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Freedom, Liberty, and Environmental Regulation
Freedom is a core American ideal, defended with blood and treasure. But its meaning is contested, and perhaps distorted, especially by special interests trying to protect and enlarge their economic and political power. These loud voices mistakenly and perhaps deliberately … Continue reading
Posted in Tea Party
Tagged equity, freedom, guilt, neoliberalism, pluralism, regulation, responsibility, smart growth, sustainability
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Landcare 3: The Will to Act
[Part 3 of 3: see 1 and 2] The challenges we confront are immense, but not insurmountable. Alternative paths leading towards solutions exist. Landcare is safest and most rewarding of these paths, but it will be difficult steer our culture … Continue reading
Posted in Landcare
Tagged Fear, humility, materialism, neoliberalism, story, sustainability
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Landcare 2: Paths Towards Sustainability
[Part 2 of 3: see 1 and 3] It is becoming increasingly difficult to deny our situation is desperate. Serious observers of trending conditions, even the optimists, now sound like Chicken Littles, pointing to perfect storm forming on the horizon: … Continue reading
Posted in Landcare
Tagged faith, neoliberalism, regulation, religion
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Landcare 1: The Problem
[Part 1 of 3: see 2 and 3] Why don’t Americans debate landcare with the same passion as we debate healthcare? We should. Both are critical to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Healthcare understandably feels more immediate: we … Continue reading
Ecosystem Services: Perils of Pricing the Priceless
Nature, our landlord, does not send us a monthly utilities bill. The oxygen we breathe gets replenished for free. So too our water gets filtered and stored, our wastes decayed and soil fertilized, cancer causing ultraviolet radiation blocked, and crops … Continue reading
Posted in Environmental Fundamentalism, Markets, Philosophy/ethics
Tagged ecosystem services, humility, morals, pluralism
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The Benefit of Hindsight
Many Americans enjoy health, wealth, and convenience exceeding our ancestors’ wildest dreams, living better than royalty did just a few generations past. These achievements were not cheap; in fact, they consumed much of our inherited natural capital. Now we are … Continue reading
Posted in Philosophy/ethics
Tagged Fear, materialism, religion
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The F Word
Use the F word. Go ahead. Feels good to turn heads and command attention, doesn’t it? Those of us who care about sustainability need to sprinkle what we say with the F word. Continue reading
Posted in Forests, Leadership, Philosophy/ethics
Tagged language, pluralism
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Talking Higher Ground
I walked past a bumper sticker the other day: I’ll keep my guns, ammo, and money. You can keep the “change.” I chuckled at the clever wording, but so strongly disagreed with the implications that I sat down and drafted … Continue reading
Posted in Philosophy/ethics
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Engaging Nature
Even within the cocoon of suburbia I occasionally engage nature: walking to work when the snow is too deep to drive, clearing roots, rocks and earth to construct hiking paths, chopping trees into pieces to be burned for heat, planting … Continue reading
Posted in Philosophy/ethics
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Who Should You Thank?
It is time for us to grow up and recognize what we have been given. We might not like our chances when our luck runs out. Continue reading
Posted in Philosophy/ethics
Tagged ethics, humility, responsibility
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