The reusable beer jug that is part of the new system with recyclable drinking cups in Eindhoven is a good find according to some carnival goers. Passing rounds has never been so easy and it would even make carnival more social.
A recognisable carnival dilemma. You are at the bar to get beer, but you must do a quick count: how big is the group you are currently part of? During carnival, groups sometimes change composition very quickly. But this is still a delicate matter. You don’t want to bring too many beers but certainly not too few, to prevent awkward situations.
More social
According to Willem, who has been celebrating carnival in Eindhoven for about sixty years, the reusable beer jug puts an end to that dilemma in a very sympathetic way. “That beer jug, in combination with the reusable glasses, makes it much easier to give rounds. You have it filled at the bar and everyone in your group pours a drink. That is much more social than saying ‘no’ to someone you have overlooked.”
The rounds are bigger than in the old system with regular beer glasses without deposit and no one is left out anymore. More carnival goers experience that. An Eindhoven resident who wants to remain anonymous is happy with the system. She agrees that giving rounds becomes easy and receiving rounds too. “You stand there with your glass, and they keep refilling it. You even get beer from complete strangers. I think it’s ideal.”
Unintended effect
There is a nice unintended effect of the new system: all cafes using the same beer jug and glasses means that you can take your round to the next cafe, if necessary. According to carnival goers, the main goal has also been achieved: the carpet of trampled plastic glasses on the floor has disappeared and there is much less waste must be cleaned up.
What does the municipality of Eindhoven itself think of the new system, now that carnival is behind us? We will come back to that in another article soon.
Source: www.studio040.nl
Translated by Yawar Abbas
