Comments on: Fridays at Restoration Nation

By: Living the Mile-High Life » Le Central: Denver’s Affordable French Restaurant

Sat, 18 Apr 2009 19:05:01 +0000

[...] was a rather long segue into what should probably be a Restoration Nation post. But instead this is a restorative lunch [...]

By: Restoration Nation: Farmer in Chief III | Living the Mile-High Life

Restoration Nation: Farmer in Chief III | Living the Mile-High Life — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 07:38:41 +0000

[...] the first post about Restoration Nation, I asked, “How can we move restoration into the private [...]

By: Fridays at Restoration Nation: Farmer in Chief I | Living the Mile-High Life

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:52:33 +0000

[...] my first Restoration Nation post, I asked this question: How do we move restoration into the private sector without [...]

By: Beth Partin

Beth Partin — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 20:35:45 +0000

Bernard, I have nothing against profit–since I’m trying to make some moolah from my blog–but I disagree with the idea that profit is the great driver.

Unless you’re defining profit as something that includes money but also other things.

I don’t “profit” from my work with Wildlands Restoration Volunteers, though I definitely get something out of it, especially when I go back and see how a meadow has regenerated.

And the public lands relying on fees–that’s a relatively new development. Didn’t that start under Clinton? I’m a big fan of using taxpayer money to fund reserves and letting the visitors keeping government accountable.

I’m not sure I’ve really gotten the gist of your argument here. Mine is not completely fleshed out, which may be the problem.

By: Jannie

Jannie — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 18:42:09 +0000

You are way smarter than I on the topic but I appreciate the opportunity to learn from your blog and from your other commenters. Thanks!

Should be a law you have to work within 1 mile of your home – would cut out most cars. But seriously, I appreciate what you have to discuss here.

By: BernardL

BernardL — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 17:37:33 +0000

Even volunteers have to make a living. Restoration relies solely on privatization. Without profit, land, landmarks, etc. are at the mercy of whoever wanders by. Even government controlled lands, like Yosemite, or Yellowstone, rely on the money collected on charging the public visitors. The public satisfactorily spends whatever time allotted exploring; and in return, the government employs park rangers, clean-up crews, and toll takers to collect fees. Privately run reserves and restoration projects run in exactly the same way, only better; because unlike the government, private ownership knows the gates close if they don’t produce what they’re supposed to. I’m sorry, Beth; but over time, without profit, there is no ambition. Without ambition, there is nothing. It is no sin for ambitious people, filling a need, to make a profit. God bless ‘em.

By: Beth

Beth — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 16:19:03 +0000

Jannie, you are right about one thing, though: the “market” is composed of people and their actions. If enough people change their actions, the market will change.

By: Beth

Beth — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 16:18:31 +0000

Jannie,

those are all good ideas, and they’ll take us a long way, but there are structural, or infrastructural, issues that stand in the way. For example, the way we’ve designed US lives around cars in the past 50 or so years. Or the fact that most products are designed to be thrown away rather than recycled.

Design for the Environment (DFE) is one way to deal with the latter. And I think it would be profitable for companies in the long run. It’s just difficult to get them to believe in the short run–and I don’t blame them.

By: Jannie

Jannie — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 16:15:43 +0000

At my daughter’s school the policy is a 100% no-waste lunch. Bring all food in reusable containers, thermos’ etc. Boy, does that cut down on trash. Absolutely amazing.

So things like these, starting at home. Re-use, re-use, re-use. What more privatized sector than our homes??

It’s a basic scientific principle that matter is neither created nor destroyed, merely changes form. The less we can change things from their natural state, the better.

So, I think “where” to find answers to these questions is in our own minds, rather than looking outside, because we all know what to do, we just need to do it. If we all buy hybrid or electric cars, gas ones will go out forever. If we buy only Green homes, the other kinds won’t be able to compete. We get what we demand and set in motion.

Thank you.