Ethan Frome

Environmental Issues Facing the Bronx.

SAMUEL GOMPERS VOCATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

PETER SPENCE

spencepc@aol.com

A. INTRODUCTION

This is the Year 2020. The future of the Bronx depends on you. People are dying mysteriously from respiratory and enteric (parasites) diseases. The health department is struggling to deal with the problem. Because of your knowledge of Public Policy Approach to solving social problems, your assistance is needed. Your mission, if you accept, is to find out what are the sources of this health crisis and to suggest possible remedies to eradicate or at least reduce the problem. The outcome of your report will become the Bronx's and the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) policy on environmental pollution.

B. TASK

You objective is to research and present a three page written report on “the serious environmental issues facing the Bronx” that include public policies that will reduce or eliminate the problem. For this project, you need to complete the Six Steps Public Policy Approach.

1. Define the problem as outlined in the above introduction.

2. Gather evidence of the various environmental problems facing the Bronx.

3. Identify causes of the environmental problems facing the Bronx.

4. Evaluate a policy that already exist to deal with the problem.

5. Develop solutions that your group seems most promising.

6. Select best solution from alternatives you selected in step 5 above.

C. PROCESS:

You will work in teams of four.

Day 1:

You are required to print worksheet # 1 Define the problem. Your team will next read and then answer the questions on the worksheet using information from various resources.

Day 2:

Print worksheets # 2 Gather evidence. List at least four different categories of evidence (example, air pollution, water pollution, land contamination and waste disposal) to support the existence of your problem. Each member of the team will be responsible for researching the evidence for one category of evidence.

Day 3:Print worksheets # 3 Identify causes. Each member of the team will be responsible for researching the causes of the evidence that each chose on Day 2. For example, the team member that gathered evidence on air pollution in the Bronx is also responsible for researching the cause(s) of the air pollution.

Day 4: Print worksheets # 4 Evaluate a policy. Each member of the team will be responsible for researching the current policy that relates to his or her specific environmental topic. For example, the team member that gathered evidence on air pollution in the Bronx is also responsible for researching the cause(s) and evaluating the current policy on air pollution.

Day 5: Print worksheets # 5 Develop solutions. Each member of the team will be responsible for developing solutions for their specific environmental topic. The solutions can consist of a total overhaul, minor adjustments or stricter enforcement penalties of the current policy.

Day 6: Print worksheets # 6 Select best solution . Members of the team will make a mini-presentation of their solutions. The team will then brainstorm these solutions and then select the best solution(s) after completing the questions on the worksheets. Be sure to use the suggested criteria feasibility and effectiveness in determining the best solution.

Day 6: Your team's final task will be to present the evidence to the class in the form of a written document and to convince us that the problem exists and secondly that your public policy alternative(s) will work.

D. EVALUATION:

Scoring Guide for the Research Paper

Report Content (70%)

1) Neat and well-organized appearance to the report 5pts

2) Logical/sequential presentation of relevant information representing all sources 5pts

3) Well balanced presentation of topic 5pts

4) Report written in the students own words 5pts

5) Substantial evidence that the problem does exist 10pts

6) Identification of the main causes of the problem 10pts

7) Analyze at least one major existing public policy. 10pt

8) Proposal of at least three new/original public policy alternatives. 10pts

9) Expression of student opinions/ideas/conjectures in selecting the best public policy solution taking in mind its effectiveness and its feasibility. 10pts

Drawings/Illustrations (20%)

1) Report Cover Illustration 10pts

2) Drawings/Illustrations with Report Text 10pts

Bibliography (10%)

1) Properly referenced sources 5pts

2) Multiple sources cited (newspapers, magazines, books, web-cites) 5pts

TOTAL POINTS= 100

Extra Credit

1) Describe how your research topic question can be changed to a more specific central question or problem?

2) Can the public policy analysis method be used to resolve other problems? Support your answer(s) with examples.

3) What "useful information" could come from your research that would be "worth" further investigation?

E. CONCLUSION:

By completing this project, students will be able to provide the supporting documentation to prove that there are several environmental problems facing the Bronx. The students will also be able to suggest alternative solutions to reduce this problem and protect our environment.

F. RESOURCES:

§ Helpful Sites

Air Pollution

South Bronx Clean Air Coalition

Health Risks due to air pollutants.

Lack of proper risk assessment values for several pollutants.

Cancer and non-cancer risk analysis.

Types and Sources of Air pollutants

Comparative analysis of Bronx county air quality with the rest of the country.

Ranking of Bronx air quality.

Health effects.

The Clean Air Act (EPA)