Bad Codes Increase Greenhouse Gas Levels

Ecological Impact of municipal lawn policies

While we property owners may see codes at the enforcement end, the underlying regulations are flawed and in need of reform. So while there is a whole universe of suboptimal enforcement practices there is another parallel one, a policy universe, of essentially irrational codes, codes that ignore important parts of the real world, like the effect of those codes on carbon dioxide, levels and other emissions.

Take, for example, vegetation policies. Current codes conform to the idea of growing bluegrass lawns and mowing them twenty or more times a year. Does this make sense in terms of carbon emissions?

How much carbon is produced every time we cut an acre of lawn? How does that compare to the carbon dioxide converted into oxygen by that same lawn? I wonder if the lawn gets rid of more carbon dioxide than the mowing makes? I don’t know what the answer is. Someone should do the calculations.

Soaring carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are pushing our beautiful planet into a period of global warming that threatens to destroy much of the human and natural world. Municipalities and counties are on the front line of combating global warming. It is a mission worth being passionate about, because all future generations depend upon our success in decreasing carbon dioxide emissions and increasing photosynthetic production of oxygen from ambient carbon dioxide.

Another Environmental Specialist takes a special interest in my driveway

Well, I saw the Overland Park Codes person come by yesterday. I didn't personally encounter her or him. I just saw a figure in the yard walking across my driveway. By the time I got outside the catlike codes person was already inside a
white pick-up marked "Overland Park".

I was happy that I had hectored Daniel to get his bottle of deruster off the van bumper. Anyway, if that bottle had been out there I'm sure I would have a fine, a possible visit from private contractors in order to put up the bottle and or another visit to Overland Park's Palace of Justice.

Of course the private contractors may be sent out anyway. I have had them come out before only to tell codes personnel that the yard was in compliance with codes. The so-called Environmental Specialist nonetheless directed them to trim a little grass at the edge of a fence. It was a farce and I will not be surprised if it is a farce again.

The yard is parched, it's the beginning of August and not much growing is going to take place. Everything is cut and even the garden vines are almost completely weed free. Still the a Codes Inspector can find something to complain about. Maybe walnuts on the driveway are a violation. I saw some of those out there.

All I know is that I believe I complied with all the complaints that Codes had whether it be cutting the lawn, removing materials from the van, tagging the van and making sure nothing bigger than a walnut was on the driveway.