Week 1
Introduction, Context & Key Concept
Welcome to ECON 340! π
In our first week together, we will walk through the syllabus so you will know what to expect from the courseβwhat you will learn, how the class is structured, and how you will be assessed. We will also set the stage for the semester by introducing some of the key tools and ideas in environmental economics, and by refreshing a few microeconomics concepts that will be especially useful as we move forward.
π Syllabus
- Please read the syllabus.
β Survey
- Please take the anonymous survey on environmental economics.
| Question | Class | Economist |
|---|---|---|
| How concerned are you about air quality? | 84.62% concerned | 57.14% concerned |
| How concerned are you about environmental justice? | 69.23% concerned | 53.97% concerned |
| How concerned are you about renewable energy? | 83.34% concerned | 45.21% concerned |
| How concerned are you about mining impacts? | 53.84% concerned | 40.64% concerned |
| How concerned are you about solid waste? | 76.92% concerned | 39.46% unconcerned |
| How concerned are you about hazardous waste? | 84.62% concerned | 38.38% neutral |
| Establish strict limits on the release of methane in the production of natural gas. | 84.61% favor | 75.39% favor |
| For environmental problems, there should be international agreements that U.S. and other countries should be made to follow. | 100.00% favor | 74.35% agree |
| Spend federal money to increase the number of electric vehicle charging stations in the U.S. | 46.15% favor | 68.95% favor |
| Tax imports based on the greenhouse gases used to make them. | 46.15% favor | 67.72% favor |
| Set higher fuel efficiency standards for cars, trucks and buses. | 84.61% favor | 66.84% favor |
| Provide tax incentives to businesses to promote their use of wind, solar and nuclear power. | 76.93% favor | 63.35% favor |
| Provide tax credits to Americans who install clean energy systems, like solar power, in their homes. | 84.62% favor | 61.26% favor |
| Provide tax credits to individuals who purchase electric vehicles. | 53.84% favor | 51.85% favor |
| Regulation in the U.S. should be implemented to address environmental justice concerns. | 92.31% agree | 81.15% agree |
| Reducing the regulatory power of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would improve the economic efficiency of the U.S. economy. | 53.8% neutral | 80.63% disagree |
| Communities that exist close to hazardous waste sites are aware and accepting of the hazardous waste site(s) near their home. | 84.1% disagree | 75.39% disagree |
| Carbon markets and carbon offsets are an efficient mechanism for private firms to meet their carbon reduction goals. | 53.8% neutral | 56.84% agree |
| Emissions tax or permit auction revenues should be returned to the public through dividends or lower income taxes. | 69.2% neutral | 55.5% agree |
| Emissions tax or permit auction revenues should be used to reduce the national debt. | 46.2% neutral | 42.63% neutral |
| Emissions standards are rigid, and insensitive to geographical and technological differences. | 69.23% agree | 49.74% agree |
π« Lecture Slides
Lecture 1 - Syllabus
View SlidesLecture 2 - Environmental Economics Survey
View SlidesLecture 3 - Microeconomics Review
View Slides
π₯ Looking for lecture recordings? You can only find those on Brightspace.
βοΈ Classwork
π§ Please work on the examples in Lecture 3. π§
π¬ Discussion
Welcome to our Week 1 Discussion Board! π
This space is designed for you to engage with your classmates about the material covered in Week 1.
Whether you are looking to delve deeper into the content, share insights, or have questions about the content, this is the perfect place for you.
If you have any specific questions for Byeong-Hak (@bcecon) or peer classmate (@GitHub-Username) regarding the Week 1 materials or need clarification on any points, donβt hesitate to ask here.
Letβs collaborate and learn from each other!