While there are moments in which our various governments do indeed have a responsibility to protect their constituents, the constant struggle between opportunity and overreach has many Americans on their toes.
Of course, there are some politicians who are far more prone to being overzealous than others, and it likely comes as no surprise that many of these elected officials happen to hail from the left side of the aisle.
Now, in ultra-liberal California, Governor Gavin Newsom is now taking a major step in his fight against climate change, and it has Golden State gardeners fuming.
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill No. 1346 into law on Saturday, which moves to outlaw the sale of gas-powered equipment that uses small motors, primarily impacting the state’s landscaping industry.
This law follows Newsom’s 2020 executive order that prohibits the sale of all gas-powered vehicles by 2035. According to the AP, “state officials say running a gas-powered leaf blower for one hour emits the same amount of pollution as driving a 2017 Toyota Camry from Los Angeles to Denver, a distance of about 1,100 miles.” The law prohibits the sale of small gas-powered off-road engines on or after January 1, 2024, or as soon as state regulators determine it is “feasible,” whichever date is later.
And that’s not all:
The law further requires regulators to offer rebates for California residents who switch out their gas-powered equipment for new zero-emission alternatives. In addition, according to The Hill, $30 million is allocated to support professional landscapers in making the switch.
The law, which appears on its face to be a step toward sustainability, will likely fall victim to some new eco-angst some decades from now when the focus on the downfalls of fossil fuels is replaced by concerns over the way in which we create lithium ion batteries, or the coal plants that power our home outlets.
