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Just so we're clear, "some" statism is OK (e.g. garbage is mandated to go to landfills - you can't just do whatever you want with your refuse)?
But other statism is NOT OK (e.g. other ways to dispose of waste that you're already being mandated to throw into garbage bins vs. doing whatever you want with said garbage (such as throwing it in the street))?
Again - just so we're clear.
Just to be clear, it's about a health hazard as to why garbage is in landfills. That isn't statism, it's protecting rights.
I'm going to guess that few posting here live in Austin, or have bothered to actually read the ordinance.
It began years ago, and now has expanded to include all food venues (grocery stores, restaurants).
It requires that employees be given alternative ways to dispose of food waste than throwing it all in one big trash can.
The initiative began with a sweeping recycling effort. Private homes had a large recycling bin that could take paper, plastic and metal and glass recyclables with no sorting done by the home owner - you just toss your glass bottles, cardboard boxes, newspapers, aluminum cans, etc. in there at no extra charge for garbage service. Then last year every home was given a compost bin and instructions on how to use it, again, not mandatory and no extra charge.
This has now gone to restaurants. Restaurants/grocery stores are now being required to compost food waste, but are encouraged to find other ways - such as giving away fresh food that would otherwise go in the garbage. Sounds like a GREAT idea to me. I mean really, is it harder to scrape your food stuff into the compost "garbage" rather than scrape it into the "landfill" garbage?
We are also striving to be a "no kill" city and have made huge strides in education about unwanted pet reproduction. Additionally, bring your own bags when you go to the grocery store.
This ordinance is not materially different from cities telling you what you can dump down your neighborhood sewer, or not allowing you to dispose of hazardous waste in your garbage can.
If they can give some of it away to the food banks, it's a good thing. Normally I'm against excessive regulations, but in thise case, it seems to be a good idea.
No, it's not TEXAS. It's Austin. Their city motto is "Keep Austin Weird". The rest of us in Texas think Austin would be perfectly normal... in California.
There are many programs for restaurants to donate to Food Banks around the country. However, government health inspectors at the local level are stopping a lot of it due to the perceived spread of Bacteria, or other contaminants that are a health risk. Throwing food away is sometimes the only way in which disposal is safe, practical, and condoned by local Boards of Health.
No, it's not TEXAS. It's Austin. Their city motto is "Keep Austin Weird". The rest of us in Texas think Austin would be perfectly normal... in California.
There are many enclaves like this around the country in "sane" states, and regions. Many are college towns. They never met a tax, overly restrictive law, or regulation they didn't like. Statism at its worst.
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