Bloomberg's Last Vice Ban Expected To Pass
What's the last vice New York Mayor Bloomberg will ban before leaving office?
Dec. 19, 2013— -- intro: New York City Council today is expected to pass a ban on disposable foam cups and containers. The ban on single use products made from polystyrene, commonly called Styrofoam, is considered Mayor Michael Bloomberg's last crusade before leaving office at the end of this month.
Testifying before the City Council last month, Bloomberg's deputy mayor explained that the products aren't recyclable, and their crumbly nature makes them break apart and contribute to pollution.
"While it may be convenient for the 10 to 20 minutes that it is used to carry a sandwich or a cup of coffee, the vast majority of EPS foam used for single-service food items ends up in a landfill, where it will sit for 500 years and longer," Deputy Mayor Cas Holloway told the council.
But using disposable foam cups isn't the only vice on Bloomberg's list. Click through for more.
quicklist:1category: title: Young Smokers, Colorful Cigarette Cartons url: text: City Council's vote in October to raise the tobacco-purchasing age to 21 gives New York the toughest tobacco laws of any major city. Bloomberg has also proposed legislation that would require stores to keep cigarettes out of sight, hidden behind counters or in bins or closets so that children and former smokers would not be tempted to buy them.
"Such displays suggest that smoking is a normal activity, and they invite young people to experiment with tobacco," Bloomberg said.media: 18764941caption: Mario Tama/Getty Imagesrelated:
quicklist:2category: title: Big Gulpsurl: text: Mayor Bloomberg's soda ban, which would have outlawed the sale of sodas larger than 16 ounces, was struck down by the New York Supreme Court. The court ruled that the ban was "arbitrary and capricious," but Bloomberg vowed to continue the fight.
Bloomberg touted his health policies after the law was struck down, saying they "helped New Yorkers live longer, healthier lives."
"Life expectancy in our city is now three years longer than it was in 2001 and more than two years longer than the national average," he said.media: 18765187 caption: Allison Joyce/Getty Imagesrelated:
quicklist:3category: title: Cannoli and Cheesecake (Made With Trans-Fats)url: text: Cannoli are a bedrock of New York food culture, but their flaky crusts came under scrutiny in 2008, when the city's health-conscious mayor banned trans-fats from any foods prepared and sold in the city. Famous bakeries including Ferrara's and Junior's adjusted their recipes, along with fast-food giants like McDonald's and Burger King. media: 18765056caption: Paul de Gregorio/Getty Imagesrelated:
quicklist:5category: title: New York City Trafficurl: text: Mayor Bloomberg has long touted New York's subway system as the best way to get around the city. He even rides the subway to work at City Hall. In 2007, the mayor proposed a "congestion charge" in which drivers would have to pay $8 to drive their cars into Manhattan. The plan was nixed by state legislators. media: 18764865 caption: Getty Imagesrelated:
quicklist:4category: title: Hot Cars and Hot Weather url: text: When Bloomberg opts for wheels instead of the subway, he is chauffeured around the city in his trademark black SUV, and prefers that the vehicle be kept cool. Rather than run the car's air conditioning system, however, which would require the engine to be on, Bloomberg aides turn the car off and attach a home air conditioner to the car's front window.
"This is an experiment to be used on extremely hot days like the types we saw last week," spokesman Stu Loeser told the New York Post, which first spotted the strange cooling method. "Even with the vehicles parked in the shade, the temperatures inside can quickly rise to more than 100 degrees."media: 18765143caption: Chad Rachman/NYPost/Splash Newsrelated:
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