Part I: Short Answer
Questions (40%)
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| Directions
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You have
8 short answer questions worth 5 points each. The short answer
questions will come in various forms such as: List three types of _____ ; Define and
explain how three types of _____ operate; Explain what is meant by ______ ; In the
video/case what was meant by _____? Accordingly, some answers will involve listing terms
while other will require describing terms or concepts in either a few sentences or short
paragraphs. You should also be able to apply them to videos and handouts discussed in
class. In general, there will not be much overlap between the essay questions and the
short answer questions. |
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Terms/Concepts
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| Governance vs. government |
Environmental racism |
| Glocal (Hemple) |
Hardin's "tragedy of the commons" |
| Contamination, ecosimplification, and natural resource
consumption (Hemple) |
Carrying capacity |
| Cornucopian |
| Environmentalism |
Catastrophists |
| Radical environmentalists |
Optimizer |
| Pragmatic reformers/mainstream environmental
groups |
Reasons public lands are important |
| Hemple's 8 variables or driving forces |
Land management regimes for federal
lands |
| Common pool resources |
Wise use movement/Sagebrush Rebellion |
| Environmental justice |
Malthusian/neomalthusian |
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Part II: Essay Questions (60%)
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Directions
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| You will have to answer 2
of the questions below. There will be 1 required question and there may be some
choice for the second question. Each answer should clearly address all aspects of
the question. You should define all key terms/concepts used in your answer. You should
also support your answer using examples from books, lectures, class notes, videos, or
handouts whenever possible. |
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| 1) Hardin (1968) argues, "ruin is the destination toward which all men rush, each pursuing his own best
interest in a society that believes in the freedom of the commons. Freedom in a commons brings ruin to all." Do
you agree or is it possible to avoid or overcome the tragedy of the commons? In your answer be sure to describe
Hardin's tragedy of the commons and provide examples of a typical common pool resource. What policy options
are often used to overcome commons problems? Do you readings offer any examples of successful efforts to
avoid the commons problem? Under what situations do the readings suggest commons management is more
likely to succeed? |
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2) Suppose you are the Governor of Oregon's chief policy advisory. Several representatives of the state
legislature from urban areas like Portland have introduced a bill that would ban all logging in state forests in order
to protect the salmon and other endangered species such as the spotted owl. However, you suspect that the bill's
supporters are generally strong conservationists who would support efforts to preserve wild lands even if no
endangered species were present. The main opponents to the bill are state representatives from the communities
where the state forests are located. They are worried that the proposal will adversely affect the local economy as
loggers lose their jobs. Moreover, a sizable portion of the timber revenue from state forest land goes back to the
local communities to fund schools, watershed restoration efforts, and improve infrastructure and social services in
these otherwise rural and impoverished areas. The Governor has asked you whether he should support or fight
the proposal. What are the major strengths and weakness of the proposal? What would you recommend the
Governor do? What is your own personal view with respect to the conflict?
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| 3) Suppose you are the
environmental policy advisor to the Governor. Several environmental
groups representing minority populations in various areas of the state
have asked him to adopt strong policies designed to improve environmental
justice. Their proposal would allow the NC Department of Environment
and Natural Resources to intervene at any time up to six months after any
land-use or environmental permit is issued, modified, or renewed anywhere
in the state if their is an allegation that the permit in question
reflects an act of intentional discrimination on the basis of race,
ethnicity, or income in order to improve environmental justice.
Critique this proposal and provide a recommendation to the governor on
whether he should adopt, modify, or reject this proposal. In your
answer be sure to define and describe the difference between the concepts
of environmental justice and environmental racism. Also be sure to
comment on whether this is a significant problem that requires the
governor's attention, even if you reject the policy change described
above. |
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| 4) In 1798, Thomas Malthus warned that the human race was doomed because geometric population increases
would inexorably outstrip productive capacity, leading to famine and poverty. Hardin (1968) also warns that we
live in a finite world that can only support a finite population and that continued increases in the worlds
population will increasingly strain limited resources and sustainability. Others are less pessimistic and point out
that some of the world's biggest polluters are not the ones with the largest populations. Suppose you just got a
job as President Bush's environmental policy advisor. Your first task is to represent the U.S. at an upcoming
international conference looking at the impacts of population on the environment. Before you leave for the
conference, "W" wants to know what you plan to say. Are you more concerned about developing nations such
as China and India with large and growing populations or developed countries like the U.S. and Europe with
relatively stable populations? Do you think population control is essential to the long-term protection of the
global environment? What are the strengths and weaknesses of this argument? What other factors help mitigate
the impacts associated with population growth? |
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| 5) Describe five challenges
associated with developing and implementing environmental policy described
in the books, notes, or class discussion. |
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| 6) Describe the eight
variables or driving forces that Hemple (1996) proposes for explaining
environmental impacts. Describe each variable and some of the
important relationships between the variables. Be sure to use
examples from the readings, videos, or issue memos to illustrate how
these variables can be used to explain the causes of an environmental
problem. Do you think this is a good framework for describing the
causes of environmental problems? What are the advantages and
disadvantages to using this framework to understand the causes of
environmental problems? |
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| 7) One of the things that
should be clear is that people often view problems in very different
ways. Hemple (1996) provides three overlapping perspectives on
environmental destruction, which are termed contamination,
ecosimplification, and natural resource consumption. Describe each
perspective and provide at least one example of the type of environmental
problems that are the focus of each perspective. |
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| 8) One of the themes we
have explored so far this semester is that the simultaneous acceleration
of technoscientific progress and world population growth with a
corresponding environmental decline influence our popular images of the
future and these differences figure prominently in debates about
environmental policy. Hemple (1996) suggests that the three dominant
views are those of the cornucopians, catastrophists, and optimizers.
Describe each perspective and use an example of an environmental problem
to illustrate how each perspective would have a different view of the
future. |
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9) Suppose you just got a job as President Bush's environmental policy advisor. You are aware that the
Endangered Species Act (ESA) is overdue for its reauthorization. "W" is aware that there is some debate about
the merits of the protecting furry critters and the ESA and he wants you to brief him. What are some of the ways
that the ESA has been effective or creates public benefits? What are some examples of success stories? What
are some of the potential problems that might be addressed in the reauthorization. After briefing "W" he asks
you for you personal opinion about the ESA and whether it is fundamentally sound and merits the
administration's support. What would you tell him? |
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