The Cost of Climate Change
Reducing our contribution to global warming may be expensive. The actual global warming, however, is likely to be much more expensive.
In support of that last claim is a new report that is the most definitive look to date at the economic impacts of climate change on Washington. (There's a shorter one for Oregon (pdf), published in 2005.)
I thought this lede from the Seattle Times was a great summary:
A warming climate could cost Washington governments and businesses tens of millions of dollars every year in drought-stricken crops, forest fires and tightened water supplies, according to a new state study.
It is the first such analysis illuminating how rising temperatures and shifting snow patterns could ripple through the economy.
Yakima Valley farmers could experience more crop losses as snowpack declines. Forest fires could double in size, driving up the costs of fighting them and hurting tourism. Dairies in Whatcom County might produce less milk. Cities, including Seattle, could spend millions more on water conservation or expand their water-storage dams. More than 50 square miles of Washington land could wind up underwater if sea levels rise two feet.
More media coverage here and here.
One of the report's primary authors is Yoram Bauman, a PhD economist and longtime Sightline associate. I contributed to the report in a small advisory capacity.
Imminent Eminent Domain Reform?
It looks like the Washington legislature is going to take up eminent domain soon. According to editorial coverge in the P-I:
A bill this legislative session should require general public notification (beyond Web-based meeting dockets) of condemnation decisions and direct notification of landowners by any government considering using eminent domain to acquire property. Openness is vital.
That sounds like an unalloyed good to me.
There's also movement afoot to go a step further and address "Kelo-style" eminent domain, something that dozens of states have done in the wake of a very unpopular 2005 Supreme Court decision that allowed expansive power for governments to condemn private property and turn it over to another private party.
I think it's probably a fine idea to address Kelo in Washington, though it's also a bit odd for reasons that I'll explain in a moment. For one thing, reform should remove a stalking horse issue that was used to try to sell some awful regulatory takings ballot measures in a number of states in 2006 (though, interestingly, not in Washington). But there appear to be a couple of widespread confusions about eminent domain reform.
Food Fad Is a Century Old
The local food movement is all the rage these days. There's an innovative 100-mile diet experiment; debates about the relative merits of local versus organic; community supported agriculture; multiplying neighborhood farmer's markets, and a number of other promising developments (see, for example, here, here, here, and here if you really love the links).
It's worth remembering, I think, that the local food movement is not exactly new. In fact, the iconic Pike Place Market -- perhaps the Northwest's greatest bastion of local food commerce -- is turning 100 this year. The many-month-long celebration begins today. Go check it out.
Plus, if you're lucky enough to visit the Market today, you'll also be lucky enough to see the snow-covered Olympic Mountains for the first time in far, far too long.
