Audio – Chip Mellor (Use Explorer for best results) In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Kelo v. City of New London, the flood gates to the abuse of eminent domain for private development are now wide open. Cities can take a person’s home or business and transfer it to a developerContinue reading “Eminent Domain and the Aftermath of Kelo v. City of New London”
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Conservation Easements: A Closer Look at Federal Tax Policy
Land trusts and one of their important tools, conservation easements, are major forces in today's environmental movement. Conservation easements are partial interests in land that prohibit intense development.
Agriculture and the Environment:
By John K. Hosemann Introduction John Hosemann, who recently retired from the American Farm Bureau, brings some unsettling insights to his analysis of agriculture and the environment. In this essay, he examines the mixed legacy of federal intervention in agriculture and its impact on environmental conditions. To Hosemann, farm conditions today are the result ofContinue reading “Agriculture and the Environment:”
PERC Wins Antony Fisher Award for Second Consecutive Year
PERC has won the Sir Antony Fisher International Memorial Award for the second year in a row. PERC was honored for publication of The Not So Wild, Wild West, a book by Terry L. Anderson and Peter J. Hill. The award was given Wednesday, April 27, in Miami, Florida, at a meeting of the AtlasContinue reading “PERC Wins Antony Fisher Award for Second Consecutive Year”
2004 Index of Leading Environmental Indicators:
Earth Day is Cause for Celebration: Environmental Trends Mostly Positive By Steven Hayward with Michael De Alessi, Holly L. Fretwell, Brent Haglund, Joel Schwartz, Ryan Stowers, and Sam Thernstrom Full Text PDF Chapter on Public Land Management by Holly Lippke Fretwell [[{“type”:”media”,”view_mode”:”media_original”,”fid”:”7249″,”attributes”:{“alt”:””,”title”:””,”class”:”media-image”,”typeof”:”foaf:Image”,”style”:”width:110px;height:146px;float:left;margin:0 1em 1em 0;”,”wysiwyg”:1}}]] SAN FRANCISCO – The ninth annual Index of Leading EnvironmentalContinue reading “2004 Index of Leading Environmental Indicators:”
Marketing the Wealth of Nature
The kayak slides quietly through the tannic waters of a creek flowing into Western Lake, a rare freshwater coastal dune lake along the shores of the Gulf of Mexico. Up ahead, perched on a cypress snag, a blue heron plays the role of lonely sentinel guarding this piece of wild Florida. As I passContinue reading “Marketing the Wealth of Nature”
Betting on the Wealth of Nature
Simon’s claims can now be put to the test for the entire twentieth century. Despite ups and downs in prices over the course of the past century, a wager in 1900 would have been won in 1999 by the person who predicted a decrease in natural resource prices. (Prices are adjusted for inflation using 1998Continue reading “Betting on the Wealth of Nature”
Old Becomes New Again
The latest trend in furniture appears to be environmentally sound, remarkably inventive, and priced considerably higher than the wares at Pier 1. Coat racks made from steel rebar, light fixtures from wooden pallets, and headboards from rusty garden gates are all the rage. This reclaimed-object furniture was once the decor of necessity for struggling collegeContinue reading “Old Becomes New Again”
Soot-Free in Montana
Libby, Montana, a town of about 8,000 residents located in the northwest corner of this giant state, is probably best known for its health problems related to asbestos. But its troubles don’t end there. In this remote and economically depressed area, residents often rely on wood stoves for heat. The result is air pollution thatContinue reading “Soot-Free in Montana”
Superb Wines from Green Acres
In years past, the most prestigious wineries in Napa Valley, Calif., were the most pristine. Not a weed to be seen, just a perfect monoculture—row upon row of meticulously tended grape vines. Today, one of Napa Valley’s premier wineries, Shafer Vineyards, is boasting a new look. Its appearance is trashy, chaotic, and unkempt. Growing amongContinue reading “Superb Wines from Green Acres”