One of the Clinton administration’s first major environmental policy initiatives was to call for a shift to ecosystem management. In a nutshell, ecosystem management means that the federal government makes protection or restoration of the health, integrity, and sustainability of ecosystems the primary goal of its activities. The Forest Service, for example, now intends toContinue reading “Ecosystem Management:”
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Driving and Density
One technique proposed for combating “urban sprawl” is increasing population densities. Government planners are beginning to require new residential developments to house more people per acre. Even existing low-density suburbs are supposed to be rebuilt to higher densities. The “smart growth” plan for Portland, Oregon, considered a model for anti-sprawl policies, calls for increasing theContinue reading “Driving and Density”
Land Trusts or Land Agents?
Celebrated by market enthusiasts and conservationists alike, land trusts have become the instrument of choice across the nation for conserving farmland, sensitive habitat, and open space. Recently, however, free market environmentalists have been raising a few questions about them. For years, friends of the market such as PERC associates have cheered trusts because of theContinue reading “Land Trusts or Land Agents?”
Superfund Follies
EPA cleanups of superfund sites cost an average of $12 billion for every cancer case prevented. Most people are aware that we live in a world of scarce resources and act accordingly. Not so with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). When it comes to cleaning up Superfund sites around the country, recent research suggests thatContinue reading “Superfund Follies”
Paying to Play: The Fee Demonstration Program
The federal government's program to raise entrance and user fees in national parks and forests is an important step in the right direction, says PERC researcher Holly Fretwell.
Fear Bigger Governments, Not Bigger Populations
Orange County Register October 12, 1999 Fear Bigger Governments,Not Bigger Populations By Richard L. Stroup and Matthew Brown The world’s population surpasses the six billion mark this month, on or about October 12, according to the United Nations. Alarmists are using this milestone to call attention to the dangers of growing population. A study fromContinue reading “Fear Bigger Governments, Not Bigger Populations”
Harvest Of Savings
Harvest of Savings An accountant with a Washington State paper mill was the unlikely inspiration for a new process to produce recycled newsprint. Although the engineers said it couldn’t be done, Carl Simpson suggested replacing woodchips with office paper and telephone directories in order to provide the fiber content needed for newsprint. Steilacoom’s Abitibi ConsolidatedContinue reading “Harvest Of Savings”
Growing Cold
On the island of Hawaii, cold water pumped from 2,000 feet beneath the ocean’s surface is creating ideal conditions for agriculture and ocean farming. In 1974, the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii began research into cold water technology. Now that technology is being put to commercial use growing organic vegetables, flowers, clams, and oysters. TheContinue reading “Growing Cold”
Perpetual Prairie
As more and more people move to the country, they are destroying the very thing that they came for wide open spaces. The once vast grasslands of Texas are succumbing to strip malls and ranchettes. In an effort to reverse this trend, Peter Malin is developing 1,000 acres of farmland outside Fort Worth that willContinue reading “Perpetual Prairie”
Hotel Hogan
The Navajo Reservation that sprawls across the starkly beautiful landscape of northern Arizona and New Mexico attracts thousands of tourists every year. Yet aside from the trading posts and occasional souvenir stands, few tribal members benefit from this wealth of visitors. Many Navajo families continue to live as their ancestors did, herding sheep on remoteContinue reading “Hotel Hogan”