What are governments for?
What purpose do governments serve? Some people think we could do without them, but that’s absurd. Even libertarians agree that some kind of police force and legal system are necessary to ensure that individual freedoms and property are protected, especially when conflicts arise over competing freedoms and property rights. Full Story

Is a healthy economy good for people?
On November 25, referred to as “Black Friday” in the U.S., a woman pepper-sprayed fellow customers at a California Wal-Mart during a mad rush to get a bargain-priced Xbox. In North Carolina, it was police who used pepper spray to subdue shoppers hell-bent on getting deals on electronic gadgets during the biggest shopping day in the country. Full Story

Don’t say the D-word
A kerfuffle is raised every time a comedian, politician, or businessperson uses the F-word or the N-word. I understand that. But to me, the D-word is the most obscene. I’m referring to disposable. Let me explain. Full Story

Is seven-billion people too many?
What’s the biggest challenge in the world? Climate change? Economic disparity? Species extinction? A Western billionaire – maybe a member of the one per cent the Occupy protesters are talking about – will likely say population growth. A lot of well-off people in North America and Europe would agree. But is it true? Full Story

A 56-million-year-old lesson in climate change
Our planet is an ever-changing sphere of wonder and mystery. By studying sediments, ice-core samples, trees, and fossils, scientists have been able to piece together some of its phenomenal history and evolution. Full Story

 Environment Headlines