When a 930-acre farm went on the market near Yellow Springs, Ohio, a town known for its 1960s counterculture ambiance, the residents went to battle in the marketplace. Fearful that developers would buy the property at auction, residents earmarked $400,000 from a greenspace fund and organized an array of fund-raising events. A concert along withContinue reading “Saving Open Space”
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Economic Value of Government-provided Information
Late 19th-century storm warnings from the U.S. Weather Service yielded substantial, positive net returns to society. Economists are notorious for using both sides of our mouths when talking about the government. We claim that government has a comparative advantage in provision of so-called public goods, such as national defense, the creation of property right systems,Continue reading “Economic Value of Government-provided Information”
An Attraction For Sharks
Shark fishing had been a way of life for generations of Donsol residents. Families in this tiny village in the Philippines relied on the giant, docile whale shark for their main source of income until overfishing made the shark increasingly scarce. With guidance from the World Wildlife Fund, however, the villagers have created a newContinue reading “An Attraction For Sharks”
New Life For Old Timber
The reclaimed wood industry which began in the Northeast is now taking hold in the Northwest. As sources of old-growth timber dwindle and environmental awareness grows, old wood is much in demand. Duluth Timber Company, a Minnesota-based firm, is doing a booming business in Seattle selling reclaimed wood from demolished homes, factories, warehouses, and evenContinue reading “New Life For Old Timber”
Environmental Progress: What Every Executive Should Know
A new paper challenges conventional wisdom about the role of business in environmental issues. Written primarily for business executives, it offers new ideas for addressing environmental challenges while keeping a principled commitment to market competition, consumer choice, and innovation.
Soaking Up The Sun
Sun and shade are working together at the International Airport in Sacramento. The largest free-standing solarport in the country has a photovoltaic system that tracks the sun across the sky, providing electricity to the power grid and cool parking spaces to airport visitors. The solarport measures 393 feet long, 30 feet wide and 14 feetContinue reading “Soaking Up The Sun”
More Market Perspectives
Fort Peck Dinosaur Discoveries of McCone County, Montana, is trying to save debt-ridden ranchers by helping them harvest dinosaur bones. Tourists can hunt for bones on private land, accompanied by a guide, and will receive a finder’s fee for any specimens they manage to track down. Dinosaur Discoveries will sell the fossils and share halfContinue reading “More Market Perspectives”
Straw Houses
Withstand Huffs And Puffs To many of us, straw is nothing more than brown stubble left behind after the harvest. Once considered an agricultural waste product, straw is the basis of a cost-effective and energy-efficient building material, providing an alternative to expensive lumber. In Perrytown, Texas, on the high plains of the panhandle, Cindy ThyfaultContinue reading “Straw Houses”
Straw Houses Withstand Huffs And Puffs
To many of us, straw is nothing more than brown stubble left behind after the harvest. Once considered an agricultural waste product, straw is the basis of a cost-effective and energy-efficient building material, providing an alternative to expensive lumber. In Perrytown, Texas, on the high plains of the panhandle, Cindy Thyfault of Stramit USA isContinue reading “Straw Houses Withstand Huffs And Puffs”
Harnessing Markets to Improve Water Quality
Using a free-market approach can save money and reduce pollution