Each year, when springtime rolls around, Tim Horton’s does their “Roll Up The Rim to Win” campaign. People who wouldn’t normally shop at Tim Horton’s suddenly become fans of their coffee. People who go regularly suddenly have the need to drink twice as much coffee. I know this because I work beside a Tim Horton’s and have witnessed the behaviour of the people in the parking lot and of my coworkers (and myself… until last Wednesday when I gave up coffee for Lent).

I’m all for free stuff, I’m part Dutch with a little bit of Scottish after all, but something about this whole campaign sits a little wrongly with me. I think it started with the big signs in each store encouraging us to bring in our travel mugs to save the environment. Then it was witnessing an individual do just that but then receive the empty Roll up the Rim cup on the side so that they would still have a chance a the prize.

Nice mixed messages on environmentalism: consume many more disposable cups daily than usual while encourage people to bring their mugs in only to waste a cup on them anyway. It would be nice if Tim Horton’s could figure out a better way to encourage waste reduction during their prize season. It isn’t like their bottom line is hurting during this campaign.