Green Cities Declaration

The San Francisco Urban Environmental Accords Green Cities Declaration (June 5, thanks to Wendell Cox for the pointer) has to be read in its entirety (all 21 proposed Actions) to be fully appreciated. It assembles all of the feel-good proposals that the green-left has come up with (more "renewable" energy, city-wide greenhouse reduction plans, reduce the use of disposable, toxic or non-renewable products by 50% in seven years, zero-waste landfills by 2040, accessible public parks or recreational open spaces within one-half km of every resident by 2015, the same for "affordable" public transit, etc.).

Sorry, no trade-offs cited. One has to read all of it to appreciate it.

I know that politics is weird and that economic thinking competes badly in terms of feel-good nostrums.

And just last week, the NY Times (May 29) ran a front-page piece on "Goals Reached, Donor on Right Closes Up Shop", reporting that the John M. Olin Foundation had a "mission accomplished" moment.

Perhaps it's all Machiavellian: the SF Accords are actually a very clever ploy to keep the Olin (and other) money flowing. Of course.