Dutch City Bans Adverts for Meat, Holiday Flights, Fossil Fuels in Effort to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Nevermind the freight train energy crisis that is barreling towards Europe in a few short months— the EU has a net zero emission target to reach by 2050, and reach it, it will, dammit! Setting all the lunacy that is EU energy policy aside, a Dutch city is taking the cake for complete absurdity, and becoming the world’s first to ban meat advertisements in public spaces… all in the name of reducing consumption and greenhouse gasses.
As if Russia shutting off natural gas taps to Europe isn’t going to scale back CO2 emissions enough, Haarlem, a city with a population of around 160,000, is expected to enact a prohibition come 2024 that will ban meat adverts on all buses, shelters, billboards and screens in public spaces. The decision comes after a study from the University of Illinois found that the use of animals for food creates twice as much greenhouse gases compared to plant-based counterparts. As if that wasn’t absurd enough, though, the new motion would also ban advertisements of holiday flights, fossil fuels, as well as fossil fuel-powered vehicles.
“We are not about what people are baking and roasting in their own kitchen; if people wanted to continue eating meat, fine… We can tell people there’s a climate crisis and encourage them to buy products that are part of the cause,” said Ziggy Klazes, a councillor from the GroenLinks party that proposed the original ban on meat advertisements. “It is a signal— if it is picked up nationally, that would only be very nice. There are many groups of GroenLinks who think it is a good idea and want to try it.”
Naturally, such a deranged move also comes with its fair share of criticism and ridicule, with some suggesting it even stifles freedom of expression. “It is remarkable that the municipality of Haarlem is holding a large poster campaign that you can be yourself in Haarlem and love whoever you want, but if you like meat instead of soft grass, ‘the patronizing brigade’ will come and tell you that you are completely wrong,” said Trots Haarlem group leader Sander van den Raadt, as cited by the Guardian.
Information for this briefing was found via the Guardian. The author has no securities or affiliations related to this organization. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security. The author holds no licenses.