Speed Blogging
[?]
Submitted by Aguanomics Blog
- Russ Roberts and Mike Munger discuss the importance of “price” in our decisions, e.g., they think that vaccines should NOT be given away.
- A very good discussion paper [pdf] on consumer perceptions of water, how to price it and how to present (sell) expensive and annoying reforms to water management — by Black and Veatch!
- “The National Flood Insurance Program… has encouraged construction in flood-prone areas and hindered the creation of private flood insurance.” Lose-lose: They get flooded, we pay.
- “The Ohio River Basin… has the first multi-state water quality trading market in the US.” Cool. Speaking of that, an update on Oregon’s instream water trading program.
- “US EPA had determined that 15% of water on a sample of 327 aircraft flunked the total coliform standards and inspections showed that all aircraft were out of compliance with the national drinking water standards.” Why? Too many bureaucrats.
- Yes, the air is cleaner, but now the water is dirtier.
- The Aral Sea is recovering in Kazakhstan, but Uzbekistan is still destroying it.
- Chicago may privatize its water system. Why? So that the politicians can blame the new operator for higher prices to cover all the deferred maintenance they prevented (to keep prices down). Typical.
