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”
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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”
Urban Sprawl: Pro and Con
By Randall G. Holcombe The term “urban sprawl” has a bad ring to it. The name reinforces the view that metropolitan growth is ugly, inefficient, and the cause of traffic congestion and environmental harm. Before we decide we are against urban sprawl, however, we should be clear about what it is and why weContinue reading “Urban Sprawl: Pro and Con”
Prosperity and Environment
By Matthew Brown and Jane S. Shaw Deforestation, lack of safe drinking water, oppressive air pollution-these environmental ills are found frequently in Third World nations but rarely in developed ones. Even so, economic growth is still often portrayed as the cause of many (if not most) environmental problems. The economic literature has begun to addressContinue reading “Prosperity and Environment”
Forest – Saving Fashions
Native forests in New Zealand are being munched to death by millions of opossums. Introduced from Australia in the mid-1800s, the furry creatures have no natural predators in New Zealand. It is estimated that they are now 70 million strong and consume 20,000 tons of foliage every night. Although hunting and poison have been usedContinue reading “Forest – Saving Fashions”
Turtle Tourism
Along Brazil’s Atlantic coast, local people patrol 620 miles of beaches to protect five endangered species of sea turtle. By protecting the turtles, they are also protecting an important source of income based on ecotourism. One local man said, "Turtles have become a big part of my life. If I or any other fisherman seesContinue reading “Turtle Tourism”
Wilderness By Reservation
Private wilderness playgrounds are the future for quality outdoor recreation. At least that is what William Altenberg, Jr., is betting on. In northern New Hampshire, he leases 24,000 acres of timberland from the International Paper Company and offers hiking, biking, kayaking, and backcountry skiing to paying customers. He is building lodges, yurts, and a 100-mileContinue reading “Wilderness By Reservation”
Recipe For Sludge
Sift it, bake it, and put it on the garden. That is basically how contaminated soil or sludge is cleaned and returned to use. The baking process causes the contaminants to vaporize leaving the soil clean enough for a variety of human uses. Soil Restoration and Recycling (SR2) is a Chattanooga, Tenn., company that isContinue reading “Recipe For Sludge”
Market for SO2 emissions
By Daniel K. Benjamin The results of the SO2 tradable emissions program are in– and the economists were right. Economists have long argued that tradable emissions permits are, in principle, superior to the command-and-control approach in reducing pollution. Traditional regulators have disagreed. The results of a pioneer trading program are now in, and they suggestContinue reading “Market for SO2 emissions”