By Arnold Nadler July 22, 2018
I sincerely deem that saving our planet is a good thing! It would be great if pollution, water, and things like those polar ice caps were not compromised anymore. From my perspective it seems to have turned into a money grab for business and government alike. Do you believe we’re making a significant enough environmental difference, or does the government want us to feel that way? So here is what I think is really going on, and some reasonable changes I see should happen?…
I reside in Canada, the province I’m in has put a stunning amount of eco fees on consumers. I’m not sure how we can justify paying a disposal tax in advance on new purchases. These eco-fees apply to items like appliances, televisions, computers and cellphones etc… This problem should go on the backs of manufactures, governments, and businesses, not the poor consumers. In my parents and grandparent’s times appliances and televisions lasted them almost, a lifetime. There were more manufacturers producing quality items in country. Meaning more jobs, better economy, and pride in building things that lasted the test of time. Also bringing merchandise manufactured somewhere else puts more strain on the environment. The freight to import into Canada means more fuel emissions as well. Other disposal eco fees take place when changing one’s vehicle’s oil or tires. I was under the impression we recycle those products, companies buy them to make profits for themselves. Then on resale again the regular taxes and Eco-fees take place all over again, how once again does charging these Eco-fees help our environment?
We also have a drive clean program. Every two-years car owners must bring their vehicles in for an emissions testing. The cost to consumers is $35, and if there are any emissions problems paying up to $450. This is not an option, as matter of fact without the certificate from the garage people can’t renew their registration. If the government made laws where manufactures needed to make exhaust systems better as they did decades ago, would there be a need for an emission tests every two-years? Wouldn’t that suggestion be an asset to helping our environment? Just think, if someone is not required to have an emission test for a year, are they really going to bring their car in for a small problem? Many times, I’ve seen the engine light come-on, it turned out to be the gas cap sensor. The garage is going to charge around $40 to hook your car up to the computer, and new gas cap that is not a real environmental threat will be like $30. These are not great economical times for people, they’ll let it go until their emission test time.
The point is depleting people wallets is not solving the environmental issues occurring. The government and manufactures in Canada or elsewhere need to get on same page. Building better quality items that last, therefore less waste. The responsibility in this case is in the government’s hands. The reality is they make millions everyday using the environmental issues, and I don’t see major environmental changes doing so!