I’ve become interested in Bozeman’s concern with “bad grass.” Several letters to the Chronicle have condemned large bluegrass lawns, the kind that looks so good when luxuriating in ample moisture. They urge public condemnation, regulation, and a move toward xeriscape lawns that have low water requirements. Some recommend mandating small lawn areas with drought-tolerant grasses […]

Transaction costs. Externalities. Pareto superiority. Sound daunting? Imagine a young woman, just months out of university and having spent the last four years wandering, wide-eyed, through the worlds of Dostoevsky, Steinbeck, Voltaire, and Gide. Suddenly she finds herself in beautiful Bozeman, Montana, plunging headfirst (with no helmet) into the classics of political economy, amongst a […]

The Annual Energy Forum recently hosted by MSU outlined the challenges of keeping carbon out of the atmosphere while supplying the energy people demand at prices they’re willing to pay. I came away convinced that geoengineering, i.e., the deliberate modification of the Earth’s environment, will receive ever more attention as the steep and unavoidable costs […]

Last week I received calls from two presidential campaign policy advisors; one Democrat, the other Republican. Each expressed interest in environmental position papers for their candidates. They hope their perspectives on Green issues will appeal to voters, especially those in Western states. Both parties need help—but in opposite directions. Republicans need sensitivity to Green issues, […]

The minimum wage is a wonderful example of how good intentions can go awry with perverse results. I have recently been party to several discussions illustrating how and why this is true. One illustration comes from a judge who told me a sad story involving one of his clerks. Most law school graduates leave with […]

I write this during FREE’s second conference of the summer for federal judges. The first program focused on energy, while this one is on terrorism and civil society. The two seemingly distinct topics intersect as politicians opportunistically seek justifications to curry favors and further the interests of constituents and contributors. Exploiting fear of terrorism exemplifies […]

I’m often asked about our consumption of natural resources, e.g., oil, iron, and copper. Since these resources are finite and population continues to grow, aren’t we in danger of running out? My short answer is no, we’ll never run out of anything that trades in the marketplace. But, we should be concerned about running out […]

Thirty years ago a few colleagues and I created an environmental policy institute at MSU. With the support of several foundations, we brought academics, business leaders, environmental professionals, and journalists to Bozeman. Some stayed for a week or more. I am pleased that so many commented on the friendliness and courtesy they experienced in our […]

With increasing acceptance of the reality of global climate change, interest groups of all stripes clamor to get in on the act. Some want to do good. Others want to do well, or to impose their notions of virtue on others. Our challenge is to devise sensible responses to global warming, while blocking “solutions” benefiting […]

I find the Gallatin Gateway community immensely attractive on multiple dimensions. Its location is grand; an easy ten miles to Bozeman on paved back roads, a near perfect bike commute. It enjoys a spectacular setting with the Spanish Peaks to the south, the 100,000-acre Flying D ranch to the west, and the Gallatin River running […]