Economists devote page upon page of their textbooks to discussions of “public goods,” arguing that markets won’t supply them.
Author Archives: admin
Court’s stream-access decision could backfire on anglers
By Randy L. Simmons Anglers are doing back flips over a recent Utah Supreme Court Decision that makes public all waters in the state and permits recreationists to use streams that cross private property. But what is now being cheered as a victory for anglers could backfire, leading to eroded banks, degraded streams, and aContinue reading “Court’s stream-access decision could backfire on anglers”
Shooting the Wild
There is a crossroads in Texas. Down along the Mexican border, in a four-county area, sits the Lower Rio Grande Valley—a merger of tropics and subtropics.
Markets for Water Quality
In the late 1990s, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began encouraging the use of market forces to improve water quality in rivers, streams, and coastal waters.
It’s Our Earth, Now What Do We Do With It?
Political movements are often built on literary foundations. Books, fiction or not, have the power to convince us impressionable readers that we face dire threats, such as unclean meat or pesticides.
Growing Green in Brown China
Desertification is occurring in almost 30 percent of China and salinization affects 10 percent of the nation.
Species Protection
Economist, n. a scoundrel whose faulty vision sees things as they really are, not as they ought to be. —after Ambrose Bierce
Snagged: Halibut Dilemma Gets Attention
Can commercial and recreational fishermen work together for conservation? Donald Leal explores the idea.
Conatster v. Johnson Threatens Stream Banks and Property Rights
On July 18, Kevin Conatser became the poster child for trespassing fishermen everywhere. He earned that reputation when the Utah Supreme Court ruled that public ownership of state waters gave him—and every other Utah resident—the right to stand, wade, and fish on the privately owned stream beds beneath those waters.
Revitalizing African Agriculture
The skyrocketing price of oil and basic foodstuffs has captured worldwide attention. In Africa especially, it has prompted questions concerning the low economic returns to land under agricultural production; the lack of investment in agricultural infrastructure, technology, and education; the poor standards of land management; and the seeming inability of African farmers to respond efficiently to economic opportunities in domestic and world markets.