Let people have their soda and drink it too

In my current locale, there's a noticeable trend of people complaining about soda shops. They're on every corner, causing diabetes, stealing space that could've been used to bring in Trader Joe's, Hobby Lobby, and authentic Chinese restaurants.

Car washes also receive complaints for being on every corner stealing space, as do snack-oriented shops. I really don't think it's that serious though. The reason soda shops, car washes, and snack shops are everywhere is because they're in demand.

With all the outdoor activities and the dirt flying around in our southwestern desertscape, it's not exactly surprising that there's a demand for car washes. And even though there are a bunch of them around town, they're usually busy with long lines when I drive by during the day.

Likewise, with Utah being a such an alcoholically dry state that also discourages coffee, there's an increased demand for non-alcoholic beverages beyond water and coffee, and soda tends to be one of the primary things that fulfills that desire, as illustrated in the above video.

You might not be able to drink cocktails, but you can have a mocktail of various soda flavors.

The complaint about how unhealthy soda can be is warranted, as is the complaint that increasing the number of car washes contributes to our growing drought issues, but the solution to that is simple: Don't buy it and don't interact with posts about it on social media.

The more engagement a topic receives, whether positive or negative, the more companies view it as a trend to jump on. Every time you mention the word soda or specify a company name, it increases the likelihood of the topic showing up on your feed and the feeds of others like you.

And regardless, I think most people know their limits when it comes to soda drinking. Much like my gripe with the "Super Size Me" documentary, I feel the need to point out that most people probably don't go to these soda shops every day multiple times a day, and if they do, that's their business to deal with.

Car washes and soda shops aren't a malignant plague on our society, and even if they were, the best way to get rid of them is to stop buying their products and stop giving them free press with your complaints.

And if they continue to thrive after you've done that, then that means that there's a market for it and you just don't happen to be part of it. You can also address legitimate gripes, such as car washes using too much water, by getting involved in local advocacy efforts.