Seattle mulls on urging gas pumps to put climate change signs
The Seattle City Council may consider drafting a law requiring gas stations to put stickers that will warn drivers on the ill effects of burning fuel to the environment, reported The Seattle Times.
The Emerald City is following the initiatives of San Francisco, Berkeley, and North Vancouver, which have already drafted an ordinance requiring ‘global warming’ labels to be placed on gas dispensers.
“Like (San Francisco), we are feeling the effects of climate change acutely. Wildfires are raging in Eastern Washington and our hydro-powered utilities are suffering from less water flow than in previous years,” said the Seattle City Council in a letter to the San Francisco Board of Advisers.
The ‘warming’ labels are comparable to health warning stickers found on cigarette packs.
Seattle Councilmember Mike O’Brien, who intends to draft the ordinance, started to explore the idea after a dialogue with advocates from international children’s initiative Plant for the Planet in January.
However, the idea has already received criticisms from the Western States Petroleum Association who wrote a letter last year to Berkeley officials arguing that such proposal is unconstitutional.
It would violate free speech, opponents further said, because it would force gas stations to advance a certain group’s opinion, in this case the city council’s, on climate change.
According to komonews.com, some individuals like the idea but they would prefer receiving suggestions on how to save the environment rather than just getting warnings.
Some find it a waste of government funds as many people already know that driving cars is not good for the environment.
