Massachusetts Zeroes in on Plastic Bottles

The commonwealth of Massachusetts, like New York, is facing an illegal immigration crisis that’s impacting communities statewide. Thanks to a right-to-shelter law, which gives families with children who meet certain requirements a place to stay, the problem has only gotten worse. Emergency shelters have swelled, along with the cost to taxpayers. But that’s not the only problem on Massachusetts’ plate, of course. A “top priority” for the Massachusetts AG is combating the opioid epidemic, which has hit the commonwealth hard, with more than 2,000 dying from overdose in 2020. And residents are increasingly concerned about affordable housing, education, and the costs of childcare. The point is—there are many pressing issues facing Massachusetts residents that Gov. Maura Healey could, and should, prioritize. That’s why her announcement at The Clinton Global Initiative in New York City on Monday was surprising.

In the name of climate change, Healey said the commonwealth would be the first in the nation to adopt a ban for state agencies on purchasing single-use plastic bottles.

“We know that plastic waste, plastic production are among the leading threats to our oceans, our climate, and environmental justice. In government, we have an obligation — we also have an opportunity — to not only stop contributing to this damage but to chart a better path forward,” Healey said. "In our coastal state, we know climate change is our biggest threat. We also believe that taking action is our greatest opportunity, an opportunity to secure a safe, prosperous and sustainable future."

I’ll sign an Executive Order directing our state to set biodiversity conservation goals for 2030, 2040, and 2050, and develop strategies to meet these goals.

These are the nation’s strongest protections and are among the first to extend to coastal and marine habitats.
— Maura Healey (@MassGovernor) September 18, 2023

Massachusetts can’t do this alone — our natural world recognizes no political divisions, and neither should our work to protect it. Working together, we can protect our oceans, our people, and our future.
— Maura Healey (@MassGovernor) September 18, 2023

X users not only called out Healey for her misguided priorities, they also wondered what will happen in an emergency.

Of all the issues facing Massachusetts, Maura Healey decides banning plastic bottles and bowing down to the Clinton Initiative is a top priority.

Meanwhile her policies are destabilizing the electric grid and causing a huge increase in fossil fuel consumption. https://t.co/cGFFXsdFFC
— Jim Davidson (@jimdavidsonma) September 18, 2023