Taxes are dangerous to our habits!

March 1st, 2008

In 2002, Ireland passed a tax on plastic bags; customers who want them must now pay 33 cents per bag at the register. There was an advertising awareness campaign. And then something happened that was bigger than the sum of these parts.

Within weeks, plastic bag use dropped 94 percent. Within a year, nearly everyone had bought reusable cloth bags, keeping them in offices and in the backs of cars. Plastic bags were not outlawed, but carrying them became socially unacceptable — on a par with wearing a fur coat or not cleaning up after one’s dog.

So reports the NYT. Wait, I thought that “consumer choice” was the right thing for governments to do? Taxing plastic bags? What’s next?! Taxing gas and cigarettes?!?! Oh, wait…

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Commentary and hyperbole on land use issues impacting the NW, the US, the world... Contact at peter (at) landusewatch.com ... Please email postal address to inquire about receiving Land Use Watch in monthly hard-copy periodical format.

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-- 2:35 am, August 7, 2008 in Billboards in national forests? ACTION ALERT to stop them!

Kitty Clasing: I am looking for the closest trap, neuter and release program in Mason City, Iowa-50401
-- 8:45 am, August 5, 2008 in Trap, neuter, release and the Iowa cats

Stephanie: The argument that killing all cats to stop predatory behaviour on native creatures should then justify the killing of native predators is pure crap. The native animals are part of the natural cycle; cats are introduced by people. Like blackberries, and scotch bloom and English ivy, and starlings they are an invasive species that are driving out natives. Feeding and promoting feral cat populations should be a crime. They carry diseases like roundworm, heartworm, and hookworm, various forms of FIV and feline leukemia, distemper, and all manner of other sicknesses that cost responsible pet owners thousands of dollars to treat...
-- 2:59 pm, June 20, 2008 in Free James Stevenson

Lucas Stahl: Being an american citizen and knowing Donald Trumps past, the public of Aberdeen have to make it their scottish duty to keep Trump away from their lands. He has a way of taking everything from you and giving little in return. Your town will become the \"Las Vegas\" of Scotland with thousands of disrespectful tourists deficating over your lands and family. I know you think it will create jobs for your town and boost the economy but there are other means to do this; not through an ignorant; greed riddled man who makes a habit of stomping his feet, throwing out his chest and holding his breath like a child...
-- 10:07 am, June 11, 2008 in Aberdeen, Scotland: Let's Dump Trump

victoria davidson: I am a first generation American whos family are from the UK. I strongly disagree with the "Trump" philosophy in America. Mr. Trump's buliding along the Chicago River is an architectural monstroisity. Yet it is wrong to assume all Americans are "narcissictic & greedy". One of the reasons I love my UK visits is because of the timeless natural beauty along the coastlines not tainted with resorts and casinos. I applaud your efforts to block the building of this environmental disaster and hope you succeed. Perhaps Mr. Trump can find another venu to honour his Mother's memory.
-- 10:07 am, June 11, 2008 in Aberdeen, Scotland: Let's Dump Trump

Antoinette Harrington: I am an American, sick to death of "the donald" and his belief that his wealth entitles him to buy and destroy any piece of land on the globe. My dislike for him is indeed emotional, having seen how he destroyed the beauty of the Chicago River landscape with his Trump monstrosity. I hope and pray you will continue fighting till the last to prevent this man from achieving his goal. He will claim his plan is environmentally sound, and his witnesses will agree (though knowing the political climate, their agreement carries a price tag). Unlike Trump, I cannot afford to enjoy the beauty of your...
-- 11:02 am, June 10, 2008 in Aberdeen, Scotland: Let's Dump Trump

jj: Um, yeah, Most of that is BS. Get your facts right. Biofuels release carbon emissions, yes, but in carbon DIOXIDE. That's what the plants eat. It doesn't matter how much fuel the plant makes from sunlight, because we are fermenting it anyways. Soybean oil and biodiesel contain no sulfur and generate no sulfur emissions, a major source of acidification in rain and surface water. This makes biodiesel the best technology currently available for heavy-duty diesel applications to reduce atmospheric carbon. So basically, the best we have for right now. Oh, yeah, and about the hunger stuff, I have a solution: DON"T USE FOOD CROPS! Use...
-- 10:12 am, June 9, 2008 in Biofuels = stupid idea

Muscle Guitar: I agree with the author.Don't report a feral cat colony to a humane society or rescue group.I have a neighbor who feeds feral cats and they became a real problem.They don't act like house cats.They are constantly stalking prey like birds,squirrels and small rabbits.The tom cats are relentless sprayers. I mentioned this to my neighbor,and she acted as if it were none of my business that the cats were damaging my property. Better to report the colony to Animal Control,then if the cats are coming on your property let them trap them.Find a discreet place where the neighbors can't see the trap,bait the traps...
-- 7:48 pm, June 8, 2008 in Feral cats = huge environmental problem!

Emma: NO ONE SHOULD KILL ANIMALS! EVEN FERAL CATS! IT'S EVIL! I know I it might be "killing widlife" and "spreading disease", but NO ONE should kill kitties!
-- 10:10 am, June 3, 2008 in Feral cats destroying Iowa

Louie: I'm from Hong Kong, China. Just read the newspaper (it's in Chinese) that the breeding program has begun. What's more? There're two male specimens left in Vietnam. Don't know if they'll transport these two males to China and let them breed with the only female. If it happens, it's a good news that it could extend the diversity of this species' gene pool.
-- 7:24 pm, June 1, 2008 in Two Yangtze giant soft-shell turtles left... will China do anything?

Saki: Do the math. Either way, killing a cat or neutering a cat means one less cat that can reproduce, meaning the feral population will go down and eventually die out. The big question is do you want to behave like a psychopath in the making and kill innocent cats, or do you want to show that you really are smarter than other animals and get the cats neutered so they can live out the rest of their lives naturally? Before you answer that question, THINK; don\'t just react. Rednecks can be smart too. Proove that you\'re not a stereotype.
-- 8:39 pm, May 28, 2008 in Feral cats = huge environmental problem!

dhtuisgjkzdfghjksd: the lng is gay
-- 11:01 am, May 28, 2008 in LNG and the Columbia: bad news

dallas: that is totaly right. i have to tright a paper on them and this cite rocks.
-- 12:57 pm, May 27, 2008 in Ocelots in Texas!?

john: Doesn't matter what Hunnicutt thinks -- only what the rest of the country thinks: M37 sucks. "After two years of assessing Measure 37’s effect on Oregon, almost all of 2006 takings measures were resoundingly defeated by voters." http://www.napavalleyregister. com/articles/2008/05/21/opinio n/matt_pope/doc4834a07c082c645 6760426.txt
-- 7:32 am, May 23, 2008 in Dave Hunnicutt admits Measure 37 went too far?

Kyanna: hhmm.
-- 9:22 am, May 20, 2008 in Two Yangtze giant soft-shell turtles left... will China do anything?

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