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Chapter 16 Reflection

1.       What role do personal incentives play in environmental resource management? Should policy design take incentives into account? Why or why not?

Personal incentives play a huge role in environmental resource management. How people feel about the environment and what they gain from protecting it or not leads directly into how we chose to regulate usage. Policy should take incentives into account because if they don’t the policies will be impossible to enforce. The incentives for future generations should also be taken into account. Personal incentives provide a framework for how society values the environment.

2.       What topics did you find most interesting in this class?  Most useful? (This is a chance to review your Reflection posts).

I found the topics that revolved around the legal system to be the most interesting and useful. I have to admit I have a hard time staying awake reading about economics! The legal side of the text I found intriguing because it seems that most of today’s environmental groups are accomplishing protection through litigation.

3.       What topics would you like to spend more time on?

               I would have liked to spend more time on the legal system that protects the environment and what works in that realm. On that note I understand that this was an economics course not environmental law.

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Chapter 15 Refection

1.       Name the four conditions for settlement explained in this chapter.  For one of them explain a deterrent to reaching that condition and a remedy for that deterrent. 

The four conditions for settlement explained in chapter 15 are brute force, decision rule, agreement and take it or leave it offer. Brute force has many deterrents for example loss of life and cost. If all other means of compromise have been exhausted brute force may be the only way to accomplish goals. One remedy for deterring brute force is to take the financial, emotional and physical tolls into account before deciding on using brute force.  

2.       Last summer there was a significant spill into the Animas River above Durango from the Gold King Mine. An update is here - http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/09/25/3705702/animas-river-spill-water-defense-study/ (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site..  Do some research into the spill and the history of the mine.  Who should clean up the spill?  Why?  What are the possible disputes?  How should we begin to resolve them?

Well the first thing that needs to happen is that we need to update laws passed in the 1800’s that were designed to help the energy sector grow. Industry such as coal, oil and gas have been highly profitable for decades and no longer need laws such as the General Mining Law of 1872 basically letting them get away with murder. The mining company that created the waste should be legally responsible for cleaning up the waste. They should be responsible because they are the ones profiting from the business of mining. It also would force companies to consider long term consequences if they were liable for cleanup. Possible disputes could arise from arguments that all of society benefits from cheap acquisition of energy…I disagree because there is no such thing as cheap energy production when it comes to dirty industry. Someone ends up paying the price even if its 100 years from now. Updated old laws and holding companies accountable for waste is one place to start. Funding the EPA so they can actually do their job would be a second place to start.

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Chapter 14 Reflection

1. In Colorado we frequently limit lawn watering to every third day of the week and to specific hours.  What are the advantages and disadvantages of a policy such as that one over a block pricing policy?  Why would you prefer one type of policy over the other to limit usage of water for landscaping purposes?

The advantages of policy is it educates the public that there is an issue that requires their help. The disadvantage is that it very hard to inforce these policies with limited resources to hire people to enforce them. I would prefer increasing block rates because I think they are more effective and encourage people to landscape in a more sustainable nature to save money at home.

2.Listen to this podcast on water - http://www.econtalk.org/archives/2015/03/david_zetland_o.html (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.  In what way is water a scarce resource?  How would you choose to manage water in California?  Why?

Water is a scarce resource because it is in some ways a non-renewable resource. We only have a certain amount of fresh water on earth and creating fresh water from sources such as the ocean is very expensive. We also have large populations of humans living in areas such as San Diego that have very little fresh water, forcing these communities to bring in water from outside regions such as the Colorado River.

I would manage water in California with both water limiting polices and increasing block rates. Limiting policies such as requiring drip agriculture verses flood irrigation would be required. High block rates would apply to luxury items such as private pools and lawn irrigation. Considering the huge drawl on the Colorado River and the frequency of droughts in CA these policies are needed to ensure there is enough fresh water to support human growth and sustainable agriculture.

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Chapter 13 Reflection

1.       What does it mean to manage a fishery using "maximum sustainable yield" policies?

Maximum sustainable yield is the maximum amount of fish that can be harvested from a population without effecting the size of the current stock.

2. Why do common property resources tend to be overused even when they are renewable resources?  What is your favorite method to control overuse? Why?

Common property resources tend to be overused because enforcement of control policies are difficult to carry out. For example tracking all the fish caught in a large area of ocean would take a large enforcement group that would most likely not be economically realistic. My favorite method of control mentioned in the book is ITQs. This system seems to make the most sense as it allows for fishers to buy and sell their fish shares and limits the urge to rush to harvest. I also think education plays a huge role in controlling the harvest of resources. Understanding that we all lose if a species becomes extinct or extremely rare is key to people voluntarily controlling their habits.

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Chapter 12 Reflection

1.       When would you use command-and-control pollution or overuse solutions versus incentive based solutions?  Why? Describe a situation where you would use one or the other and explain why. (Don't use an example from the book.)

I would use command and control policy when the impact to human health was potentially server. For example nuclear waste is far too dangerous to just leave up to the market to decide to do the right thing. On the other hand I think incentive based solutions work great when trying to get society to make a positive change and feel in control over that change not forced into it.

An example of where I would use one over the other would be with solar power. Tax credits and subsidies have been a great influence on the solar market in a positive way and are an incentive based policy.  On the other hand when large home owners in Pitkin County are forced to offset new development with solar they tend to have a negative opinion of the entire industry.  

2.       Find an article or study discussing tradable pollution permits.  Does your example provide a         good example of that solution type?  Why or why not?

               Link to article- https://www.economicshelp.org/micro-economic-essays/marketfailure/pollution-permits/

Considering solar produces very little pollution I do not think tradable pollution permits would work for that industry…but solar may be used to offset more pollution heavy industry. (I am not sure I am understanding this question.)

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Chapter 11 Reflection

1.       What are some international structures are in place to prevent environmental harms when that harm is international in nature?  What are the strengths and weaknesses of those structures?

 Some structures include international treaties, cooperation, organizations and shared knowledge. Examples of these are the UN, WTO, UNICEF, CITTES, UNFF ect…

Some strengths these structures exhibit are the ability to set guidelines for environmental protection internationally, provide disaster relief to poor nations effected by climate change, and educate worldwide audiences. Some weaknesses are corruption, lack of oversight, lack of structured enforcement of treaties across borders and greed with in financial organizations with little to no regulation.

 2.       In many nations policy-makers have an incentive to prioritize commercial interests over environmental interests.  Why is that and what changes could we make to change that?

 Policy makers are only recently being held accountable for environmental degradation. Knowledge of global climate change and the ability for information to travel quickly via the internet has forced policy makers to consider the effects of their actions more broadly. To incentivize policy makers to consider the environment more in their decisions they need to be held finically accountable for destruction to the environment inside and outside their country of residence. This would level the playing field between rich carbon heavy consuming countries such as the US and poorer nations feeling the effects of climate change more drastically.

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Chapter 10 reflection

1.  Find a list of endangered species near where you live and choose one to write about.  How much are you willing to pay to preserve that species?  How did you choose that amount?  What amount would you accept in compensation for the loss of that species?  Are the numbers different? Why or why not?

2.  Contingent Valuation studies are popular for valuing environmental goods for which their are no markets.  What are some strengths and weaknesses of CVM studies? 

3.  Creating a market for endangered species is sometimes suggested as a method to preserve a species.  Recently a legal market for rhino horns has been discussed - https://www.savetherhino.org/rhino_info/thorny_issues/legalising_the_horn_trade (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.  What are the advantages and disadvantages of creating a legal market for rhino horns?  Are you for or against?

The Gray Wolf used to roam the mountains of Colorado and is now on the federal list of endangered species. I would be willing to pay ten dollars a month to preserve this species. I chose this amount based on the fact that I believe a great number of people identify with the Gray Wolf in a positive manner and would also be willing to pay a small monthly fee to maintain or return their populations to the state of Colorado. The loss of this species in Colorado has already lead to an overpopulation of Elk who are now out competing Mule deer and leading to CPW killing off other predators so humans have more deer to hunt. I would not be willing to accept any compensation for the complete loss of the Gray Wolf, their existence is worth more than money. The numbers are different because you cannot put a price on the loss of species until it is gone, we are still learning the many benefits the wolf provides both culturally and finically.

One strength of a CVM study is that you find out what people value from the ecosystem. CVM studies are also one of very few ways to put a dollar sign on ecosystem services otherwise taken for granted by the majority of the public. A few weaknesses of CVM studies are that they are very subjective. Some people might say they are willing to pay for something until they actually have to and then the answer is no. Also depending on the population surveyed, participants might not fully understand the importance of the services they are being questioned about.

I am against the creation of a legal market for rhino horns. The advantages usually claim that if it’s legal it will somehow be controlled and only aggressive males will be killed. The problem is that there is no infrastructure across multiple poor countries to actually implement control over poaching let alone a much more complex legal trade. The second positive claim usually is that hunters will pay such high prices for killing a rhino that the “extra” money will be used to protect the remaining populations. This can be true in some cases where laws are strictly enforced…BUT we are missing a huge point here. The reason rhinos and other animals are near extinction is because we as a species have lacked respect for other life on earth. If we continue to glorify the killing of animals we will never evolve to a state where we can coexist with other living beings and share resources in order to better our own existence.

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Chapter 8 reflection

1.  How do you define the concept of sustainability?  What is the difference between weak and strong sustainability? 

2.  How are sustainability and efficiency related?

3. Consider one of the policy options aimed at helping consumers and/or producers internalize the costs of their choices.  What are the difficulties involved in implementing such a policy? How would you overcome those difficulties?

Sustainability is the combination of caring for the economy, environment and equity in a manner that provides for many generations into the future to thrive.

Sustainability is directly related to efficiency because the most efficient a system operates the less waste is created and the more sustainable the activity is.

Taxing goods is one policy to internalize the costs of the production of wasteful products such as disposable diapers. The difficulty is that taxes are not a policy that is supported by the public and therefore political suicide. To overcome these difficulties education is necessary to sway public opinion and put pressure on politicians to do the right thing. With more and more communities like Flint, Michigan facing the real life consequences of environmental injustice education should be easier to access outside the normal routes.

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Chapter 9 reflection

1. This is a very optimistic podcast.  Do you expect the environment to continue to improve?  Why or why not?  Does it matter that the environment is improving in some parts of the world and continuing to degrade in others?  Is there reason to believe countries such as China will work to solve some of their environmental issues in the near future?

2. What are some of the economic challenges of a declining population?  Is that an appropriate goal for the world? Why or why not?

The environment is not improving so I do not expect it to improve unless we drastically change the way industry is operating especially agriculture. Yields might be currently rising but many studies show that our soils are on the brink of collapse, nutrients in food crops are lower each year and our fresh water supply is currently over used.

It matters greatly that some areas are degrading while others are still ok. People in degraded areas will be forced to move to areas that are doing ok putting a huge strain on those areas potentially leading to war and scarcity issues.

China is currently investing huge amounts of resources into renewable energy, especially solar. I just read an article that showed plans for massive solar fields in the shape of Pandas! Not only are they doing more than the US but they are intentionally designing renewables to become a symbol of their culture. This will of course solve some of their environmental issues.

Some of the economic challenges of a declining population are providing care for larger older generations, maintaining economic growth and demand for goods. A lower population is not a bad thing when we consider our natural resources are in decline. It should be a goal for the world because fewer humans require fewer resources and with the combination of automated workers can still maintain economic growth and care for larger, older generations.

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Chapter 7 reflection

. Identify a strength and a weakness of each of the following fuels:

coal- strength = cheap and abundant. Weakness = extremely harmful to the environment and human health, can be dangerous to extract. 

hydrogen - Strength = clean burning and abundant. Weakness = consumers lack knowledge of product, infrastructure to distribute does not exist, technology is expensive. 

natural gas- Strength = cheap and abundant, infrastructure exists to distribute. Weakness =  becoming more expensive to extract, permanently removes water from ecosystems, toxic waste created from extraction process harms human health and lasts in ecosystem. Creates boom and bust economic cycle. 

solar fuel - Strength = clean fuel source that will never run out, requires very little infrastructure and low long term care. Weakness = lacks a viable storage solution, still creates some pollution in extraction process to create solar panels. 

hydroelectric - Strength = creates large amounts of power with low carbon footprint compared to coal. Weakness = has huge impact on water cycle and communities dependent on water resources. For example fish and fisherman. Can lead to flooding and large water loss through evaporation. 

wind- Strength = clean fuel source that is abundant in many regions. weakness = has negative impact on flying wildlife, can be considered an “eyesore”, no viable storage solutions for excess energy. 

2.  Discuss the reasons to subsidize renewable energy production.  What should be considered when choosing a subsidy rate?  If you were to choose one alternative energy source to subsidize which would you choose?  Why?

The main reasons to subsidize renewable s revolve around leveling the playing filed with fossil fuels. Fossil fuels still benefit from legislation passed almost 100 years ago that subsidize their operations giving them a huge advantage over renewable’s. When choosing a subsidy rate things like benefits to human health and leveling the energy market should be considered.

I would choose solar to subsidize. The industry has grown over 900% in the past decade showing its viability. It is acceptable by most communities and other countries like China and Germany have shown how much we can benefit when the government subsidies help the industry grow, 

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Chapter 6 review

1.       You are interested in controlling emissions from a paper cup factory.  What policies would you consider and why?

I would consider point source policy controls, since point sources are easier to control then nonpoint sources. I would have policies regulating the amount of waste coming from smoke stakes and solid waste. I would also ensure the surrounding community was safe by putting policies in place to reimburse them for any health issues or loss of business.

2.       Consider both the purchase price of an automobile and the usage cost.  How is the cost of pollution embedded in those costs?  Is the purchase price artificially low (are there costs of production not included in the price)?  How about the usage cost?  What policies could be used to ensure more of the costs were included in the purchase and usage prices?

The purchase cost of an automobile does not include the cost of pollution. The cost is set artificially low to make cars affordable. Some policies that might help ensure pollution costs were covered would be a pollution tax on gasoline and oil. This tax could be used to offset the cost of pollution and climate change and would also deter people from purchasing high emissions vehicles. Another idea to regulate the manufacture cost of cars would be to include policies that require car companies to pay some sort of environmental liability insurance. If they create cars that harm the environment and people’s health then they should have to pay for it.

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Chapter 5 reflection

1.       In the winter Yellowstone National Park is a popular location for both snowmobile riders and skiers.  The needs of riders, skiers, and wildlife sometimes conflict.  What is an appropriate solution to those conflicts?  Is there a role for government?  If so, what role (based on the chapter).

Our public lands are currently managed for “multiple use” and to conserve resources for future generations. Government’s role in this case should be to first set boundaries on use to ensure the park and its natural inhabitants can thrive into the future. Conflicts should be handled based on impact to the natural environment considered first followed by recreation needs that support the income of the park.

On a side note I just spent the past week in Yellowstone! Such an amazing and unique place. I was shocked not only by the number of people there but also by the lack of law enforcement on the roads where people frequently blocked traffic and dangerously approached wildlife. I am not sure what the winter scene looks like but if fall was any indication most conflicts with wildlife are certainly instigated by humans.

2.       Why are property rights so critical to discussions in economics?  In instances where they are not well-defined how do you begin a discussion of to whom they should be assigned?  What is the role of government in those discussions? (clean air for example).

Property rights are critical because they can be legally protected. Also ownership of property correlates with better care of that property and a long term management plan. A discussion around who should own rights can begin with the most effected population. Government can help determine who would benefit the most from ownership and the greater good of the people. For example protecting large areas of forest would benefit future generations of Americans more than the current population that might consider harvesting the forest for fuel.

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Chapter 4 Reflection

1.  There are many goods currently provided publicly that could be provided privately, for example, campgrounds in national parks and forests. (See http://parkprivatization.com/) (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.  What are the advantages and disadvantages of providing campgrounds privately? Publicly?  Are campgrounds a Public Good (from the chapter definition)? Why or why not? 

Some advantages of public campgrounds is that everyone has access to them and even if people lose interest these areas are still maintained by tax dollars. Some disadvantages are that public campgrounds can become over used degrading the surrounding environment. Private campgrounds can prevent over use but also exclude people who can not afford them. Private campgrounds also might not have the “greater good” in mind and can choose to not be very ecologically friendly.  

As long as public campgrounds are well managed so that no one is suffering from overuse I believe they are considered a Public Good. 

2.  Why are well defined property rights critical to a market solution to an environmental issue?  What is the government's role in defining property rights?

Well defined property rights are critical to solving environmental issues because they ensure that lands are belonging to those who value them most and will protect them from misuse. Property rights also prevent over harvesting of goods otherwise known as the tragedy of the commons. Government defines and protects property rights, and can also allocate and protect environmental goods. 

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Chapter 3 Reflection

1.  Externalities are a common cause of market failure.   Discuss the deaths of birds as an externality of power production through windmills or the destruction of salmon runs through the production of hydroelectric energy via dams.  How would you value externalities such as those?  Is a Pigou tax on the production of energy a potential solution? Why or why not?

The loss of birds or salmon in energy production is an externality that has value both in financial, cultural and environmental terms. To  measure this I would take into account the marginal external cost using the equation form the book MC (social) + MC (private) + MEC. A pigou tax would help alleviate some of the damage caused by this type of energy production and would encourage innovation to avoid damaging wildlife. The pigou tax would fall short in solving the loss of the cultural importance of salmon fishing to native peoples and the potential extinction of migrating birds. 

2.  Choose a publicly provided good and discuss whether or not it is also a Public Good.  Could the good be provided privately?  Why or why not?

Household water is a publicly provided good. It is not a public good because access is restricted to people who can afford access to it. Water can and is provided privately at a higher cost but not if its piped through publicly owned pipes paid for via taxes. In the future as water resources become more scarce we might see more private providers making access more restricted. 

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Chapter 2 reflection

1)      Discuss why efficiency is important in terms of the environment. How is efficiency related to social welfare? How is efficiency related to MC and MB analysis?

 Efficiency determines how worthwhile or valuable a resource is and who gains from managing that resource. Depending on who gains or losses from that said resource it can directly affect the social well fare of many different populations, most often we see this affecting the poor or animal/plant communities most negatively. MC and MB are used to compare to each other to see if the outcome will be worthwhile or profitable.

 2)      A landfill has leaked a quantity of pollutant into the soil below landfill.  If society ignores the issue there is a 5% chance the pollutant will contaminate the water aquifer and thus local drinking water causing $1 million worth of illnesses in the future. There is an additional 1% chance the pollutant will cause further contamination and $4 million worth of damage and illness.  If these are the only risk factors what is the expected value of the damage from the landfill?

 I’m not 100% on this answer, but I came up with $90,000. Please let me know what equation I should be using. Thank you.

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I am interested in water resource management. Like chapter 1 mentions only 2.5% of the worlds fresh water is considered renewable so scarcity plays a big part in water conservation and management. Using less water in agriculture plays a huge part in water conservation, water may also need to increase in price for people to begin to conserve it in wealthy nations like the US. This topic interests me because I experienced water scarcity first hand growing up in southern Arizona where the human demand for water far exceeds the environments local supply. 

Chapter 1 reflection

Give an example of an environmental or natural resource management issue that you are interested in.

How does scarcity help cause your issue?

Define the choices that must be made to solve the issue

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Chapter 1 reflection

Give an example of an environmental or natural resource management issue that you are interested in.

How does scarcity help cause your issue?

Define the choices that must be made to solve the issue