If you go to conventions, like work conventions, not comic, then you’re likely REALLY familiar with the free swag. Pens, magnets, tote bags all branded with company logos to get you to remember their services, whatever they may be, after you leave the weekend. This is not great for the environment.
Companies give out a ton of this stuff every year. It’s cheap and most of it ends up in the garbage after a few months. I mean, how many magnets and bottle openers do you need? Sure you may use the USB drive a few times but ultimately what you end up with is a lot of plastic junk that has a heavy a toll on the planet in both production and pollution.
This is one of those things to be mindful of. Of course you have no control over what people put on their tables but be mindful about what you take. Don’t just grab it because it’s free unless you’ll really use it. Maybe if enough people change how they interact with these products, the people who order them will start buying less.