but shoplifting is LEGAL!!!
Posted on 01/26/2018 12:12:14 PM PST by Diana in Wisconsin
A California lawmaker has introduced a new bill that would make it illegal to distribute single-use straws to consumers at restaurants unless specifically requested.
Ian Calderon, the Democratic majority leader in California’s lower house, brought forth Assembly Bill 1884, citing environmental protection as a reason to discourage the use of “single use straws,” typically distributed with soft drinks, smoothies, and coffee, which are then disposed of after being used.
“We need to create awareness around the issue of one-time use plastic straws and its detrimental effects on our landfills, waterways, and oceans,” Calderon stated in a media release.
“AB 1884 is not a ban on plastic straws,” he added. “It is a small step towards curbing our reliance on these convenience products, which will hopefully contribute to a change in consumer attitudes and usage.”
Assembly Bill 1884 aims to update the California Retail Food Code.
The bill notes that the current code “… establishes uniform health and sanitation standards for, and provides for regulation by the State Department of Public Health of, retail food facilities, as defined, and requires local health agencies to enforce these provisions.”
As the law currently stands, punishment for violating the Retail Food Code ranges from paying a fine between $25 – $1,000 or jail time.
“Existing law requires, except as otherwise provided, a person who violates any provision of the code to be guilty of a misdemeanor with each offense punishable by a fine of not less than $25 or more than $1,000, or by imprisonment in the county jail for a term not exceeding 6 months, or by both.”
If passed, the law would modify the code to mark the provision of “single-use plastic straws to consumers unless requested by the consumer,” as a crime.
According to CNN, Americans dispose of 500 million plastic straws each day.
“Conservatively, you can guess that Americans will use on average two plastic straws a day, so 500 million is an accurate estimate. But I challenge you to start paying attention to the straws you get in your iced coffee, smoothies, soda, and cocktails,” said Adrian Grenier of the non-profit Lonely Whale to CNN.
“When I’m in New York or LA the number of plastic straws I receive is often closer to 10 a day,” Grenier added.
Disposable straws are made from fossil fuels, and according to the cable news outlet are rarely recycled due to their small size and the fact that they’re made from several different types of plastic.
Straws and stirrers rank at number nine in the top 10 marine debris items, according to The Ocean Conservancy.
Eliminating the use of plastic straws has been a growing movement for some time.
The “Be Straw Free Campaign” was introduced by Milo Cress in 2011 when he was just 9 years old.
“I noticed that whenever I ordered a drink at a restaurant, it would usually come with a straw in it, and I don’t usually need a straw,” he told CNN.
“This seemed like a huge waste,” Cress continued. “Straws are made of oil, a precious and finite resource. Is making single-use plastic straws, which will be used for a matter of minutes before being tossed away, really what we want to do with this resource?”
Then a resident of Burlington, Vermont, the young activist asked establishments in his hometown to make straws and option for customers – and many complied.
While some like Calderon, support changing legislation to modify people’s behavior, others believe that simply offering other options is a better alternative.
Besides not using a straw, reusable straws made from materials such as glass, steel, copper, and bamboo, are becoming popular.
Cress seemed to agree that encouraging consumers to make different choices is a more effective way to make a change.
“I am not out to ban straws,” he told CNN. “I think it’s much more effective to encourage people to make the choice not to use them. Voluntary participation encourages people to spread the word. Forcing people to do things is not always the most effective way to make a change.”
Excellent malapropism!..................A+++!............
Bat slip crazy!
Isn’t there something in the Constitution about cruel and unusual punishment?
but shoplifting is LEGAL!!!
You'd think that's crazy talk, only I've seen crazy talk get implemented into policy far too many times in the past several decades.
No, misleading headline. The bill would add a new provision to the health code, in which the worst punishment is 6 months jail. That does not mean you'd get jail for giving a straw.
It's still a stupid idea.
At last, Californians! You are safe from the straw cartel! Sleep easy tonight ...
That is an amazing ad campaign for really, REALLY awful beer!
I want to kill them all, Dilly! Dilly! - but they’re getting me to remember their product, which is what it’s all about!
Marketing 101.
I love that stuff. My final ‘paper’ in my Marketing Class was on Charles Revson and his Revlon brand. ‘Cherries in the Snow,’ which is a shade of red lipstick and nail polish, is STILL the best seller among reds. Ever. EVER!
Pure genius, IMHO. :)
If they ever start to lose sales, they can re-name it, ‘Blood in the Snow’ for either the Goth Crowd, fans of, ‘Game of Thrones’ or We The People...Patriots, LOL!
Diner: Really officer, that is not a drinking straw. It’s a disposable cocaine inhaler.
Officer: Very well. Carry on.
PAPER Straws? Tree Murderer!
*SMIRK* ;)
“When will Crazyfornia dictate the number of breaths per minute persons are allowed to take?”
They are voting on that first Tuesday in February. ;)
Post of the day.
:-)
Oh, well. All is forgiven, then. California Overlords are NOT cray-cray.
*SNORT*
.
Completely insane!
.
No single use straws?
How many restaurants serve re-usable straws
.
>> “ Just think of all those trees they chopped down!” <<
Just think about the 100-200 trillion trees that have died in western forests because the forests were not thinned sufficiently.
I don’t drink that awful beer, either, but the ads are sure fun. At the Avalanche games now when a penalty is called on the other team the home crowd shouts, Dilly Dilly!
I agree.
There are times when physical violence is truly justified and these types of people fit the bill. They need to understand that they have completely stepped over the line and need to have their attitudes adjusted without jail or firing squads.
When they start meddling with other's lives they need to get a serious beating to adjust their attitude.
Awesome story, because it perfectly demonstrates the Tyranny of the Left. Once commie liberals get absolute power as they have in California — which is a one party Democrat State with a super majority of legislators — they go all in Soviet style oppression.
It is a beautiful warning for other states to see. The sad thing is how many people just don’t bother to look until their own state becomes tyrannical.
Put him in the Comfy Chair! Poke him with the soft cushions!
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