HBC Presents
It’s Our Destiny—Hadrian’s Eco-laws
Staring Founding Mother Destiny Stuttgart
Here in Hadrian, we respect nature. We work to recycle all that is recyclable and avoid waste to the best of our ability. One aspect of human waste that became an extreme landfill problem in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries was the disposal of items that were reparable but too costly for customers to pursue that option. Big business capitalized on this by producing products intended to wear out, keeping the customer coming back for ‘newer’ versions. Even though the parts needed for a repair were available, they were so costly it was cheaper for the customer to opt for a new product.
In Hadrian, this business practice, accompanied by the consumer demand for newer, better, and faster devices, is unacceptable. One of the first laws put into place in our newly formed constitution is to outlaw this practice. Every business is required by law to offer a ten-year product guarantee. If anything breaks down or wears out in that time, it is incumbent upon the manufacturer to repair the product. Customers, too, will be held to a high standard. Once you have purchased an item, you cannot replace it during those ten years. Every citizen is to adhere to this law by making every effort necessary to repair and reuse that product. We must all strive to keep from filling our landfill sites with useable material. In Hadrian, we will not burden the earth with the human obsession for material gain. Know this; if you cannot fix a tool or appliance on your own, then you must hire someone to do this for you. The Tinker is a venerable trade that is seeing its resurgence in Hadrian.
So, take care of your bubble if you qualify for a personal vehicle, keep all kitchen instruments, tools, and own recreational devices clean, oiled and in good condition. Manual items may be more work to use, but they last longer and are easier to repair. Remember, buy wisely and make sure you understand the inner workings of your material goods, as you will not be replacing them for a minimum of eleven years. Our landfill sites will contain waste and only waste!
Next, it is important to remember we are all responsible for the health of our citizens and the planet. All forms of fossil fuel are illegal. Anyone found tampering with this illicit energy source will receive a one-way ticket out of Hadrian, never to be invited back amongst our citizenry. Any crime of a significant consequence, such as fraud, theft, dealing in the black market, murder, battery, will result in the same sentence. Hadrian has no intention of creating a prison system to burden our economics. If you do not wish to conform to the norms established before receiving your citizenship, then you will discover just how easy it is for you to lose it. That is not to suggest that lesser crimes will result in immediate exile. Smaller incidents are still frowned upon, but such infractions (like littering, failing to comply to in-home recycling rules (as I explained in a previous episode you need to separate all paper, plastics, metal and glass items; as well, every household is expected to produce their own compost for gardening), littering, etc. Please review the list of all petty incidents (found on Hadrian.gov.org) that will ultimately result in exile if you fail to heed the proper warning. Remember, we are acting on the baseball principle: three strikes and you’re out. We all agreed to help restore the planet, every single one of you assured immigration of your loyalty to this critical cornerstone of our country’s foundation. Trust me when I say we take this very seriously. Much of Hadrian is still virgin land and we intend to keep her this way. Our cities will be curt out of nature while simultaneously retraining nature’s true beauty. We will not litter our streets. Hadrian is to be a model for the rest of the world, illustrating how humanity can live in harmony with the planet. To this end, we have forged an agreement with our First Nations brothers and sisters, leaving the bulk of their ancestral land in their capable hands. Their spiritual connection to the earth has never waned, and from them, we shall learn how our nation is a gift to be treasured, not wasted. We will build on their knowledge of agriculture and urbanization to gently acquire our needs without creating irreparable damage like our predecessors. Pollution, in any form, will not be tolerated in Hadrian. Abuse of the earth and the bounty of life provided will be respected.
I usually am not so harsh, but this point is crucial. Reversing the effects of climate change is one of the four cornerstones of our new nation. We gathered here with a determination to work with the earth and protect her precious, generous bounty. If you are in opposition to those ideals, then you do not belong; if in concordance, then Hadrian is ideal the home for you.
On that note, I say Good Night Hadrian, and remember, love yourself, love your neighbours, love humanity.
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