A Law to Allow Laws to Be Passed?

This is NOT about Terrace BC, the pretiest town closest to Prince Rupert. This IS about governments playing “hot potato”.

https://www.terracestandard.com/news/province-empowers-cities-to-ban-single-use-plastics/

“The province has made it easier for B.C. communities to implement bans on plastic bags and other single-use plastics. In a statement July 27, environment minister George Heyman announced local governments will no longer have to get provincial approval to implement a ban, after amendments to regulations under the Community Charter.”

My message: beware of laws about laws.

At first glance the news looks good; [your province here] is at last doing something about single-use-plastics. This satisfies those people who, conscious of the human impact on Planet Earth bray that “they should do something about it”. “They” being the government. Variations abound “There should be a law against it”, and so on.

What is a Single-Use-Plastic?

It is an artifact made from synthetic material that is designed to be thrown away after one use.

What is Meant By “Designed to Be Thrown Away After One Use”?

It means that the manufacturing facility markets the product in a way that will cause you to purchase more of the product, preferably one per day.

Think of disposable napkins, disposable razors, disposable water bottles, disposable tissues, disposable grocery bags. I make use of disposable razors for shaving. I am supposed to use the razor once and then toss it and use a fresh razor tomorrow. I refuse to comply. A disposable razor gives me at least ten, sometimes more, shaves. I am still using handkerchiefs I purchased ten years ago, and yes, I use electricity and water to wash them, but not as much electricity and water as it costs to manufacture tissues, box them, ship them across the country, stack them in the shelves etc. Do the math and then email me to prove me wrong.

“Disposable” or “single use” is a marketing ploy to take money from your wallet and transfer it to the manufacturer’s bottom line.

Does Chris Greaves Abhor Single-Use Plastics?

Absolutely. Chris’s philosophy is Second Use For Everything (SUFE)

So Why the Rant Against a Law to Ban Single-Use Plastics?

Because, you see, it isn’t a law to ban single-use plastics; it is a law to allow governments to pass a law to ban single-use plastics. It is not about single-use plastics; it is all about allowing municipalities to pass their own laws.

So What’s Going on Here?

There is a class of humanity that has abdicated its adult role and wants to return to its childhood role. An example: “I think that these flimsy grocery bags are bad for the environment, but I want my mummy to pick up after me”. That is the thinking behind the blue recycling bins: As long as I toss it into a blue recycling bin (or a green kitchen scraps bin, or ...) I am being a Good Little Boy, a Model Citizen; there should be more like me.

A true adult would not abdicate responsibility to the government at any level, but would find an alternative to flimsy grocery bags. And by the way, the alternative does not mean strong grocery bags made of reinforced heavy-duty plastic strong enough to withstand a nuclear blast.

An adult albeit provincial government would not pass the buck to the municipalities but do the job itself – a province-wide ban on single-use plastics.

Better yet, a province-wide educational thrust to show people, one step at a time, how to wean manufacturer’s off the consumer teat.

What do You See in the Future?

Very little hope.

The news report ends: “City of Terrace is yet to develop a single-use plastics bylaw. Spokesperson Kate Lautens said that staff have been given no direction from council to revisit the issue.”

Note that when the municipality has the power, nothing is done. Yet. Worse: council has issued no direction to “revisit the issue”. This suggests that council has previously visited the issue but taken no action.

And that suggests that the local citizens are not interested in reducing dependence on single-use plastics.

And that suggests to me that citizens are indoctrinated in the childish use of toys that can be tossed away or left lying on the floor for mummy to pick up.

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