Al-Shabaab, technically more environmental than New Zealand
As the NZ Government waits and dithers and scrapes before commercial interests over whether or not to ban plastic bags, last week Al Qaeda-linked terrorist group, al-Shabaab, banned single use plastic bags ‘because of their threat to people and wildlife’.
So technically, NZ is less environmental than Al Qaeda?!? If you add the pointlessness of being carbon neutral by 2050 when the polar caps will be melted by 2030, our generations ‘nuclear moment’, as proclaimed by Jacinda is not exactly, “I can smell the Uranium on your breath from here’ moral certainty and more, “I can smell the garlic down wind from you at an all you can eat garlic festival” undistinguishable passiveness.
This Government is a joke when it comes to actually doing anything significant to industry when industry are doing everything they can to turn this recession into a mental depression against the Government.
Their banning of future oil permits at a time when climate change storms will make that exploration near impossible is as symbolic as it is an empty threat to a phantom problem, it doesn’t do anything now to adapt us to the existential threat of global warming.
Let me get this straight – banning 1 use plastic for heavier duty more expensive bags you pay for helps who?
Doesn’t this in fact make more money for the plastic bag company?
How about banning all plastic bags for retail and supermarkets? Wouldn’t that be a ‘nuclear moment’?
Force the entire supermarket and retail industry of NZ use brown paper bags. That would generate industry for the local timber industry while forcing real change and reset paper recycling. If the investment went into green paper we would be investing in new ways to progress.
Christine Rose today savages this pretence of a victory in banning Low Density Polyethelene plastic bags…
Let’s not celebrate the ‘banning’ of some plastic carry bags in some supermarkets when the government has been slow to commit to regulating their manufacture and distribution, thus leaving the market to lead their use and control. Let’s not celebrate too much, the ban which replaces ubiquitous, free Low Density Polyethelene (LDPE) plastic bags with slightly heavier duty plastic bags you have to pay for. Let’s not be beguiled into thinking we have scored a victory against the throwaway culture when almost every other thing we buy is made of or packaged in other plastics that will never break down or degrade. Every single plastic thing ever made, still exists in some form or another. Let’s not celebrate the minor compromise of convenience (our sacrifice!), when there’s still enough rubbish in the ocean to choke whales and turtles and other sea life for epochs to come. Let’s not celebrate retail concessions when megalithic supermarket chains manufacture our consent to surplus packaging by offering little alternative choice, and fundamentally shape our preferences and purchaser options.
…and she’s right.
We are not going anywhere near fast enough to start the adaptation to climate change that will reshape and reset our economy, culture, philosophy and politics.
The current political spectrum doesn’t have the strength to advocate against the vested interests of the neoliberal corporate hegemony beyond the meekest of concessions. That’s why meaningless compromises like carbon neutral by 2050, a ban on future oil exploration permits when it won’t matter and considering ending free Low Density Polyethelene (LDPE) plastic bags (a move the Bangladesh did in 2002) are held up as giant wins when they are barely a half step in the right direction.
Banning fireworks for a whale looks about as good as it gets.
Yes as we have spent nine ugly years under national who ignored the environment and abused it badly anyone who comes forward seems better for the environment now.
We now must ban all components used that conytain plastics in any form including synthetic tyres as that is a massive source of pollution now.
Voice in wilderness types madly ~ oil on fingers from plastic keys ~ humble computer ~ bits & bytes ~ a mine of precious metals & fossilised organic matter ~ ripped from weeping earth ~ translating random thoughts ~ irrational feeling worlds ~ legible ~ nonsense ~ spewing into cyber space ~ where would I be without you ~ just a bird song rich streetie ~ mumbling visionary sweet nothings to himself & disinterested passers by ~ in a world with fingers in its ears ~ mickey mouse on the brain ~ dollar & circus images in its eyes ~ hamburger on its breath.
That just about says it all, I fear.
Ever notice how right wing warriors dislike progressive taxes on wealthy corporates but know one else seems to mind? Google tax, Google tax, Google tax! Now come at me bro.
Interesting parallels to the Netherlands where on the face of it they are passing bold climate change targets – but ultimately without teeth.
https://greennews.ie/dutch-government-new-climate-law-mixed-reaction/
Stopped using plastic bags from supermarkets. Quickly realised my world did NOT come to and end. Shock!!
Ban the rotten things. Anyone who complains can make their own plastic bags. (Isn’t that what right wing morons respond to progressives when we complain about a biased msm, set up our own newspaper and tv station?)
The polar ice caps are going to be melted in 12 years? God you’re such a bufoon.
Do you honestly think polar ice sheets will grow in size or even stay relative to today’s?
Oooh LOOK! A squirrel.
Do you think the polar icecaps are going to be melted in 12 years Sammy?
Because if so you could pool your IQ with Marty’s and barely scrape into double digits.
You don’t get bushfires where you live, do you.
Hahahaha hahaha take that you big(smelly)cheese and put that in your pipe and smoke it.
Damn!
Another squirrel. You must be beating them off with a stick. Maybe you could bbq them?
Do you think the polar ice sheets are going to melt in 12 years Sammy short of a picnic?
Do you even want Antartica? If you know of “camp life” you would know they suffer from ‘Affluenza.’
Not looking too flash at present.
http://nsidc.org/arcticseaicenews/2018/06/springtime-for-the-arctic/
Our recycle-reuse systems are dismal.
If we politely said that no one can import any plastic that cannot be re-used/recycled in both major islands. (Medical devices excepted – perhaps.)
If we, through our usually rapacious regional and city councils, made it easier to collect plastics at the kerbside and divert to plants that can process. (You know – affordable for all, and nearby)
If we followed India: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jul/09/the-man-who-paves-indias-roads-with-old-plastic
If we asked our researchers and inventers to focus attention – and our tax dollars – on solving the strings of challenges, without the interference of politicians and ideologies.
I notice some take-away places have switched to pressed paper bowls and cartons. How do we help/reward the providers? How do we add them to the civic composting system?
If the capture system isn’t freely available to more than the compliant middle class and aspirants then this isn’t going to fly. Trickle down is too slow for purpose.
So – maybe we need the frighteners put on us, Daesh-style? Just to get us past the excuses and non-compliance/phase-out phase…
Yes we absolutely need to do more about the plastics, and the supermarkets and manufacturing need to lead the charge, which is where the government needs to focus fines(big ones) and bans. No lip service to the public not using ‘one use’ plastic bags, totally the ambo at the bottom of the cliff on the plastic pollution cessation problem.
I believe the Al Qaeda affiliates are also ‘skilled’ at conserving water, given the fact they live in defacto war zones and thus can only wash themselves very occasionally.
Heroes for the environment, of sorts, perhaps???
Perhaps get this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiSQ_db-Dcw
Wrong link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiSQ_db-Dcw
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