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this post was submitted on 03 Nov 2023
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I absolutely want the government mandating what kind of straws we can use on public lands. The government mandates and subsidies so many things, I’d rather they do that for the benefit of everyone rather than a few babies that are afraid of change. They’ll say it’s about government overreach or the “nanny state” they are just afraid of change.
I would prefer the government target the actual major causes of pollution (corporations) instead of virtue signaling by banning something that's an infinitesimal part of the issue.
Yes, your 100% right, that would be much better, but if Republican whine this much about gas stoves and plastic straws it’s not going to happen soon. My feeling in it is, baby steps are better than no steps.
Fwiw, gas stoves makes sense to go after. While the overall pollution from them isn’t that high, the pollution is very close and affecting kids.
In a few generations it’s going to be seen like lead in paint, if not quite that extreme.
In any case, I absolutely love my induction cooktop. after adjusting my “this is high” and “this is simmer” levels… performance is at least as good. Even on my cast iron. The biggest problem is scratched on the cook top and/or breaking it.
and "go after" means warn Parents that gas stoves are not good for kids.
pretty sure they're also on a campaign to simply block new-made gas stoves. which, to be honest, is an easy way to do it.
Honestly, I have a few air quality sensors (pi Pico W's, left over from a science project for the nephew's school.) and compared to say my parent's house, the distinction is clear. Both houses are open-plan, and you can see the plume of ... stuff... coming off it. NO~2~ while cooking. there's also increased benzene, toulene and a few others. For the record there's no external-venting hood on their stove either. most don't have that anyhow, and instead rely on the HVAC to turn turn air over regularly.
Can't say I've noticed differences without the sensors, but... like... lead paint chips, man.
"pretty sure", but there is no such plan, much like guns, to take them away. Which is what the MAGAts are all up in arms about.
Not to mention the cost of running those damn things. I've not used my gas stove in my apartment in a while because god forbid I use it, that's $5 or $10 tacked to my utility bill when rent comes due. For something that was used for 20 minutes. I think electric stoves should be a mandated thing for all apartments and all other residential housings.
Banning plastic straws and gas stoves is going after corporations. Corporations are the ones opposed to it.
It's not going after the corporations in any meaningful way what so ever.
Gas stoves are very meaningful. Natural gas is mostly methane, which has 30 times the greenhouse effect of CO2. Activists have been pushing to eliminate natural gas use for years now, but the natural gas lobby has been pushing back hard.
But you're right, this is no silver bullet, because no silver bullet exists. I'm happy with government making a lot of small regulations against corporations. Require smaller packaging, less waste, less single use items, more clean up, etc. They add up.
Right, but how much of that gas is used in home stoves vs corporate use? It's pretty common to try to pin pollution on the consumers when they only account for a small percentage of the problem.
If they were actually trying to enact meaningful change they would give the EPA their teeth back.
You are correct that consumer use is small. But gas stoves and gas heating in homes mean justifying gas lines throughout a whole city. This is why the gas industry has been fighting this so hard. This is good corporate regulation and if you care about the environment you should support it.
I agree with you that targeting bigger things are better but then this rolls through the house. It's hard to do anything significant when half the House is working directly counter to what you're trying to do.
Thank you. That comment pissed me off too. Nobody is stopping you from buying plastic straws at the grocery store. They just wouldn't be selling them on government owned land.
And yet they are the same that make changes that benefit the rich.
They aren't afraid of change, they just want to change things for THEIR benefit and no one else because they feel superior that way.
They sure enjoy going to burning man and generally being hypocrits with modern stuff, so yes definitely behind them just wanting power and fuck everyone else "I got mine".
I don't. I often comment about political capital, and rarely get a warm reception. But it's a real cost in elections. Back in the 80's we called it "realpolitik", mostly in regards to international politics.
I'm outside all the damned time, certainly more than most people reading this. The amount of straws I pack off the trails and waterways is noticeable. And bottle caps and plastic bags and beer cans... you get the idea.
So banning such things should be a no-brainer? Right?! Of course it is. But then the other side gets to hit you with:
"Oh FFS! The libs won't let us have damned straws now! What next from the nanny state?!"
Liberal brains tend to think, "This decision is objectively correct, so who would object?" Conservative brains work more on emotion. "Why the hell are you trying to control my every little move?!"
So, we get plastic straws banned, an objectively good idea, but we lose political capital, we lose votes by tiny increments that stack. Was it worth it? I'll leave that as an exercise for the reader.
And yeah, this particular thing is obstruction for obstruction's sake. I get that. OTOH, the opposition still gets their message out to our detriment.
And of course it wasn't Liberals that got it banned. Just like with Sugared drinks, it is the cost that is the issue, not some Nanny State desire. Plastic straws litter is everywhere. Other trash builds up as the straws make tiny plastic beaver damns. Thus the drains can't work and the City pays to clean up flooding.
I've yet to see a good bendy straw that wasn't plastic, and those are essential medical supplies.
Yeah, single-use plastics make sense in a medical setting. They have the added value of being sterile where you really need it.
Outside of that setting, it's just a convenience that is costing the environment.
She’s probably in the pocket of big plastic.
Those straws are big business