Bison Bud

I have enjoyed Yoplait yogurt for years now, but just recently noticed a warning printed on the cups that states: "Crush cups to protect wildlife". I believe this is due to the upside-down or reverse taper of the cups they use and that small animals or birds can easily get their head stuck in these cups after they are disposed of. Geese, what a horrible death they must suffer without some sort of intervention! Anyway, I have now written several e-mails to Yoplait/General Mills about this warning and suggested that they consider changing their packaging to eliminate this danger to wildlife. I also mentioned that perhaps that they could consider not using plastic. Frankly, their responses have been rather frustrating at best. The first two responses can only be described as generic/automatic responses that even mailed out a coupon for a free cup of yogurt that I will probably never use. The third actually addressed the plastic issue by stating that their cups are recyclable and that we should take care of that locally. However, even after additional e-mails, they refuse to even acknowledge the warning statement and any possible danger to small wildlife. They are obviously aware of the danger or they wouldn't print the warning and it would appear that they are far more interested in covering their backsides legally then any real danger to wildlife. Because of this warning and their response to my inquiries about it, I will not be purchasing any more Yopliat yogurt and will also be looking for other alternatives to other General Mills products I may need in the future.

Frankly, I'll probably get flamed for posting this, but for those that might agree with me that printing a warning is not enough and that their packaging should be changed to prevent this danger to wildlife entirely, I'd like to ask that you contact Yoplait/General Mills via the "Contact Us" tab on the Yoplait website. Maybe if enough of us complain they might get the message! Thanks to all that choose to help, otherwise flame away if you must.

Blair Shaw Jr Loc: Dunnellon,Florida

Looks like you hit a nerve...... good job. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

PS: I never liked Yogurt anyway ....hahaha

Wingpilot Loc: Wasilla. Ak

Seems to me the best procedure is simply to throw away the container in a trash can so wildlife can’t get to it.

rlv567 Loc: Baguio City, Philippines

I used Yoplait from the very beginning of its availability in the US, as it was by far the best available yogurt. Other product gradually caught up, though, and because of price, I have not purchased it in some time.

However, I would not take issue with the warning in the way in which you have. The problem obviously would be caused specifically by those users who are litterers, and randomly throw their trash wherever they happen to be, with no compunction as regarding cleanliness, the affected wildlife or anything else. Certainly, I understand the problems inherent in attempting to effect a change in the habits of slobs, but accommodating to those at their level is not the answer!!!

Loren - in Beautiful Baguio City

Shellback Loc: North of Cheyenne Bottoms Wetlands - Kansas

Agree with Blair - yes, good job. My opinion, they won't make production changes unless it can improve their bottom line...
My DW makes her own yogurt in the insta-pot - it is a lot milder than the production stuff and she can add whatever she wants to it
ps: I don't eat yogurt but the rest of the family does (DW and cat)

aweisbach Loc: Omaha Nebraska

I'm not taking sides here, and I have not seen the label (I don't eat yogart), so I don't know if it in fact is causing people to actually crush the container. If not, even if people are tossing the containers in appropriate trash/recycle bins, unfortunately, many of them will end up in landfill, so they do end up being a wildlife hazzard.

mikenolan Loc: Lincoln Nebraska

The danger to animals could also be fixed with a few scissors cuts before you discard/recycle the container. Just because you recycle it, that doesn't mean it can't end up in a landfill.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Actually no animal will get to a yogurt cup unless some slob throws it down on the ground.
All of mine go into the recycle bin, which has a lid we keep closed. Now after the trash people pick it up with their truck is a different thing.

And Yopait is not the only brand with that style of cup. I have never heard of a head getting stuck in one. The warning was probably put on by some lawyer straining to find something (s)he could do to justify their job.
Like the brand of chain saw that used to have a label: "Do not attempt to stop moving chain with your hand or hold the chainsaw against your groin." Sort of makes you wonder if anyone was stupid enough to do either or was a lawyer just imagining things that could happen.

Oh! Are you sorta saying that you can't do anything to protect the animals yourself? You can: crush the cup, put it in a lidded bin, run it through your trash compactor(if you have one) or one of those machines that shreds recyclable plastics and paper.

I have never seen or heard of any animal that got its head stuck. Have you?

Earnest Botello Loc: Hockley, Texas

I tasted yogurt once in the early 60s before they started adding flavors to it, I didn't like it and have not tried it since.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

The best Yogurt is that which you make yourself. The commercial versions, unless labeled PLAIN, are loaded with sugars and stabilizers and other crap. Add your own organic granola or fresh fruit, and nuts like walnuts or pecans.

Yogurt is easy to make. Heat a quart of milk until it just barely boils. Remove immediately from heat and cool to 115°F. Transfer to a sterile glass container. Add an ounce of plain yogurt as starter. Keep the mixture at 115°F for 12 hours. Refrigerate. If you want Greek style yogurt, strain regular yogurt through a few layers of cheesecloth.

Yogurt is basically fermented milk and bacterial waste. It contains the GOOD bacteria that we need in our guts to digest food and provide healthy immune responses. It is probably the healthiest milk product, and one of the few many adults can tolerate without popping lots of lactase tablets. But it's not healthy if it is full of sugar and artificial flavors and stabilizers.

srg

They could switch the opening to the wide end. Minimum change in production line.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Sadly, not a lot of plastic gets recycled. It gets processed into bales, then shipped off to who knows where, possibly to be dumped into the middle of the ocean on the way. Anyone who cleans shorelines regularly knows that there is a serious problem. China doesn't want to recycle our waste any more. Most plastics take thousands of years to break down, so if buried, the byproducts will slowly leach into water supplies and the food chain.

I buy products in paper, glass, and aluminum when I can. They're truly recyclable and the containers are sometimes reusable.

I'll reuse plastic containers with lids (like prescription bottles) for sorting spare parts in my tool shed or garage. They're better than baby food jars were, because they don't break when you drop them.

Bison Bud

I guess my point here is that if they know there is a problem, then why not fix it rather than just print such a "CYA" statement on the cups. For those that don't believe that critters do get their heads stuck in these cups, a simple search on U-Tube for "animal with head stuck in yoplait cup" will reveal numerous such incidents recorded of squirrels, skunks, etc. This also proves that folks aren't really reading the printed warning and crushing the cups. How they are disposed of is really a moot point, as this does and is happening out there and will continue until they stop using these upside-down, reverse tapered cups with the smaller opening. There is no real reason for the use of these cups that I am aware of other than just being different. Explain to me why a environmentally responsible company, which they have claimed to be in their previous response to me, would not prefer to address the actual problem rather than just print such an ineffective warning? The simple answer is money and the fact that money is all that seems to matter is what has my tackle feathers raised. Think about it, can using a normal cup really cost that much?

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Well actually animals can get their heads stuck in all kinds of things, cans, bottles, jars, small boxes, big boxes, buckets and trash cans, holes in a fence, holes in a tree, cracks in a large rock etc. etc. - just too many things to list.

There is no such thing as a 100% safe world for animals or humans. So the question is, how far are you willing or want to go to reduce risks.
One woman was even hit by a fragment of a meteorite, and lived. But I am not going to start living underground to avoid them.

Just eat the yogurt if that is the brand whose flavor you like and dispose of them so no animal or human will be in danger. You can't control the entire world and its people

Jimmy T Loc: Virginia

I guess we have to start somewhere . . . .

"Which states import the most trash?
Similarly unsurprising is Pennsylvania's status as the nation's largest importer. In 2000, the Keystone State disposed of 12.2 million tons of out-of-state waste. Virginia imported 3.9 million tons, with Michigan following closely behind with 2.8 million tons."
https://www.google.com/search?q=states+importing+trash&oq=states+importing+trash&aqs=chrome..69i57.20080j1j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

This does NOT make me . . . .
Smile,
JimmyT Sends