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”
Author Archives: admin
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”
A River Ablaze
Early in the summer of 1969, the Cuyahoga River caught fire. Piles of logs, picnic benches, and other debris had collected below a railroad trestle, which impeded their movement down the river. These piles only lacked a spark to set them afire. A passing train with a broken wheel bearing probably provided that spark,Continue reading “A River Ablaze”
Anti-environmental?
Environmental regulations, not opposition to environmental protection, were the genesis of the private property rights movement.
Protecting Beaches
Along the coast of South Carolina, private island communities-Sea Pines on Hilton Head Island and entire islands such as Seabrook, Kiawah, Dewees, Dataw, Daufuskie, and DeBordieu-are protecting their beaches and other environmental resources. They are not doing this because of government regulation but in order to maximize the value of their investments. Extensive resortContinue reading “Protecting Beaches”
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.
Legislating Ideals
Around 1970, the government began to go beyond enforcing society’s norms and began imposing intellectually generated ideals on society. As a graduate of Yale Law School in 1968, I was a part of this process. My contemporaries and I were instrumental in helping to launch the Environmental Protection Agency, as well as the NaturalContinue reading “Legislating Ideals”
Why I am an Organic Farmer
I was not born an organic farmer or raised or educated as one. One step at a time, however, I converted my farm from conventional agriculture to the completely different system known as organic farming. Organic farming has often been misunderstood and misrepresented, and it has been defined in many ways. Over the years theContinue reading “Why I am an Organic Farmer”
Environmental Education
In one of my favorite Calvin and Hobbes vignettes, a dejected Calvin is standing at a booth in his yard where he is trying to sell swift kicks in the rear for a dollar. When Hobbes the tiger asks how business is going, a nonplused Calvin replies that it’s terrible, adding indignantly, “I don’tContinue reading “Environmental Education”
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”