As Western states continue to develop their oil and gas resources, environmentalists are increasingly concerned about how such activity will impact prairie chickens. Fortunately, local farmers, industry officials, and environmentalists have been working together and are now pitching a free-market solution known as a “habitat exchange” to address this problem. In essence, their proposal creates a “stock exchange” where ranchers generate credits by protecting the bird’s habitat. To drill any new wells or build roads, oil companies would first offset their impact by purchasing these credits at auctions. Seems like this free-market solution protecting chickens is something everyone can crow about.