Bozeman’s extended spell of vernal temperatures spurs thoughts of global warming. The preponderance of scientific evidence shows that for whatever reasons (human-induced carbon emissions, natural climatic variation), average global temperatures are increasing. The important question is: What do we do about it? The most common arguments revolve around reducing emissions of greenhouse gases. But this […]
Read More
Here’s a true, important, universal generalization: Across time and cultures, water normally flows uphill toward money. What are the implications for our area? Let’s first consider Yellowstone Park. The thermal features of Yellowstone are fed by aquifers that reach and recharge far beyond Park boundaries. Yellowstone would still be magnificent, but it would be much […]
Read More
I’m writing this column while Leonard Bernstein directs the Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s The Joy of Christmas on my iMac. This is remarkable on multiple dimensions: artistic, cultural, political, and technical. I’m happily amazed. Imagine, Lenny in Salt Lake, the only American city in which he is a gentile. This musical genius from New York, who […]
Read More
Historically, the greatest scientists are great precisely because they broke with the consensus. Remember this when discussing global warming and other environmental issues. Such issues are always contentious, for they share two characteristics: They are technically complex and highly emotional. Can you think of a single environmental issue that isn’t both? Global warming tops the […]
Read More
I was asked by a friend about my position on I-147, the initiative to repeal Montana’s ban on cyanide heap leach mining. He knows I am a strong supporter of free markets. He thought I would support repealing the ban, for it would generate jobs. He’s certainly wrong about my position, but his misunderstanding of […]
Read More
In 1968 I had the immense good fortune to work with Garrett Hardin, a distinguished ecologist. His Science article, “The Tragedy of the Commons,” is the most reprinted article in the magazine’s history. Together, Garrett and I produced a book in print for nearly 20 years, Managing the Commons. (A second edition is published by […]
Read More
Think tanks challenge conventional wisdom and generate alternatives. Gallatin Writers and FREE seek innovative solutions to difficult environmental and economic problems. In this spirit we sponsor the Wallace Stegner Essay Contest. Here are the results for 2004. Wallace Stegner claimed that he was born to write one story — the story of the “boomer” and […]
Read More
We’re in the midst of a landscaping project. It includes truckloads of a substance called “Beauty Bark.” Paying for this material reminded me of the difference between economic growth and economic progress. This is a happy story — and not only because of our more attractive yard. It demonstrates how ecological improvements flow from better […]
Read More
I live in the Sourdough Creek watershed, just south of Bozeman. This mix of federal, state, and private lands is highly valued — as a recreation spot for city residents, for its wildlife habitat, and as one of Bozeman’s primary sources of drinking water. The watershed’s forests and soils are a natural filter for the […]
Read More
Rather than baling hay and irrigating, Ramona and I have spent this summer planning the Mont Pèlerin Society (MPS) meeting. This organization hosts the world’s premier Classical Liberals. Classical Liberalism does not refer to FDR and the big-government New Deal. It originated in the 19th century, committed to limiting political power and supporting individual rights. […]
Read More