Environmental Snacks

   Renewable energy has become a topic of great debate in recent years. On the surface, it appears to be the answer to the arising problem of resource depletion, pollution, and climate change. Beneath the surface, both literally and figuratively, externalities lurk. In the Pacific Northwest, the Chinook Salmon holds a high spot on the ecological totem pole. The salmon proves to be a keystone species, supporting the bears, birds, and other wildlife in the region, as well as a valuable food source for tribes in the area. For example, the Spokane Tribe of Washington, which has inhabited Washington for many centuries, relies heavily on salmon as a primary food source. Without it, there are threats of starvation. While this may not effect you or I directly, millions of lives are changed drastically, even, and especially, those who don’t benefit from the hydroelectric power itself. A Pigouvian tax is an excellent solution to some problems, but not to others. You can’t pay a bird to ...

  Efficiency is a vital component of environmental economics. To be efficient, resources must be used responsibly while also meeting the needs of the public. If environmental efficiency is achieved, both the needs of the environment and social welfare are met. Environmentally, efficiency is detrimental for many reasons. In addition to fostering a healthy environment, efficiency also benefits the environment by limiting resource recovery to only what is needed, which not only conserves key resources but also minimizes resource waste. It is commonly known that the less waste humans produce, the less money, time and man-power will be needed to clean up a trashy planet. While pollution is necessary to some extent, efficiency equals a much cleaner and happier world. Efficiency is equally as fundamental for social welfare as it is for environmental welfare, and for many of the same reasons. Proper resource allocation, preservation of the environment, and protection against depleted resou...

  For many years, mining has been the primary method of extracting resources from the planet. With the advancement of technology, mining has become safer for workers, as well as being more efficient. But what about the hundreds of thousands of mines near fresh water sources? These toxic bombs with short fuses pose a serious threat to fresh water supplies for billions of people. While some of these sites are Superfund Sites, where work is being done to prevent disaster, many more threaten to explode at any time. What more can be done to ensure a contamination threat can be dealt with effectively? This may not be the biggest environmental problem our planet is facing, but it is certainly extremely relevant. We all remember the Gold King Mine spill in 2015. Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah were all affected. The irony of that situation is a reminder that even though something is being done to prevent the problem, the appropriate plan of action in case of a disaster could use som...