Pol 310 Week 4 Discussion Questions 2 Biodiversity Extinction And Making Choices In Policy

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This work POL 310 Week 4 Discussion Questions 2 Biodiversity, Extinction, and Making Choices in Policy contains answers on the following tasks: "Some people argue that since extinctions have always taken place, they should be considered a natural process and that the current extinction rates are not a matter of concern. Others point out that the preservation of biodiversity is essential to the continuation of life on Earth and that human actions have greatly accelerated the extinction rate. Should the policy process take into consideration all competing positions

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Business - General Business Environmental Values Policy . Identify an environmental amenity from the following list: a. Clean air b. Earth’s climate c. Ocean health d. Wilderness areas e. Endangered species f. Clean drinking water g. Old growth forests Look at Figure 1.1 in Chapter One of Environmental Policies . Identify the different values associated with that amenity. Then, identify a policy tension between the amenity that you choose and a threat to that amenity. For example, clean air is threatened by economic interests that pollute the air (e.g., industries that do not use “green” technology when emitting pollution, automobiles, large-scale confined feeding animal operations, etc.); wilderness areas are threatened by gas and oil interests, pressures to build roads in roadless areas, etc. Also, discuss the ways that different worldviews (e.g., biocentricism, anthropocentrism) play into the controversy surrounding the issue. In your opinion, have lawmakers adequately protected the value of the environmental amenity? Why or why not? Which worldview is present in your response to part E of this question? Your initial post should be at least 250 words in length. Support your claims with examples from required material(s) and/or other scholarly resources, and properly cite any references. Respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts by Day 7. Do you agree with your classmates’ assessments regarding whether lawmakers have adequately protected the value of the environmental amenity identified in their postings? Why or why not? Common Pool Resources – Privatization or Collective Action . Identify two common pool resources from the list below, one that seems to be best managed by privatization and another that seems to be best managed through collective action. a. International fisheries b. Aquifers c. Forests d. Atmosphere e. Oil f. Herds of elephants g. Ocean floor mineral deposits in international waters Why does privatization work better for one, while collective action works better for the other? Your initial post should be at least 250 words in length. Support your claims with examples from required material(s) and/or other scholarly resources, and properly cite any references. Respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts by Day 7. Do you agree with your classmates’ assessments regarding whether privatization or collective action is the best choice for the common pool resources that they identified? Why or why not? Climate Change . Choose one of the following scientific organizations and review the research on climate change. Cite three specific facts that you learn about climate change. Does this information agree with what your local news station or newspaper is saying? Why or why not? Explain? To what degree do you believe that individual activities – say, choosing to walk to work instead of driving – can have a measurable impact on a changing climate? Why? How do you think that scientific, political, ethical, social, and/or cultural perspectives have shaped your beliefs on this matter? Use the following required links: National Aeronautics and Space Administration – Climate Change: How Do We Know? National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration – About Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change – Reports Your initial post should be at least 250 words in length. Support your claims with examples from required material(s) and/or other scholarly resources, and properly cite any references. Respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts by Day 7. Compare and contrast your classmates’ response relating to whether an individual’s activities can have a measurable impact on a changing climate with your own beliefs. How are the forces that have shaped your classmates’ beliefs different from your own? How are they the same? Air Quality . Research and report (describe) what efforts are in place to manage air quality in your town and state. Remember to consider emissions testing regulations, air quality index use, and other components of air quality management. Which institutions, laws and regulations exist to manage air quality in your town and state? These may be local, state, or federal laws, regulations and institutions. Consider the things you do in your everyday life that might contribute to air quality problems. How did you first become aware that your activities might contribute to air quality problems? Did you (or have you) done anything to alter your activities, so that your contribution to air quality problems is minimized? Your initial post should be at least 250 words in length. Support your claims with examples from required material(s) and/or other scholarly resources, and properly cite any references. Respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts by Day 7. Compare and contrast your classmates’ responses relating to the things they do in their everyday lives that might contribute to air quality problems with your own activities related to this matter. Are they the same? Are they different? Which laws, regulations, or institutions have influenced your activities differently than your classmates and their activities? Which laws, regulations, or institutions have influenced your activities in a similar manner? Clean Water . From a policy-making perspective, compare the challenges associated with addressing water quantity versus water quality issues. Which is the more challenging problem to address by policy process? Discuss the limitations of the Clean Water Act in addressing both water quantity and water quality. Besides the Clean Water Act, which other policy mechanisms or regulatory measures can be implemented to address water quality and water quantity challenges? Do you think that policymaking can legitimately differ based upon social, cultural, or geographical perspectives, or do you think that there is one “right way” to approach environmental problems through policy and regulation? Your initial post should be at least 250 words in length. Support your claims with examples from required material(s) and/or other scholarly resources, and properly cite any references. Respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts by Day 7. Compare and contrast your classmates’ response relating to which policy mechanisms or regulatory measures can be implemented to address water quality and water quantity challenges with your own assessment of this issue. Do you think similarities or differences reflect similar or different perspectives from a social, cultural, or geographical perspective? Energy . Identify three different renewable energy sources. Compare those sources from a policy and regulatory perspective to determine which of those sources will become the most significant source for renewable energy in 50 years. Explain why your choice will be the most significant renewable energy source. How do specific demands for energy (e.g., transportation, heating, electricity) affect your choice? From a policy and regulatory perspective, what do you think has to happen in order to make your choice a reality in 50 years? Your initial post should be at least 250 words in length. Support your claims with examples from required material(s) and/or other scholarly resources, and properly cite any references. Respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts by Day 7. Compare and contrast your classmates’ response relating to which renewable energy source they believe will be the most significant source for renewable energy in 50 years with your own thoughts on this issue. Have you focused on the same or different energy demands when formulating your responses? How does choice of focus for energy demands affect the answer to this question? Land Management Policies and Habitat . Consider land management agencies, and their associated statutes and policies in the USA. How do land management agencies, and their associated statutes and policies protect habitat, even if habitat protection is not their primary concern? Specifically compare the National Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Bureau of Land Management when answering this question. Your initial post should be at least 250 words in length. Support your claims with examples from required material(s) and/or other scholarly resources, and properly cite any references. Respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts by Day 7. Compare and contrast your classmates’ response relating to land management agencies’ roles in protecting habitat with your own. What points did you classmates raise that you did not consider? What points did you consider that are not reflected in your classmates’ postings? Biodiversity, Extinction, and Making Choices in Policy . Some people argue that since extinctions have always taken place, they should be considered a natural process and that the current extinction rates are not a matter of concern. Others point out that the preservation of biodiversity is essential to the continuation of life on Earth and that human actions have greatly accelerated the extinction rate. Should the policy process take into consideration all competing positions – even when those positions would result in opposite policy outcomes – when creating policy? Why or why not? If positions that resulted in opposite policy outcomes were reflected in our laws and policies, would those policies and laws be effective? Why or why not? Your initial post should be at least 250 words in length. Support your claims with examples from required material(s) and/or other scholarly resources, and properly cite any references. Respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts by Day 7. Do you agree with your classmates’ assessment of the effectiveness of laws and policies that reflect opposite positions on the matter? Why or why not? Hazardous Waste and International Environmental Policy . Consider the problem of the exportation of hazardous waste, such as e-waste, from wealthy countries to poor countries. How can domestic policy address this issue, when domestic policy applies to domestic issues, rather than being capable of governing other lands? What are the limitations of domestic policymaking as they relate to global environmental problems, and in particular, the problem of exporting hazardous waste? What can individual people do to influence policymaking in this context? Your initial post should be at least 250 words in length. Support your claims with examples from required material(s) and/or other scholarly resources, and properly cite any references. Respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts by Day 7. Compare and contrast your classmates’ response relating to what individual people can do to influence policymaking in the global or international context with your own. Hazardous Waste and International Environmental Policy . Consider the problem of the exportation of hazardous waste, such as e-waste, from wealthy countries to poor countries. How can domestic policy address this issue, when domestic policy applies to domestic issues, rather than being capable of governing other lands? What are the limitations of domestic policymaking as they relate to global environmental problems, and in particular, the problem of exporting hazardous waste? What can individual people do to influence policymaking in this context? Your initial post should be at least 250 words in length. Support your claims with examples from required material(s) and/or other scholarly resources, and properly cite any references. Respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts by Day 7. Compare and contrast your classmates’ response relating to what individual people can do to influence policymaking in the global or international context with your own.

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