Why is NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg such a popular fellow? Because he perfectly encapsulates what Progressives stand for: bigger and bigger governmental control over Other People’s lives, from big things down to the tiny things. This is what Progressives want, but notice the use of the phrase “Other People’s lives”. When it comes to laws, regulations, burdens, penalties, taxes, anything restrictive, Progressives always want Other People, Someone Else, That Guy, to bear the burden, never themselves. Take Bloomberg’s big soda ban: Progressives thought it was a great idea to fight obesity, because obesity is bad for “climate change”. They just didn’t want the ban to effect themselves. Taxation? They like the idea of higher taxes on That Guy, on That Group, never on themselves. Air conditioning is Bad, but we should restrict Someone Else from having it, never themselves.
Anyway
(Heartland) Mayor Michael Bloomberg—the man who brought about the failed supersize soda ban and restrictions on trans fats in city restaurants—is pushing for a law forcing New York City residents to compost their food refuse.
Bloomberg’s proposal would encourage voluntary composting initially, and then make food composting mandatory by 2015-2016.
Opponents decried yet another expansion of the nanny state and also worried about food composting expanding the city’s rat population.
“People seem to be able to recycle their paper and bottles without too much trouble, despite lots of outcry when it first started decades ago,†said Nicole Gelinas, a Searle Freedom Trust Fellow at the Manhattan Institute. “I think the point of the expanded voluntary pilot is to see if they can do this, too, or if it causes too many problems with improperly disposed waste—rats, etc.â€
That doesn’t matter, we have a planet to save. Or something. And turning building superintendent into composting cops is a small price to pay, along with the possible increase in rats. Oh, and
Stier notes the trucks that will be necessary to collect the food waste will put more vehicles on New York City streets, consume more oil and gas, and emit more pollutants into the city’s air.
“There’s no way food scraps can be picked up from every home throughout the city without greatly increasing the number of trucks, traffic, and tyranny,†Stier explained.
And all those extra trucks will put more evil “carbon pollution” into the atmosphere, causing the Earth to boil and islands to tip over. And, yes, composting is also a big concern for Warmists, who proclaim that by doing this lots of that evil “carbon pollution” could be removed from the atmosphere. And when you get down to the nuts and bolts of “climate change”, when you get to the heart of the matter, head into the engine room, you find that the “climate change” movement is all about Progressive (nice fascism) politics, not about any sort of science and/or environmentalism.
So Teach is now against recycling. What next? street sweping?
[…] Pirate’s Cove – by William Teach […]
john, please cite one statement Teach wrote that supports that contention. I don’t see any. In the past Teach has been a constant advocate of recycling and I doubt that he has changed that position.
Your accusation is false.
What Teach is addressing is the mandatory requirement to compost, which is not the same as recycling. Because you don’t understand that, I doubt that you understand what is involved and the cost to individuals.
However, as the article notes, composting piles can attract rodents which would be a major concern. But there is another concern as well which it the release of methane gas. Methane gas is released as food decomposes. The latest landfills now use technology to capture that methane gas and use it as a source of energy for heating, power generation, and even use in vehicles.
Bloomberg’s plan would release the methane gas into the air.
Methane, in case you missed it, is the second most prevalent greenhouse gas. That means Bloomberg’s plan would have a negative effect on the planet as the gases from a compost pile are not contained and escape into the atmosphere.
So instead of addressing that and showing your so called “support of green” whatever you constantly espouse here, you took the position of attacking the post’s author based on no evidence whatsoever. You missed his point about Bloomberg wanting to control people and their actions as that is fine with you.
In short, you applaud government control, lie about the actions / beliefs of others and want to harm the planet.
Don’t new yorkers have garbage disposals? It seems to me, more efficient to use the sewer system to collect food garbage. Educate people the proper use and food types to grind up. Wait. Maybe the sewer system is over loaded and spending the money on composting trucks is cheaper than improving the sewer treatment plant. seems Bloomie could use some analysis of his ideas before announcing another feelgood regulation. Blick
John has built a cute little strawman, but notice that he never actually says whether he approves f Bloombergs policy.
But what about the smell, besides the problem of rats and other vermin? And other wild animals will migrate to the city for the new feast set up for them. With New York’s strict gun control laws, can you imagine NYer’s reaction to Bears and big ass Racoons*, as well as feral cats and dogs, outside their apartment doors?
Bears and Racoons just love food that they don’t have to work hard for…I know.
John, curious if you do any composting. Please let us know ASAP.
I do compost and am very pro-compost. I am not, however for forcing anyone to compost.
Here is my compost rant:
I have a compost pile in the corner of my yard. Four simple iron bars with a black plastic fence around it. All yard clippings, food wastes, and paper packaging go into it. And yes, ALL paper packaging – mail, food packages, etc. It’s all torn up and put in the pile with the organics. This is because, as I understand it, the ink is no longer made with heavy metals but is instead made organic-based. So the packaging is safe to compost.
I have been composting for a year almost to the day. I have, in a 4X4 space, now barely hit half-full. That’s how much this stuff breaks down. I put something in there almost every day. Note that I do not put grass clippings, as my mower is a mulcher. I have had the compost area completely filled several times. Each time, everything had broken down to half full in about a month.
We have curbside recycling bins in our community. Glass, plastic, paper, and metal go in. Since I have started my compost pile, I recycle virtually no paper – only that paper that is covered in packing tape or just too glossy to compost. By the way, standard glossy paper is compost-able – the gloss is clay-based. I do believe that if everyone composted in the same way I did, we would have a HUGE amount less material at the curb. Thus, less trucks, etc. However, I will warn that breaking as many packages and junk mail envelopes down as I have over a year takes time. Most people will absolutely NOT want to do this. I don’t see how people who own an average-sized yard can talk environmentalism and not be composting. I have almost no smell issues from mine. To me, it seems logical. You compost leftovers from leaves to paper packaging. Then you take the broken down compost and use it in your garden – which you should also be growing. I again stress that this is my opinion and I am of the strongest belief that this should NOT be forced on anyone else. Especially by the State.
The compost pile DOES attract an occasional squirrel or skunk. This is not a problem – for me – because it’s way on the other side of the yard. I understand that there are ways to compost food indoors in special containers for those living in cities and apartments, etc. Unfortunately, you’ll have to do your own research on that.
Finally, I turn my compost over about once every two months. Worms, rain, and hot weather do the work for me generally. You don’t even have to buy worms. They come up from the ground right into the compost. The compost makes them happy and they breed like crazy – making more compost. Very little work involved for me. I hope to be using the compost dirt later this summer.
All this being said, I don’t see how people are going to be MADE to compost. Especially since a huge number of people are going to be repelled simply by the sight or smell of rotting food in their indoor compost container should they have to deal with it in any way. Let’s face it: Most people don’t like getting their hands dirty.
This however makes another insteresting point: The demands of the Leftists and environmental wackos have no come home to roost. Now THEY have to deal with it. I have yet to find a SINGLE Liberal – and I’ve talked to many – who composts. Interesting.
Summary: Environmentalism should be an individual choice and NEVER dictated by the State. It’s an easy thing to do – gardening, composting, recycling, are three big parts. You don’t have to even have a large garden. Google ‘square foot garden’ and see what you can do in a tiny space – even indoors. I would put forth the argument that square foot gardening and a small composter could literally end world hunger. But that’s another rant.
Anyone else here gardens or composts? Put some comments in. Have a great summer!