For more than two decades, special interests have persuaded Congress to mandate Americans buy ethanol whether they want to or not. As a result, 40 percent of the U.S. corn crop is now used for ethanol rather than food. The ethanol mandate means that ordinary Americans pay more for a poorer quality automobile fuel andContinue reading “Should Congress end ethanol subsidies?”
Author Archives: admin
Trade Bans and Wildlife Poaching
On the John Batchelor Show, Terry Anderson discusses how trade bans hurt the very species the regulations try to protect. He continues to describe how a property rights approach, along with liberalizing trade, could improve outcomes for these species. https://www.perc.org/sites/default/files/media/JBS%20Andeson%2020130111_0.mp3
Closing the Coral Commons to Support Reef Restoration in Florida
Despite their ecological and economic importance, Florida’s coral reefs are teetering on the verge of collapse. Scientific studies point to the impact of effluent discharges from municipal storm and wastewater treatment facilities along the coast.
The Tortoise Can Win the Race for Candidate Species Conservation
In June of 2012, the world mourned the loss of the giant tortoise, Lonesome George. The 100-year-old tortoise lived in the Galapagos and was believed to be the last of his sub-species. George served as an ambassador for endangered species—especially in Ecuador where many groups are working to restore not only tortoise populations throughout the archipelago but also to improve the status of other rare species.
Remembering James M. Buchanan
James M. Buchanan, the Nobel laureate in economics and father of public choice theory, has passed away at the age of 93. Buchanan’s work formed the foundation for PERC’s early research on environmental issues.
The EPA Is Politicized—So Make It Official
Would the EPA be better run by a bipartisan commission? Reform the agency by politicizing it, says PERC board member Steven Hayward.
Putting the King of Beasts on Life Support
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed to list the African lion as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. But will it actually help the king of beasts?
Q&A with Charles Mann on Pre-Columbian America
As part of PERC’s Lone Mountain Forum, “Reconciling Economics and Ecology,” PERC board member Steven Hayward sat down with author Charles Mann to revisit contemporary understandings of pre-Columbian America. Mann is the acclaimed author of 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus and 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created, as well as the recent articleContinue reading “Q&A with Charles Mann on Pre-Columbian America”
Wolf 832F and the Yellowstone Hunting Ban
Terry Anderson, interviewed by John Batchelor, considers the gray wolves in Yellowstone and the apparent paradox that hunting creates a healthy population of wild species. https://www.perc.org/sites/default/files/media/JBS%20Anderson%20010313.mp3
The Right to Own Property on Reservations
Dubbed the “First Nations Property Ownership Act,” the legislation would allow Canadian bands (tribes as they are known in the United States) to vote on whether to give individual Indians the right to own their land as private property.