Beach bums
Perhaps because I’ve always thought that beach roasting Seattle coffee is the coolest thing ever, this headline about beach bonfires being banned at two Seattle beaches caught my eye. I foolishly...
View ArticleThink globally, eat globally
Those of you who’ve been wanting more of a smackdown between Paul Roberts and I won’t find it in today’s exchange, where we agree that there are plenty of reasons to enjoy eating natural, locally grown...
View ArticleGreener tax pastures?
Ford has a new, fuel efficient diesel car going on the market called the Fiesta ECOnetic: If ever there was a car made for the times, this would seem to be it: a sporty subcompact that seats five,...
View ArticleLabels for everything
This is a monumentally bad idea: A universal system of food labelling which takes into account everything from nutritional information to the product’s impact on the environment should be established...
View ArticleTeach a man to fish
A post last week touched on assigning property rights to overcome the tragedy of the commons issue that threatens to destroy world fisheries. Today’s New York Times reports on a new study explaining...
View ArticleTaking the LEED on smoking bans
My apartment hunt in downtown Portland yesterday brought unexpected frustration. As I strolled among modern high-rises with big balconies, surrounded by restaurants and coffee shops and independent...
View ArticleAnd out of hope, cynicism
Ezra Klein notes disapprovingly that Obama will likely appoint former Iowa governor Tom Vilsack to Agriculture Secretary: If the Department of Agriculture sees large farmers and farm producing states...
View ArticleVilsack, for reals this time
On November 13 I lamented speculation that Obama would name corn-loving former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack as Secretary of Agriculture. On November 25 I mentioned that Vilsack said no, actually, that’s...
View Article