The Government Giveth and the Government Taketh Away
By Donella Meadows
–March 19, 1992–
“What difference does it make, whether my land is taken away from me by a Czar or by the State of South Carolina?” asks an incensed developer.
His land was in fact not taken away, but his development plans were, by a regulation against building on an erosive beach. He is suing the state for violating the [...]
Miracles From Nature Take a Long Time to Develop
By Donella Meadows
–March 12, 1992–
Some people say that the discovery of a cancer cure in the Pacific yew is a perfect example of why we should save ancient forests. Some people say environmentalists’ efforts to protect the yew just demonstrate how the Greens care more for trees than for people.
I say that the yew story shows why we should slow [...]
A Voter’s Guide to the National Economy
By Donella Meadows
–March 5, 1992–
Most of us are well aware that the economy is badly off kilter. We are working harder (those who still have work), paying more, and getting less. We’d like to ask the candidates who are seeking our votes some hard questions.
But economic analysis is not exactly the long suit of the average citizen, and the government [...]
Irradiated Food: Safe, but No Thanks
By Donella Meadows
–February 27, 1992—-
The first shipment of 2300 pints of irradiated strawberries left a new $7 million plant in Tampa last January — the first commercial food irradiation plant in the United States. When the berries arrived at a North Miami Beach supermarket, they were greeted by protesters.
In the Ivory Coast in Africa a similar plant is under construction. [...]
Dear Folks: February 23, 1992
Dear Folks, Well, the weather hasn’t changed a whole lot from what I was complaining about a month ago, except that things are easing slowly from ice to mud. The temperature is less often -15 and more often +35. Nothing seems to fall down from the sky except freezing rain. The ground is half bare, and frozen three feet down. It’s [...]
