In what you might call “late capitalism”, the natural trend towards rampant consumerism and environmental destruction is amply demonstrated by the not-so-humble tea-bag.
Once, there was a spoonful of tea leaves; you dropped it in the pot, poured the result through a strainer, and voila…
Next came a refinement – you had a metal strainer, either dangling in the pot or cup, or integral to it, and when the tea was brewed you pulled that out, washed it, and use it again and again and …
But you had to wash up the strainer, and some found that a pain, so along came the teabag – made of paper, but at least rotting down in the compost with its contents. Some waste, but …
Nothing like the latest development, the nylon teabag. This story doesn’t give its period of breakdown in landfill, or explore the chemicals that might be released when it is burnt, but I’m sure they are 1. “a very, very long time”, and 2. “nasty”.
But, heh, you can charge a premium…
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