November 29, 2007

And still the nanny state marches goosesteps on

Jeebus. Val dropped this in the last nanny state post.

The EUnuchs actually anticipated and beat out Kalifornia in their anti-grill stupidity.

Belgium to impose tax on barbequing to fight global warming
12:27 | 03/ 04/ 2007

BRUSSELS, April 3 (RIA Novosti) - The government of Belgium's French-speaking region of Wallonia, which has a population of about 4 million, has approved a tax on barbequing, local media reported.

Experts said that between 50 and 100 grams of CO2, a so-called greenhouse gas, is emitted during barbequing. Beginning June 2007, residents of Wallonia will have to pay 20 euros for a grilling session.

And how will they detect the scofflaws?
The local authorities plan to monitor compliance with the new tax legislation from helicopters, whose thermal sensors will detect burning grills.
(Emphasis added).

So I wondered just how much CO2 this monitoring would emit. Well, it seems that someone has already done the math for me.

According to New Zealand news sources, the average helicopter produces 28 KG of CO2 for one person for one hour of flight. Presumably these new helicopter enforcement patrols will have at least 2 people -- one to fly and one to look for the illegal BBQs. So that's 5,600 grams of CO2 that will be produced EACH HOUR. In order for their to be a net decrease in CO2 emissions, this patrol will have to catch over 110 illegal BBQs EVERY HOUR they are in flight. Anything less and there will be a net INCREASE in CO2 emissions.
Well, in all fairness, the math is off a little because adding another passenger doesn't double the emissions, but the point remains that they would have to find and shut down at least 55-60 barbecues per hour to have a net decrease in CO2 emissions.

Of course, the other part is that they may only be going after the 20 euros tax per barbecue. I won't take the time to do the math but I know that helicopters are not cheap to operate. Exercise for readers: Anybody want to hazard a guess at how many illegal barbecues would have to be found and taxed to pay for the copters?

I'll leave the last comment to Ogre:

Apparently government-produced CO2 is good, while subject- peon- citizen-produced CO2 is bad. I bet they think their poop doesn't stink, too.
Well, yeah.

Posted by Ken S at November 29, 2007 05:54 AM | TrackBack (0) |
Comments

Well let's see...

I just found a police aviation report that lists a mayor in Australia suggesting a new police helicopter program at the cost of $3 million US dollars. Converting that to Euros, that's 2,028,425 Euros. If the entire 20 Euro fine were used to actually pay for the CO2-emitting beast, that's 101,421 BBQs they have to get. Of course, that's leaving out all other related expenses.

But hey, since they're going for 60 BBQs per hour with this copter, that should only take them 141 days (presuming 12-hour a day of copter patrol). Then it's all profit! Well, except that whole CO2 problem...

Posted by: Ogre at November 29, 2007 06:33 AM

Thanks for the calculations, Ogre! And thanks for stopping by!

Posted by: Ken S, Fifth String on the Banjo of Life at November 29, 2007 06:41 AM

Hell, all they have to do is fly over my yard on any given Sunday and make their quota. Of course, they better have gun turrets on that chopper, else they'll get BBQd bacon wrapped 9mm hollowpoints.

Posted by: Val Prieto at November 29, 2007 06:43 AM

You'd waste perfectly good bacon? Dude, I'm shocked.

Posted by: Ken S, Fifth String on the Banjo of Life at November 29, 2007 06:59 AM

Maybe Val would use that not-quite-bacon-for-religious-reasons bacon popular in the local diners around here for ammo, and keep the real stuff on the grill for dinner.

Posted by: Kate P at November 29, 2007 07:52 AM

I find the bacon grease adds to my accuracy.

Posted by: Val Prieto at November 29, 2007 08:24 AM

I wish I had something intelligent to add, but I am head-shaking myself into silence.

And I'm craving a bacon cheeseburger.

Posted by: Maggie May at November 29, 2007 08:57 AM

Only 101,421 BBQs? Out of 4 million Wallonians? That's just 2.5% of the population. C'mon, the EUnuchs can squeeze more euros than that out of the marks. I bet that the thermal sensors will be set so high as to find those smokers hiding in the basement.

With a little imagination, and a lot of heavy handed bureaucracy, they can get way more than a measley 3 million euros. Heck, if they fine everyone just for breathing, they can rake in 80 million euros every time their choppers fly over the neighborhood.

Posted by: The_Real_JeffS at November 29, 2007 09:10 AM

Since it's not enough to simply spot the illegal barbecuers, you also have to factor in the co2 emitted by patrol cars actually going to the homes to investigate and make the bust.

Posted by: annika at November 29, 2007 07:40 PM

A country the size of a postage stamp is worried about its carbon footprint?

Posted by: Alan K. Henderson, king of the transfat underworld at November 30, 2007 08:03 PM