It never ceases to amaze that two adamantly opposing views can both argue that science proves their claim. That is because science is knowledge about what is and what can be. Opinions and values, however, both political and private, establish what should be. Science can be used to defend a value judgment, but without theContinue reading “Science or Political Science?”
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2011 PERC Fellows
Each summer, PERC awards fellowships to scholars, journalists, business people and environmentalists from around the world who are engaged with the same ideas and approaches to conservation as PERC. Their particular interests vary widely, including forestry, fisheries, ecosystem services, climate change, conservation easements, energy development as well as many other topics. Fellows are expected to spendContinue reading “2011 PERC Fellows”
Top Five Environmental Disasters That Didn’t Happen
In honor of Earth Day, Reason.tv offers this video featuring Ron Bailey (a 2010 PERC Julian Simon fellow):
Playing Chicken with the Department of Ag
by Paul Schwennesen Josh is a Mennonite friend who happens, by the grace of native talent and a powerful work ethic, to produce magnificent chickens. Raised on green growing pasture, they are never medicated, never fed artificial supplements or genetically selected to grow abnormally fast. They develop rich golden fat and a deep flavor; characteristics thatContinue reading “Playing Chicken with the Department of Ag”
Basic economics can preserve the environment
The industrial revolution that began about 200 years ago has changed humanity’s relation to, and attitudes about, nature completely—and sometimes it has generated new views about God and nature, such as from the Transcendentalists of the 19th century. In the first half of the 19th century, Alexis de Tocqueville reflected that in America, civilization endedContinue reading “Basic economics can preserve the environment”
Climate change is back in court
Today the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in American Electric Power v. Connecticut, about which Jonathan Adler wrote in the latest edition of PERC Reports. At issue is whether greenhouse gas emissions constitute a “public nuisance” and require judicially devised emission controls. Adler offers more thoughts on today’s hearings here.
Free Market Environmentalism on Campus
Last week I joined Andy Nash on InsideAcademia.tv for a short discussion on “Sustainability and Free Market Environmentalism.” The video is now available online. Thanks to Andy for a great discussion.
Renewables are a costly shot in the dark
PERC’s Roger Meiners writes that calls for massive changes in all aspects of modern life from transportation to food production in
order to reduce carbon emissions are unrealistic. Repeated failures of such utopian experiments suggests extreme caution.
Is No Use Good Use?
Last spring President Obama announced America’s Great Outdoors action plan, an initiative to plan for conservation and recreation in the 21st century. A dominant idea is that America’s conservation should come from America’s people and not be directed from Washington DC. Amen. One can only hope this will differ from the current public input track we’re on.Continue reading “Is No Use Good Use?”
Here’s what an energy transition looks like
What will our energy future look like? Unlike many of our political leaders, I claim no special insights, but I see some interesting trends. The first is reported by Roger Pielke, Jr. demonstrating the switch away from oil in electric power generation in the early 1980s by OECD countries. Beginning in the 1970s a sharp riseContinue reading “Here’s what an energy transition looks like”