Change is our only certainty. How we handle it is important. Some risks can be reduced or insured against, such as illness, auto wrecks, and fires. But many risks offer opportunities. Progress implies change and change implies risk. But when considering our environment, many would avoid all risks. Instead they defer to the “precautionary principle.” […]
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In 1989, 60 Minutes produced a panicky story alleging the chemical Alar (used to retard the rotting of apples) greatly increased the risk of childhood cancers. Across America, parents poured apple juice down the drain and stores pulled apple products from shelves. The Washington Post described the event as “one of several food scares that […]
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I applaud state senator Emily Stonington’s (D-Bozeman) Senate Bill 240. The bill would have required methane-drilling companies to seriously consider the impact of their activities on the owners of surface rights. Her bill implicitly recognizes the importance of property rights and illustrates their evolutionary nature. Clear and enforceable property rights subject to the rule of […]
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Montana’s economic prosperity is no longer tied to extracting natural resources. It is simply not our strong suit. The best strategy for our prosperity lies in policy innovations that retain and attract human capital, the ultimate key to progress. In part this requires protecting the environment and reducing the state’s income taxes while simultaneously stressing […]
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Bozeman is an attractive place to live. Its natural beauty and community character foster rapid growth. Increased traffic is one unpleasant consequence. In response, some have proposed a public bus system. Is this really the best solution to our traffic woes? How many people travel only from home to work and back home on a […]
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Poverty is the worst form of violence; this is from the pacifist philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi. The U.N. estimates that to avoid famine some 13 million of the poorest of the poor in countries across southern Africa will soon need 1.2 million tons of food aid. Drought, corruption, dysfunctional political institutions, and war are contributing […]
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Environmental issues are vexing for three reasons: they carry heavy emotional baggage, they are scientifically and technically complex, and often they are important to our health and well-being. No other policy arena is so burdened. These attributes foster disingenuous arguments and even dishonesty. Consider Stephen Schneider, a Stanford biologist and global warming alarmist, who argued […]
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In 1985 we founded Gallatin Writers to explore pressing Western issues. Gallatin is sponsoring a writing contest for college students. The three prizes are modest, $1500, $1000, and $500; the challenge huge. The Stegner contest solicits essays to help our decision makers and opinion leaders understand and wrestle with the implications of demographic, cultural, and […]
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Montana Governor Judy Martz blamed this summer’s fires on Green groups, accusing them of “environmental terrorism.” But let’s be clear: drought, combined with hot, windy weather, was the chief culprit behind this season’s fires. The West has a history of sporadic big fires and it always will. While a few environmental groups do engage in […]
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The latest round of international talks on global warming recently took place in India. Developing countries refused to agree to restrictions on their greenhouse gas emissions. They were more interested in adapting to climate change than cutting emissions. I think this is good news. In July, the Foundation for Research on Economics and the Environment […]
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