Topic: Environmentalism

Economic Education, Environmentalism, Free Markets

Julian Simon and Paul Ehrlich’s Second Bet

– March 11, 2021

“It is easy to remember Simon as a cheerful optimist whose view can be summarized as ‘more people, more innovations, more value created, more abilities to deal with environmental problems.’ But, in reality, Simon was a much deeper thinker who connected markets and economic growth to solving environmental problems through institutions. It is worth remembering how rich his outlook was.” ~ Vincent Geloso

Economic Education, Environmentalism, Government

The Texas Freeze: A Reality Check

– February 24, 2021

“Can the Texas experience lead this nation to a better recognition of reality? Can it help politicians and administrators give priority to the concrete problems of today rather than the vague and speculative problems of the future?” ~ Jane Shaw Stroup

Economic Education, Environmentalism, History

Economic Impromptus from the Ordinary Business of Life: A Trip to the Park

– February 22, 2021

“As I never tire of telling my students–though they probably tire of hearing it–economics is everywhere. The cool thing is you don’t even need to know where to look.” ~ Art Carden

Economic Education, Energy, Environmentalism

The Difference Between Copper and Cucumbers

– February 15, 2021

“Most of the raw materials that we ever brought out of the Earth’s crust are still with us, capable of being used and then turned into something else when that better fits our needs and wants. Cucumbers and renewable crops don’t have that quality. If anything, Circular Economy proponents should be horrified by cucumbers, not copper.” ~ Joakim Book

Economic Education, Environmentalism, History

Julian Simon: Important Enough to Name Your Kids After

– February 12, 2021

“Simon was a model mind and an outstanding intellectual citizen. He thought through the theory and formulated his hypotheses very carefully. He tested his hypotheses against the data. Importantly, he took real and consequential action based on his beliefs–at great risk to his own reputation, but to the everlasting benefit of the rest of us.” ~ Art Carden

Economic Education, Environmentalism, Regulation

“Sustainability” Misses the Point

– February 7, 2021

“By standard definitions, what we are doing is ‘unsustainable,’ but most human activities are. Over some time period every activity is unsustainable, but that’s not an indictment, practically or morally, of doing them. When the environment is harming humans (the default position of life), we should offer those humans the best available protection against that – with or without a worsening climate.” ~ Joakim Book

Economic Education, Environmentalism, Government

The Hype Surrounding Environmental, Social, and Governance Investing

– December 3, 2020

“The shares of ESG companies will get wicked expensive as more and more money piles into them. At that point, with the expectation of low returns on ESG and high ones on ‘wicked’ stocks, virtue investors and ESG fund managers will have to eat palpably lower returns or creatively reclassify ‘wicked’ companies to get higher performing stocks into their portfolios, i.e., destroy the meaningful differentiation between ESG and ‘wicked’ companies once again.” ~ Robert E. Wright

Environmentalism, Free Markets

The Tide-Theory of Climate Change

– October 28, 2020

“Adaptation matters. Economic growth matters. Feats of engineering most certainly matter, as do flexibility and ingenuity of unregulated markets. Everyone from serious climate researchers to less-serious climate activists seem to forget that.” ~ Joakim Book

Economic Education, Environmentalism, Science

Climate Catastrophism and a Sensible Environmentalism

– October 22, 2020

“We should deal with the threats of climate change, but we should do so sensibly and in conjunction with other threats. Because one thing is dangerous and potentially harmful, every other dangerous and harmful thing doesn’t just go away.” ~ Joakim Book

Economic Education, Environmentalism, Property Rights, Regulation

Is the Amazon Really a Market Failure?

– August 27, 2020

“A government strong enough to assign and enforce private property rights in remote areas wouldn’t have a problem with (excessive) deforestation in the first place. A government weak enough – or uninterested enough – that it’s unable to do so, couldn’t credibly abstain from chopping down trees, or promise that its citizens won’t do so either.” ~ Joakim Book

Authoritarianism, Environmentalism, Free Markets

Let’s Cancel Environmentalism: A Triple Review of Environmentalism’s Opponents

– August 19, 2020

“We need to cancel environmentalism – and replace it with a scientifically sound and carefully deliberated environmental humanism. A humanism where damages and harm to the planet matters, but so do human life, wealth, and well-being.” ~ Joakim Book

Economic Education, Environmentalism, Free Markets

Against the Bambi Syndrome: Nature Is Not Nice

– August 12, 2020

“Nature may be pristine, but nature is not friendly. With climate change making nature even less secure, we would do well to let technology and global economic growth protect us. With wealth and technology, we can both tame it and protect against its worst excesses.” ~ Joakim Book