[Page 1191]Free market environmentalism is the idea that free enterprise (capitalist) principles, such as strong property rights, bring about better ecological outcomes than command-and-control regulations. This is accomplished, as free market environmentalists argue, by replacing the inefficient political determinants of environmental standards with the more efficient, cost-effective market mechanisms. Advocates of this viewpoint have not only established normative principles and values that should guide environmental protection in the future, but they also cite historical cases that seem to show the superiority of free market principles over government fiat in preserving the natural environment. Free market environmentalism stands in stark contrast to the orthodox or mainstream viewpoint, which claims that most environmental problems are caused by market failures. This traditional view suggests that free enterprise activities ...