The owner of the local coffee shop gave me a straw with my iced coffee, but warned me (as he consistently does), “You didn’t get this from me, I could be fined $25 if one of the inspectors came in and saw this.” I told him that I’d say I stole it, or I brought my own, no problem.

There are also people, hired by the city, to stick their heads into the recycling bins to make sure no one has slipped in a non-recyclable item. If they find one they leave a warning sticker to shame you in the neighborhood, and can also leave a summons. (“Mom, Dad, what do you’d do for a living?” “Child, we’re in the recycling police.”)

I regard all of this as empty symbolism, not really helping the climate or the planet or the population. What does it contribute to? An out-of-control national debt.

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