Water Wars in Texas

Good article about the coming mass privatization of water in Texas.

Yes, it takes an anti-privatization, pro-conversation stance.

Main book category for water economics.

Texas Electricity

Brownouts in the winter and now maybe electrical brownouts in the summer. What's going on?

Well, ERCOT is the name of the entity that supplies electricity in Texas.

I found this article from 2008 that breaks down the history, law and intent of ERCOT's mission. Even though some time has passed, it's a pretty good introduction to the subject.

Bonus: There is also a very good summary discussion of the different models of electricity distribution (including regulation vs deregulation) in Energy for the 21st Century.

USDA Agricultural Data

Here's a list of food and agricultural data stats from the USDA.

Topics covered includes: Crop outlook and productivity, prices, supplies, organic, commodities and more.

Sample screen shot below.

Energy Use Statistics

Here are Economagic statistics from the US Department of Energy that tell you how much gasoline, coal, wood, wind, electricity, nuclear, oil, natural gas, solar, etc... was burned, used, stored or even thought about....

(note: follow the link above, sign in, scroll down and then choose Department of Energy monthly reports).

Goes by type of activity that consumed the industry too - as in commercial, residential and energy generation.

Ultimately, you can even get to imports/exports and prices paid, etc...

What is Fair Trade and Does it Work?

Here's an introduction to the concept of "fair trade" - the icon you've seen (most likely) on coffee bags. It usually refers to handicrafts and agricultural products from the developing world.

What is it? Among other things, a way for individual producers to remain individually employed and earn higher wages (good or bad? effective or not? read up and make up your own mind).

Quick and dirty link to our holdings on "fair trade" books.

The relevant subject heading is Consumption (Economics)

Economics of Water

A growing population in some of the world's driest areas is leading many people to study the economics of water. Why is a diamond expensive and water free? It's a famous question posed in economics.

Actually that may not persist much longer.

Here is the main category for the economics of water.

To get an idea of how much renewable water a country has, go to Worldbank/World Development Indicators database.

Type freshwater as a search term.

Or check p.142 of the paper copy of World Development Indicators.

Human Fat Is Bio Diesel Ready

Great news - we have discovered a new source of renewable fuel in this country. In fact, we have some of the largest reserves on the planet.

Human fat. Yup, straight from the lipsosuction clinic to your tank.

A Lesson in Commodity Futures

In the near future, you are going to have to understand how commodities are bought and sold. Both growing global demand and the pressure for money to go somewhere are lighting up commodities. Oil, gold, cotton, wheat and rice are just some of the commodities that are about to figure prominently in your life.

Why this is important: Many businesses - like airlines and fuel options - engage in options due to their operational needs. And inflation - and growing demands - makes this an attractive trade in the future.

Unlike equities, commodities often involve contracts to deliver the actual product at a certain price. Most of the time, no actual physical products change hands.

This is good because people sell and resell options and contracts in excess of the actual amount of physical products available. A lot of people don't really have the products to deliver at certain prices either.

Ruh-roh.

Most of the time markets engage in this 120 mph, highwire act without undue consquences. The Great Maine Potato imbroglio of 1976 is a great example of what happens when you find you need to deliver 3 million potatoes to lower Manhattan by 3 pm the next day.

Another take on the whole sordid episode here.

Commodities Information

Here, I mean commodities as being agricultural and some gold. Information on oil and energy is in a different post.

Here's our commodities links page from our delicious account.

A good database is FAOSTAT. It has world wide agricultural price and production stats.

Finally, here is the Commodities Yearbook, which has extensive current and historical information about production and price of commodities.

Energy and Oil Statistics

A great collection of authoritative energy web sites from U.S. government, American and international organizations.

Oil and Gas Journal Databook. (This is a deep one - it has current and potential production numbers for different oil and natural gas fields.)