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.

What's New

Rule-making needs oversight

July 9, 2012 in In the News
Spokesman-Review (Spokane)
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Spokesman-Review (Spokane)
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Sunday, July 8, 2012

Plastic Bag Ban Begins in Seattle: What Will Success Look Like?

July 2, 2012 in Blog

Seattle's new ban on plastic grocery bags took effect yesterday and the question is "what will success look like?"

The immediate reaction might be that success means reducing the number of plastic bags used by consumers. The law is almost certain to do that, since the bags are banned and heavier plastic bags will cost 10 cents a bag.

Surprise: GMA restrictions drive housing prices higher

July 2, 2012 in Blog

Wendell Cox, who spoke at our transportation lunch in May, has a great post about how the Green Belt around London drives home prices higher. The Green Belt restricts the supply of land available for development around the city core and is very similar to the restrictions found in our state’s Growth Management Act (GMA).

How is Creating Green Jobs Like Banning Tractors to Create Farm Jobs?

June 25, 2012 in Blog

Recently the Political Economy Research Institute at the University of Massachusetts released a graphic purporting to show "green" technologies create more jobs than traditional energy sources. The graphic below has been distributed widely by advocates of creating "green jobs." This is a common assertion from the environmental left.

As I note in my book Eco-Fads, this claim is made by many on the left.

Rep. Bill Hinkle discusses environmental policy at Washington Policy Center event

June 11, 2012 in In the News
Washington State House of Representatives
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Washington State House of Representatives
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Friday, June 8, 2012

The West Coast Electric Highway: Shades of the West Coast Hydrogen Highway

June 1, 2012 in Blog

Celebrating the creation of electric car charging stations along I-5 and US-2 today, Governor Gregoire offered this optimistic forecast:

Westin Makes the Free-Market Green Choice

May 19, 2012 in Blog

If you have stayed at a hotel recently, you have seen a card in the bathroom exhorting you to help the planet by reusing your towels, thus reducing the amount of water, energy and detergent used by the hotel. Such appeals are typically based on guilt - you reuse the towels and the hotel receives the financial benefit.

The success of such efforts, however, is tenuous because it is entirely contingent on the convenience and good will of the guests.

Westin Hotels, however, have harnessed the free market to find a better way.