The PERC/Liberty Fund undergraduate student colloquium, “Free Market Environmentalism and the Institutions of Liberty,” was held last week. A couple of faculty members, 23 students, and I were immersed in a week-long discussion about markets, the environment, and liberty. The group of students was diverse — from across the country and globe. They prepared by readingContinue reading “Free Market Environmentalism: It’s No Oxymoron”
Author Archives: admin
Q&A with Richard Rice of Save Your World
It is officially summer and that means PERC is welcoming dozens of visiting fellows ranging from scholars and students to journalists and entrepreneurs. Last week we welcomed Richard Rice, the co-founder and president of the Save Your World Foundation—a nonprofit whose mission is to protect globally significant areas through incentive-based conservation agreements.
The Hard Questions for Free Market Environmentalism
The foundation of PERC has always been high-quality academic research rooted in the principles of property rights and markets. It was this focus on research that led to Terry Anderson and Donald Leal’s influential 1990 book Free Market Environmentalism—the first comprehensive argument for “rethinking the way we think” about the environment. With the third editionContinue reading “The Hard Questions for Free Market Environmentalism”
PERC Reports Winter 2011 Comments
Deeply held mistrust of property rights in Africa I just read Gregg Zachary’s most interesting article in PERC Reports (Winter 2011) about property rights in Uganda. I’ve been based here in Kenya for some 45 years and now research mainly economic impacts of property rights. What never ceases to amaze me is the deeply heldContinue reading “PERC Reports Winter 2011 Comments”
Q&A with Michael ‘t Sas-Rolfes on Rhino and Tiger Economics
Michael ‘t Sas-Rolfes is an environmental economist with a focus on the role of markets for biodiversity conservation. He has been actively involved in various private conservation initiatives for 25 years, starting as a financial manager of a private game reserve in South Africa and later conducting research on the role of private markets for wildlife conservation in Africa.
Q. & A. on Rhino and Tiger Economics
Conservation of animals like rhinos and elephants may eventually be conducted most successfully by markets where these animals have monetary value rather than just emotional value. It may sound cold, but it could well keep them from becoming extinct
No Surprises Here: The Geography of Ethanol Support in the Senate
The debate over ethanol subsidies rages again in the halls of Congress. Today the Senate voted 73-27 in favor of repealing a $6 billion tax credit for ethanol producers. The measure would end a 45-cent-per-gallon tax credit for ethanol refiners and a tariff of 54 cents per gallon on imported ethanol. The bill’s passage mayContinue reading “No Surprises Here: The Geography of Ethanol Support in the Senate”
The Prius Premium and Other Sensible Nonsense
Photo: Toyota As this working paper by Steven and Alison Sexton explains, there is a substantial, and important, price premium that Toyota Prius buyers are willing to pay to drive a Prius. They are clearly buying something other than mere transportation. To some—indeed many—this waste of resources seems silly. To others it seems wonderful. TheContinue reading “The Prius Premium and Other Sensible Nonsense”
Why California may not have to close its parks
ABC’s Radio International interviewed PERC’s very own Laura Huggins last week about the planned closure of 70 state parks in California later this year. Rather than close the parks, Laura recommends turning over operations and management to private companies through leasing arrangements. Listen here. For more, see a list of the planned park closures [PDF] orContinue reading “Why California may not have to close its parks”
Angling for Utah’s Waters
Image by Angus Mackie/Creative Commons via flickr PERC fellow Randy Simmons appeared on RadioWest last week to discuss stream access in the West. A summary from KUER at the University of Utah: The Utah Stream Access Coalition has filed two lawsuits disputing a 2010 law limiting access to streams crossing private property. The coalition saysContinue reading “Angling for Utah’s Waters”