Environment

WPC's Center for the Environment brings balance to the environmental debate by promoting the idea that human progress and prosperity work in a free economy to protect the environment.

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What's New

USA Today Report Echoes WPC Finding on 'Green' Schools

December 11, 2012 in Blog

A report in the USA Today found that "green" schools in other states don't actually perform as promised. The report, "Green Schools: Long on promise, short on delivery," gave this example from the Houston Independent School District:

Wherein I Plagiarize Blatantly From the Sightline Institute

December 7, 2012 in Blog

It is a bit of a dreary, winter Friday. Since my coffee has not yet kicked in, I will simply plagiarize this excellent paragraph from Alan Durning of the Sightline Institute.

Save the Planet. Expand the Highway Network

November 8, 2012 in Blog

From the Northern Virginia Transportation Alliance:

Save the Planet.
Expand the Highway Network


The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors recently endorsed unanimously its Private Sector Energy Task Force's recommendations as to how Fairfax County can become a leader in the area energy sufficiency, sustainability and "green" technology.

Banning plastic grocery bags may be overall negative for the environment

November 5, 2012 in In the News
The Bellingham Herald
Source: 
The Bellingham Herald
Date: 
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Link: 
http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2012/11/03/2751727/banning-plastic-grocery-bags-may.html

Navy's New Solar Installation: Lemonade Stand Economics At Work

November 2, 2012 in Blog

A couple weeks ago, solar energy company SunPower announced a new agreement to provide the U.S. Navy with solar power, claiming it would save the military branch $13 million. One solar energy blog wrote this about the announcement:

Changing What We Tax

October 29, 2012 in Events
Date: 
Wednesday, November 14th, 2012
Time: 
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Place: 
Room 109, Otto Miller Hall, Seattle Pacific University
301 W. Ewing Street
Seattle, Washington
Google Maps

Changing What We Tax: Prospects for a Free-enterprise Solution to Energy Security and Climate Change

Washington Policy Center and the Energy and Enterprise Initiative present a panel discussion on energy and climate policy, November 14th at Seattle Pacific University.

On World Food Day, A Question for Greens Opposing GMOs

October 16, 2012 in Blog

Today is World Food Day, a day designed to focus on reducing worldwide hunger and poverty. According to the United Nations, more than 800 million people worldwide are undernourished. While that number is tragically large, it is a dramatic improvement on where we might have been.

Subsidizing Green Industry Is Like Propping Up a Kid’s Lemonade Stand

October 11, 2012 in Publications
By

Todd Myers, Director, Center for the Environment

, October, 2012

The Seattle Times published this column on October 10, 2012

As far as business models go, it is hard to beat the lemonade stand. The costs — lemons, cups, sugar — are paid by the parents. Kids have no overhead and receive all the profit.

Further, the young, cold-beverage proprietors have a built-in demand from neighbors willing to overpay for lemonade sold by kids.

Subsidizing green industry is like propping up a kid's lemonade stand

October 10, 2012 in In the News
The Seattle Times
Source: 
The Seattle Times
Date: 
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Link: 
http://seattletimes.com/html/opinion/2019398004_guesttoddmyersxml.html