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https://reasonstobecheerful.world/tubingen-germany-defied-mcdonalds-dumped-to-go-waste/>
"On a sunny afternoon, the McDonald’s at the edge of Tübingen buzzes with
customers. Teenagers loiter over fries, a family shares burgers, cardboard cups
and boxes pile up on plastic trays. Nothing here suggests rebellion. And yet,
this fast-food outpost sits at the center of one of Germany’s most
consequential environmental experiments.
Since January 2022, the city of Tübingen has been charging 50 cents ($0.60) for
nearly every piece of disposable “to-go” packaging — every coffee cup, every
pizza box, every burger wrapper — and 20 cents ($0.25) for throwaway cutlery or
straws. The historic university city in southwestern Germany pioneered the
model to stem its waste tsunami. The goal was blunt: Make single-use packaging
just inconvenient enough that people would start thinking twice.
“The aim of the packaging tax is to avoid waste altogether,” says Mayor Boris
Palmer, a prominent former member of the Green Party who has governed the city
since 2007. “That’s why it applies to all disposable packaging, regardless of
the material.” Compostable cups get no discount. From the city’s perspective,
single-use is single-use.
Known for its picturesque old town, cobblestone streets and the Eberhard Karls
University, one of the country’s oldest universities, Tübingen attracts up to
two million visitors every year. The medieval old town clings to the Neckar
River, half-timbered houses lean into narrow streets, and punts glide lazily
beneath arched bridges. Home to around 90,000 residents, Tübingen manages to be
hip (it’s one of the youngest cities in Germany, with an average age of just
under 40) while preserving its traditions. But it’s also known for its strong
focus on sustainability and green policies."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
