Articles
Most Recycling Is A Waste
[Subscription Required] Metals and some plastics are worth separating, but the rest of it is costly and can hurt the environment.
October 7, 2026
Published: January 9, 2019
Most environmental problems result from the tragedy of the commons. The typical response to environmental issues is to turn to government regulation. In contrast, free market environmentalism embraces the lessons of markets by defining and enforcing property rights to prevent overconsumption or other negative outcomes. Through free market environmentalism, the government and markets can work together to create effective solutions for sustainability.
Discussion Questions
- Can government and markets work together to create effective solutions for sustainability?
- How does the tragedy of the commons affect the environment?
Additional Resources
- For more, read Free Market Environmentalism for the Next Generation, by Terry Anderson and Donald Leal, available here.
- Terry Anderson explains the reasoning behind the production of his book, Free Market Environmentalism for The Next Generation, available here.
- Watch "A Better Way to Preserve the Environment" by Terry Anderson. Available here.
- In "Greener than Thou: Are You Really an Environmentalist?" by Terry Anderson and Laura Huggins, the authors make a powerful argument for free market environmentalism as they break down liberal and conservative stereotypes of what it means to be an environmentalist. Available here.