Questions to Shape the Future
by Elizabeth Sawin
— January 15, 2003 —
Viagra may help to save endangered species. That was the odd sounding headline of a recent Reuters story.
It turns out that Viagra has reduced demand for reindeer antler velvet and for the sex organs of Canadian seals. It may be helping green turtles, geckos, and sea horses, too. Parts of these animals are used [...]
Imagine Agriculture as a Competitive Game: Who Wins?
by Hal Hamilton
— December 3, 2002 —
Imagine agriculture as a vast competitive game structured by economic rules. All the players are competing to win with one formula of success: the highest returns and the lowest costs.
The power of this game is that it’s the only game. To farm, buy, process and market food and fiber you play by the efficiency [...]
We Are Vulnerable but not Powerless
by Elizabeth Sawin
— December 2, 2002 —
A Czech friend of mine sent an email during the recent NATO summit as American fighter jets stood by and riot police filled the streets of Prague. “Sometimes,” she wrote, “I feel as though the world has gone mad.” Her words spoke my own thoughts so clearly it was as though I was reading [...]
Ending The Race To The Bottom
by Elizabeth Sawin
— November 1, 2002 —
Here’s a simple game that makes a not-so-simple point.
Stand in a line, with several friends. Each of you hold your right index finger out in front of your body. Now place a long stick across all of your fingers, balanced upon them. Your collective goal is to lower the stick to the ground. There [...]
Dead Zone Economics
by Elizabeth Sawin
— October 1, 2002 —
The headline in the August 16 issue of Science magazine is ominous — “Dead Zone Grows.” To the right of the headline is a map of the Gulf of Mexico. And drawn on the map, hugging the shoreline, is an irregular green stripe. This is the Dead Zone, an area of the Gulf where [...]
