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A local ordinance has banned grass burning because it poisons the air and kills insects, and there are organic waste bins on every corner. Unfortunately, the effect is just the opposite. People who aren't selfish idiots didn't burn grass even before, and the rest burn even more now to show that they aren't obedient sheep and that no one is going to take away their freedom to poison the air for their neighbors.

This graph shows what it does to the #airquality. It immediately jumps from OK to unhealthy.

A chart that shows PM2.5 levels. Most of the graph is in yellow (10-35) and then it immediately jumps to red (60-70).
#airquality
in reply to Urban Hermit

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maple

@Urban_Hermit The problem with that is, some things cannot practically be enforced. Remember prohibition? Remember the "War on Drugs?" You might catch a few offenders but if the punishment is a slap on the wrist they won't care, and if it's more severe you risk filling prisons with non-violent individuals (or at least they were not violent before going to prison).

The correct answer (and maybe this is what you were going for) is "Don't ban a thing unless it really matters and a very significant majority of the people agree with the ban". And, I might add, don't make bans for political reasons or so that some bureaucrat or politician can feel like he accomplished something, people will always oppose those bans.

@Urban Hermit
in reply to maple

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Jiří Eischmann

@maple @Urban_Hermit I agree. It should be about education and making it convenient to dispose bio waste a different way.
In early 90s my father built a summer house on his old family property in countryside. When he was applying for a waste bin, his neighbors told him that it was waste of money, "you have a stream behind the house, just dump it there, and the next big water will take it away", it was normal there back then. My sister lives there now and no one would even think of it any more. The stream is clean, even trout and cancers are back. And no ordinance was needed.
@Urban Hermit @maple
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