"Harmful environmental pollutants are an assault upon the property and persons of America and should not be countenanced by society any more than mugging or theft should be countenanced by society. Cost-benefit analysis in particular -- and political decision making in general -- is too often an attempt to determine whether these assaults on individuals are in the "public interest." I would argue that this kind of naked utilitarianism is alien to the principle of individual rights upon which this nation was founded and fundamentally at odds with the public health objectives of environmentalists."
- Jerry Taylor, Environmentalism and Liberty: Where the Twain
Might Meet, 1997.
| Earth Resource Policy Failure |
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The ownership of property on other planets is essential to avoid the same tragedy of the commons which has been so prevalent on Earth. To secure ownership of property, it will be necessary to occupy it. A system for exchanging property will only arise once a de facto ownership interest can be established. The establishment of property rights in space does not require treaties among nations on Earth, declarations by national governments, or the arduous task of setting up governments for territories not yet occupied. Instead, the simple act of occupying territory will be sufficient to establish ownership. The existing regime of admiralty law, especially as it applies to salvaging vessels is more than adequate as a legal framework for property ownership in space.
Of far greater concern is avoiding the detrimental policy developments which have plagued Earth. Common ownership and "common heritage" are synonymous with the tragedy of the commons.
We can improve standards of living on Earth by creating opportunities in space, developing tourist facilities, creating new high technology jobs, manufacturing new materials in orbit and on other celestial bodies. We can also seek to reduce pollution on Earth with such developments.
While the direct export of industrial activities from Earth into space is not likely to be an early solution, due to high transportation costs, we can establish human environments on other planets to illustrate the practicality of free enterprise solutions for problems such as pollution. Ultimately, these models will be the basis for changing methodologies on Earth.
Vast undeveloped territories on Earth, such as the surface of the oceans or the desert regions, may become useful as locations for power receiving stations for radio-transmitted power from space. The production of solar power satellites may offer an opportunity for developing nations to dramatically increase their power availability without increasing nuclear proliferation or air pollution.
Space also offers a unique opportunity to examine the Earth from a very different perspective. The ability to see the Earth from space has already helped identify sources of pollution, new resource opportunities, and has allowed us to better understand many environmental systems. Again, the free enterprise approach should dramatically reduce costs for weather satellites, remote sensing spacecraft, and the services these mechanisms provide.
| Environmmentalism and Liberty Environmentalism in a Market Economy EPA Air-ogance |
Policy on Environmental Protection Privatizing Superfund |
Regulatory Smog Remote Sensing |
