NOlathe's Blog

Because of my steadfast opposition to Agenda 21 and ICLEI, some folks might ask why I support recycling and conservation in general.  My initial response would be this is a personal decision and not one mandated. And second, the “greenies” have hijacked common sense ideas, magnified and distorted their impact for an agenda that has nothing to do with “protecting nature”.

What if I had a second residence, let’s say a cabin on a lake near Bubbaville, Kansas.  On week-ends my family travel the approximately 2 hours Friday evening to make sure we have a full day Saturday on the water for skiing and fishing.  Every afternoon while the grandkids are off road 4 wheeling I chainsaw and split enough wood for cooking and heating of the cabin.  Last year we had water and electric installed underground from the paved roadway 3 miles away to the cabin, but still no gas.  That’s fine, we rather enjoy the fireplace.  Sundays are special as we almost always have other friends or family drive down to spend the day with us.  Collectively we always “pack out what we packed in” and leave our little place cleaner than when we arrived.

The “greenies” would declare that:

•  I am destroying the planet through my use of carbon fuels (cars, boat, chainsaw) not to mention the fireplace all contributing to my ‘carbon foot-print’.
• As a “one percenter” I have no property rights.  The paved road 3 miles from my cabin was paid for with tax dollars thus the “ninety nine percenters” have equal access to my cabin.
• To make their point more visible to the media, the “greeners” set up an illegal encampment where my drive meets the paved road.  The reporters will walk through trash and human excrement to ask why I am destroying the planet.

Oh but what if I was not describing my week ender?  What if this was owned by not only a “greenie” but a wealthy one percenter “greenie” that made his wealth setting up “occupy settlements”?  What say ye now?

“A couple of winters ago, being the quintessential zoning attorney, I was curled up in front of the fire at my mountain cabin reading a good development code.

It had all the latest bells and whistles that a progressive modern code should have: a form-based TND residential district, hillside protection performance standards, gateway design overlays tied to the city’s recently updatedcomprehensive plan, illustrative tables, flow charts, and pretty graphics. I was proud of it — one of the best my firm had produced. But I had a gnawing feeling inside thanks to environmental guru Lester Brown.”

We first introduced you to Chris Duerksen here saving-the-world-through-zoning the Managing Director of Clarion and Associates.  You might remember him as the one that blamed all of Mexico’s economic problems on American Capitalism.

Thanks to our good friend Charles W. in Virginia we have new information on Chris Duerksen and he has been BUSY making money.

• 2010 Update Sustainable_Code_Intro_AZ0510
• 2012 sustainablezoning
• And now we have Clarion and ICLEI working in harmony ICLEI_CLARION-DUERKSEN-09-Retreat_Packet_and_Agenda .  Chris Duerksen serves on an ICLEI planning committee which produced this statement page 11

Measure What Matters

“A sustainability initiative’s effectiveness hinges on the selection of a structure that clearly sets achievement goals and includes a system for verifying progress toward those goals. Choosing what to measure is simultaneously a reflection of priorities, a statement of worldview, and a political act. (Consider the implications of measuring Gross Domestic Product versus Gross National Happiness.) Decisions about what to measure should be made clear and transparent up front. For example, the Redefining Progress Genuine Progress Indicator expresses its philosophy up front:… we believe that progress is not measured by the quantity of goods we consume, how fast our economy is growing, or how much financial wealth is being amassed.

We believe progress is measured by how well we:

1. Equitably distribute wealth, incomes and access to cultural amenities;
2. Diversify and stabilize our economic base;
3. Protect and restore native ecosystems; and
4. Advance social, economic, and environmental sustainability”

When our elected lose their vision, they hire Duerksen to write one for them, the ICLEI way.  I wonder if ICLEI charges the same dues for a small village in Baswana as they do Overland Park?

My vision is restoring America to her GREATNESS that is in such peril and facing dangerous times ahead.