. What more could I ask from a tiny bag of dessert mix that only requires a tablespoon of water and a few stirs? Forty-five seconds in the microwave and voila! The sheer artificiality soothes my tattered soul.

There are a few hurdles to jump over. First I must remove the outermost cardboard box that has the nummy picture of gooey goodness. Then I have to tear off the shrink wrap that surrounds the plastic bowl you so kindly provide. You know, the one that will survive not just the radioactivity of my microwave but that of an entire nuclear holocaust? Recycler's guilt starts to trickle in but I push it away.

Then I tear open more plastic to get to the mix itself. After adding water and nuking the morass, I have to cut open yet another package. You know, the one with some kind of metal in the lining? After squeezing the chocolate syrup onto my treat, I survey my counter. I am dismayed to find an enormous pile of trash for one tiny dessert. My gustatory pleasure is STOMPED out by the giant carbon footprint your treat has left behind.

Please, Betty, find me a way to enjoy your dessert without destroying our little planet!