Bozeman’s farmers’ market is a charming way to purchase locally grown produce and handicrafts. The ideal of self-sufficiency such markets imply is often advocated by environmentalists and community food co-ops, e.g., “Be a yokel, buy local.” But while it may appeal to the well-off and socially conscious, if taken to its logical conclusion it has […]

Think tanks challenge conventional wisdom and generate alternatives. Gallatin Writers and FREE seek innovative solutions to difficult environmental and economic problems. For example, we promote community-based conservation projects and environmental entrepreneurship. Our seminars facilitate policy discussions among federal judges, law professors, environmental professionals, and business leaders. We hope to foster creative alternatives to contentious natural […]

FREE’s seminar series for federal judges and law professors is in its 12th year. I’ve heard many excellent presentations from some of the nation’s leading scholars and last week I heard two of the best. Bob Thompson is the former Dean of Agriculture at Purdue University and recently retired as Director of Agriculture and Rural […]

Some of my favorite summer days are those with Eagle Mount, especially their program for children who have cancer. We all enjoy warm weather and outdoor activities but few appreciate them more than Eagle Mount participants. Fortunately, spring creek-fed ponds on our ranch are ideal for Eagle Mount’s “Camp Brave Heart” for local, national, and […]

Snow is still deep on the Spanish Peaks just south of town, but summer is coming to the Gallatin Valley. The emergence of kayaks and mountain bikes on roof-top car racks signals Bozemanites are shifting gears after a long ski season. As summer arrives, our community has much to celebrate. One is the creative ways […]

The emptying of the Great Plains brings hardship to those holding on to a disappearing way of life. But it also brings opportunities for those who see the signs and adapt. But, however well-intentioned, 13 U.S. senators are providing false hope. Through a serpents’ nest of tax breaks, credits, debt forgiveness, loan guarantees, and federal […]

No prominent member of the Bush administration has convincingly made the case for an environmentalism based on property rights, incentives, and sensible, sustainable regulations. This alternative would be far more effective, efficient, and ecologically sensitive than the command-and-control approach favored by many Greens. The resignation of EPA administrator Christie Todd Whitman offers the administration a […]

Last October the “No More Enrons” coalition issued a report claiming that corporate scandals have cost Americans over $200 billion in lost investment savings, jobs, pensions, and tax revenue. The authors estimated that over a million workers lost jobs at affected companies, while executives cashed out billions in stocks. Intelligent folks of good character don’t […]

Members of Montana State University’s President’s Advisory Council have been assigned a challenging problem. Here it is: In 1984, state appropriations covered 76 percent of MSU’s revenue while tuition and fees accounted for 18 percent. In 2001, those numbers were nearly equal. Clearly, this creates a hardship for some. How can we maintain student access […]

Every society faces the important challenge of meeting its desires without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. Since we care about the well-being of future generations, the question is, How do we best allocate scarce resources over the long term? Here I consider four categories of resources. The first is renewables, such […]