ADVANCED PLACEMENT
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
Dr. R. Esser
 
THE TRAGEDY OF THE COMMONS:
DEPLETION OF RENEWABLE RESOURCES
 
 
INTRODUCTION:

It is the year 4508. You are a student on the planet Trafalmador in the Galaxy Andromeda. Your class is studying a strange self-destructive behavior exhibited by some ancient civilizations on far-away planets. Your study group has chosen to do a report on the story of planet Earth in the Milky Way Galaxy. The intelligent life on planet Earth surprisingly rendered its own planet uninhabitable sometime during the 26th century. These humans depleted their potentially renewable resources, using them at unsustainable rates, faster than they could be replenished. Furthermore, the enormous amounts of non-biodegradable hazardous waste produced by their highly technological civilization caused extensive environmental degradation.

To understand what went wrong and how it could have been prevented, your study group decided to focus on the beginning of the second millennium, around the year 2000, about 500 years before the planet became uninhabitable. In 1968, an Earthling philosopher, Garrett Hardin, coined the expression “The Tragedy of The Commons”, which referred to the behavior of the average Earthling, who reasoned “If I don’t use this resource, someone else will. The little bit I use or pollute is not enough to matter and such resources are renewable.” These resources were generally those that were owned by none, but used by all, and were termed “common property resources”. More than 2300 years before Hardin, another Earthling philosopher, Aristotle, touched on the same idea when he wrote “What is common to the greatest number has the least care bestowed upon it”.

YOUR TASK:

To unravel the reasons underlying the Earthlings’ apparent suicide and to search for solutions that would have prevented it, your group will use ancient Earthling communications, “the Internet”, as your sources.

Your study group team of Earthophiles will investigate the depletion of Earth’s renewable resources, such as clean water, forests, fisheries, and clean air. You will gather evidence of the problem, identify the causes and contributing factors, evaluate the Earthling’s public policies[1], and develop public policy alternatives that might have saved their planet. Your team will then determine what the best public policy solution would have been.

Each team member will be responsible for different aspects of the investigation. Each student will prepare a written report, including concept maps, and contribute to the team’s oral presentation to the class.

THE PROCESS:

1. Your 3-member team will decide among yourselves which role (A, B, or C) each of you will fulfill:

1. Describe the problem & gather evidence of the problem
2. Identify causes and contributing factors
3. Determine and evaluate public policies in place at the beginning of the 21^st century.

2. Your team will then work together, through group discussion to

4. Develop public policy alternatives and

1. Determine what the best public policy solution would have been, taking into consideration feasibility, effectiveness, and costs & benefits.

3..Your written and oral reports must follow the Public Policy Analyst steps, shown above.

ü Your written reports will include the following sections:

ü An interesting, carefully designed cover page, which includes your name, the names of the students in your group, and the title of your report in large letters. Be creative!

ü The Problem

ü Evidence of the Problem

ü Underlying Causes and Contributing Factors

ü An Evaluation of Existing Public Policies

ü Our Team’s Suggestions of Alternative Public Policies

ü Our Team’s Choice of the “Best” Public Policy Solutions. This will include a discussion & graph of effectiveness vs. feasibility (see Process)

ü References, divided into 3 sections – for each of the Citations

HERE ARE THE SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS
FOR EACH ROLE (A, B, C):

ROLE A: GATHERING EVIDENCE OF THE PROBLEM

1. Use the webpage: Identifying the Problem to help you complete the Worksheet: Identifying the Problem
2. Study and explore the link on Gathering Evidence of the Problem
3. Begin to fill out the Worksheet: Gathering Evidence of the Problem, using the websites listed in step 4, or by searching out your own websites using search engines. Go to Information Sources and explore it, to see other possible sources for your webquest.
4. You must gather at least 5 different types or pieces of evidence. You may gather evidence on the depletion of 1, some, or all, of the renewable resources listed below. You will present the evidence in the form of a concept map and a 2 page typed report. Your teammates will include a copy of your concept map and your report within their reports, as you will include a copy of their work in yours.
5. You may use some of these websites to gather evidence for the depletion of the renewable resources, listed below:

v Clean Water:

The UN World Water Development Report

UNESCO International Year of Fresh Water

More Information from UNESCO

v World’s Fisheries:

UN SOFIA State of The World’s Fisheries and Aquaculture

Status Report of World’s Fisheries: Production and Utilization

v World’s Forests:

United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

NASA: Earth Observatory

v Clean Air:

EPA Global Warming Site

National Climate Data Center of the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

UN Framework Convention on Climate Change

World Climate Change Conference – Moscow - September – October 2003

Columbia University: Earth Institute: Center for Int’l Earth Science Information Network:Global Warming

v Biodiversity:

Dr.E.O Wilson’s Slide Show

Columbia University: Earth Institute: Center for International Earth Science Information Network:

ROLE B: IDENTIFYING CAUSES AND CONTRIBUTING FACTORS

1. Study and explore the webpage: Identifying the Causes
2. Begin to fill out the Worksheet: Identifying Causes, using the websites listed in step 4, or by searching out your own websites using search engines. Go to Information Sources and explore it, to see other possible sources for your webquest.
3. You must gather at least 4 different underlying factors that contribute to the overall problem of depletion of renewable resources: their use at a rate exceeding the rate at which they are replenished. You will present these causes in the form of a concept map and a 2 page typed report. Your teammates will include a copy of your concept map and report within their reports, as you will include a copy of their work in yours.
4. You may use these websites that offer different approaches to explain the multiple underlying (root) causes of the overall problem:

· UN Population Division Economic & Social Affairs

· Living Economies

· Original Article “Tragedy of The Commons” by Gary Hardin and later papers by others

· Understanding the Tragedy of The Commons

· World Watch Institute (click on research and then economy). You can also explore the site.

· Renewable Natural Resources Foundation: Go to members/links and use these websites to find

root causes

· Earth on Fire: Causes of Global warming

ROLE C: DETERMINING AND EVALUATING EXISTING PUBLIC POLICIES

1. You will be trying to track down some of the important international (Int’l) agreements and government (gov’t) legislation that pertain to the issue of depletion of renewable resources. You will also be evaluating how successful these public policies have been – have they led to the sustainable use of the renewable resources that they were designed to protect?
2. Study and explore the webpage: Evaluating Existing Public Policies. Begin to fill out the Worksheet: Evaluating Public Policies, using the websites listed in step 4, or by searching out your own websites using search engines. Go to Information Sources and explore it, to see other possible sources for your webquest.
3. You must gather 5 different int’l agreements and/or gov’t legislation that attempt to address the problem of depletion of renewable resources: their use at a rate exceeding the rate at which they are replenished. Your written report should be 5 page sides long, 1 side for each public policy. For each public policy, you will include:

· The date of the conference/agreement or legislation

· At least one of the specific stipulations, regulations, or agreed to goals.

· Int’l agreements or gov’t legislation usually include a clear description of exactly how the

stipulation, regulation, or goal will be implemented or enforced. For each stipulation, regulation,

or goal, include at least one method of implementation or enforcement. For national legislation,

include the government agency (such as the EPA, DOI, BLM, NOAA, etc[2])

· Evaluation: You will evaluate each of the 5 Int’l agreements or gov’t legislation for effectiveness.

· For international agreements, include how widespread the support was. Which influential nations

backed the agreement and which refused to sign it? Your teammates will include a copy of your

report within their reports, as you will include a copy of their work in yours.

4. You may use these websites that include information about public policies that were enacted to protect renewable resources or encourage their sustainable development. These public policies include gov’t legislation and international treaties or conferences:

Ø General Site: Environmental Literacy Council Laws & Treaties

v Clean Water

· Convenant on Economic and Cultural Rights (CESCR)

· Clean Water Act (CWA) 1972, 1977

v World’s Fisheries:

· United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982

· International Agreements and Initiatives

· What is the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries?

· Anadromous Fish Conservation Act 1965

v World’s Forests:

§ Tropical Rain Forest Treaties & Agreements

§ World Forestry Congress September 2003

§ Federal Land Policy and Management Act 1976

§ National Wilderness Preservation System Website: has discussion and links about

legislation affecting national forests. Read all, but see as an example: Multiple Use Sustained Yield Act 1960, 1968

§ Alaskan National Interests Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) 1980:

see the actual legislation and see a fact-sheet on ANILCA at the

National Parks Conservation Association

v Clean Air:

§ EPA site for the Clean Air Act 1963, 1970, 1977, 1990

§ Understanding the Kyoto Protocol 1997 Convention of Greenhouse Gas Emissions

§ Energy Information Administration (EIA) of U.S. Dept. Of Energy’s description of the

Kyoto Protocol

§ Energy Policy Act 1990, 1992

§ The Montreal Protocol 1987 Conference on Ozone Depletion

v Biodiversity:

· All About The Endangered Species Act (ESA) 1973, including international treaties and

global assessments

· DOI site on the ESA program including their evaluations

· A Guide to Migratory Bird Laws and Treaties, such as the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of

1918

· National Wilderness Preservation System Website: has discussion and links about

legislation affecting national forests. Read all, but see as an example: Wilderness Act 1964 and Scenic Rivers Act 1968

· see a fact-sheet on ANILCA at the National Parks Conservation Association.

Official Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Site of US DOI Dept of Fish & Wildlife and a

site that is in favor of drilling for oil in the Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge

· Convention on the Trade in Endangered Species CITES

v Sites on Legislation covering pollution of renewable natural resources, not covered above:

· Solid & Hazardous Waste Management: Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

(RCRA) 1976,1986 and The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act CERCLA (1980), also known as the Superfund Act.

· Pesticides: Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act FIFRA 1972, 1988, 1996

PART D & E: GROUP DECISIONS: DEVELOPING PUBLIC POLICY ALTERNATIVES AND DETERMINING THE BEST PUBLIC POLICY

1. Study the webpage: Developing Public Policy Solutions and fill-in Worksheet #5: Developing Public Policy Solutions.
2. Now study the webpage: Selecting The Best Solution and fill-in Worksheet # 6: Selecting the Best Public Policy Solution. You will use this worksheet to evaluate the feasibility vs. effectiveness of each of the policies that you’ve chosen to discuss. You need to study these 3 webpages: Introduction to Costs & Benefits, Identifying Benefits, and Identifying Costs.
3. Your best solutions may include some of these approaches:

· Carrot approaches: government subsidies, tax incentives, tax credits, and gov’t grants.

· Stick approaches: Full-cost pricing, User-fees, Green Taxes, Privatization, Gov’t Regulations

w/civil and criminal penalties

4. Your group work will include 3 different best solutions. Explain your choices. Each best solution should be evaluated for feasibility vs. effectiveness and for costs & benefits. Plot each of the solutions on a graph of feasibility vs. effectiveness, as shown on Worksheet #6.

RESOURCES:

ANWR.org – a site in favor of drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

http://www.anwr.org/

Bureau of Land Management (BLM) DOI Federal Land Protection and Management Act 1976

http://www.blm.gov/flpma/

Classroom of The Future: Exploring the Environment – Earth on Fire

http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/carbon/earthfire.html

Columbia University Earth Institute – Global Warming

http://sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/aiacc/

Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species

http://www.cites.org/

Department of Energy (DOE) - Kyoto Protocol

http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/kyoto/kyotorpt.html

Department of Energy (DOE) – Energy Policy Act 1990, 1992

http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/1605/policy.html

EELink Endangered Species Act 1973

http://eelink.net/EndSpp/

Environmental Literacy Council: Legislation and International Treaties

http://www.enviroliteracy.org/article.php/316.html

EPA Clean Air Act

http://www.epa.gov/oar/oaqps/peg_caa/pegcaain.html

EPA Clean Water Act

http://www.epa.gov/region5/water/cwa.htm

EPA Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act CERCLA 1980

http://www.epa.gov/superfund/action/law/cercla.htm

EPA Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act FIFRA 1972

http://www.epa.gov/region5/defs/html/fifra.htm

EPA Global Warming Site

http://yosemite.epa.gov/oar/globalwarming.nsf/content/index.html

EPA Resource Conservation and Recovery Act RCRA 1976

http://www.epa.gov/region5/defs/html/rcra.htm

Fish & Wildlife Service of DOI BLM Andromous Fish Conservation Act

http://laws.fws.gov/lawsdigest/anadrom.html

Fish & Wildlife Service of DOI BLM Evaluation of ESA

http://endangered.fws.gov/

Fish & Wildlife Service of DOI BLM Migratory Birds Legislation and Treaties

http://migratorybirds.fws.gov/intrnltr/treatlaw.html

Fish & Wildlife Service of DOI BLM Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Official Site

http://www.r7.fws.gov/nwr/arctic/arctic.html

Living Economies

http://www.yesmagazine.org/23livingeconomy/korten.htm

National Climate Data Center of NOAA (Nat’l Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration)

http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/globalwarming.html

NASA: Earth Observatory

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Library/Deforestation/

National Climate Data Center of NOAA

http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/globalwarming.html

National Parks Conservation Association on ANILCA

http://www.npca.org/media_center/factsheets/anilca.asp

Pace Law School Kyoto Protocol

http://www.law.pace.edu/env/energy/Kyoto_Protocol.html

Rainforestweb.org International Treaties

http://www.rainforestweb.org/Rainforest_Protection/International_Treaties/

Renewable Natural Resources Foundation

http://www.rnrf.org/

Tragedy of The Commons by Garrett Hardin (1968), Original Article

http://dieoff.org/page95.htm

Tragedy of The Commons, Understanding

http://members.aol.com/trajcom/private/commons.htm

UN Convenant on Economic & Cultural Rights

http://www.wateryear2003.org/en/ev.php@URL_ID=4087&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

UN Convention on the Law of The Sea 1982

http://www.un.org/Depts/los/convention_agreements/convention_overview_convention.htm

UN Environment Programme – Montreal Protocol

http://www.unep.org/ozone/montreal.shtml

UN Framework Convention on Climate Change:

http://unfccc.int/

UN Food and Agriculture Organization International Treaties & Agreements

http://www.fao.org/fi/agreem/agreem.asp

UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

http://www.fao.org/forestry/foris/webview/forestry2/index.JSP?siteId=101&langID=1

UN Population Division Economic & Social Affairs

http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/pdewallchart/popenvdev.pdf

UN Water Development Report

http://www.wateryear2003.org/en/ev.php@URL_ID=4087&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

UNESCO Int’l Year of Fresh Water

http://www.wateryear2003.org/en/ev.php@URL_ID=3129&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

UNESCO on depletion of clean water, more information

http://www.wateryear2003.org/en/ev.php@URL_ID=4096&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

UN Status Report on State of World’s Fisheries

http://www.fao.org/docrep/005/y7300e/y7300e04.htm

UN SOFIA State of the World’s Fisheries and Aquaculture

http://www.fao.org/sof/sofia/index_en.htm

Wilderness Information Network Nat’l Wilderness Preservation System

http://www.wilderness.net/nwps/legis/nwps_laws.cfm

Wilson, Dr. E.O. Slide Show @ Save America’s Forests

http://www.saveamericasforests.org/news/EOWilsonIntro.htm

World Climate Change Congress

http://www.wccc2003.org/index_e.htm

World Watch Institute

http://www.worldwatch.org/

World Forestry Conference September 2003

http://www.cfm2003.org/en/index.php

THE EVALUATION:
Oral Presentation – 30 points
Research Report – 70 points

Criteria	1 (1 Pts)	2 (2 Pts)	3 (4 Pts)	4 (6 Pts)	Total = 6 pts.
Organization	Audience cannot understand presentation because it is inaudible.	Audience has difficulty following presentation because student jumps around.	Student presents information in logical sequence which audience can follow.	Student presents information in logical, interesting sequence which audience can follow.	_/6
Content Knowledge and Effort Role A, B, or C	Student does not have grasp of information; student cannot answer questions about subject.	Student is uncomfortable with information and is able to answer only rudimentary questions.	Student is at ease with content, but fails to elaborate.	Student demonstrates full knowledge (more than required) with explanations and elaboration.	_/6
Content, Knowledge, Effort, and Originality of Group Decisions Part D & E	The group put in little effort toward suggesting public policy alternatives & determining the best public policy.	The group put in minimal effort toward suggesting public policy alternatives & determining the best public policy. They included a graph of effectiveness vs. feasilibility	The group put in some effort toward suggesting public policy alternatives & determining the best public policy. They graphed effectiveness vs. feasibility and displayed their graph.	The group put a great deal of effort toward suggesting public policy alternatives & determining the best public policy. They displayed & explained their graph on effectiveness vs. feasibility. Their suggestions were well thought out and supported. They answered all questions	_/6
Process: Teamwork	The oral report does not seem to be the result of a collaborative effort. The group was not organized and showed no planning	The team had problems working together. Little collaboration occurred. Little planning.	The team worked well together, but could have utilized each other's skills to a better degree. Some planning evident.	It is evident that a mutual effort and cohesive unit created the final product. The oral report was carefully planned and well organized.	_/6
Delivery	Student mumbles, incorrectly pronounces terms, and speaks too quietly for students in the back of class to hear.	Student incorrectly pronounces terms. Audience members have difficulty hearing presentation.	Student's voice is clear. Student pronounces most words correctly.	Student used a clear voice and correct, precise pronunciation of terms.	_/6
	5	10	20	30	_/30

Criteria – Research Report

1. Cover	No Effort was punt into Cover 1	Little Effort was punt into Cover 2	Cover was somewhat carefully designed 3	Cover was carefully executed and much effort was applied 4	__/4
2. Describe the Problem & Gather Evidence	Reports has not followed the directions for Role A. It is incomplete and disorganized. 2.5	Follows some of the directions for Role A. Report is incomplete. Formatting is incorrect. 5	Follows most of the directions for Role A. Report is somewhat complete. 7.5	Follows all of the directions for Role A. Report is very comprehensive. 10	__/10
3. Determine Underlying Root Causes	Report has not followed the directions for Role B. It is incomplete and disorganized. 2.5	Follows some of the directions for Role B. Report is incomplete. Formatting is incorrect. 5	Follows most of the directions for Role B. Report is somewhat complete. 7.5	Follows all of the directions for Role B. Report is very comprehensive 10	__/10
4. Determine Public Policy & Evaluate it	Report has not followed the directions for Role C. It is incomplete and disorganized. 2.5	Follows some of the directions for Role C. Report is incomplete. Evaluations of Public Policy are missing. 5	Follows most of the directions for Role C. Report is somewhat complete. 7.5	Follows all of the directions for Role C. Report is very Comprehensive 10	__/10
5. Suggest Alternative Public Policies and Choose Best Solution	The group put in little effort toward suggesting public policy alternatives & determining the best public policy. 2.5	The group put in minimal effort toward suggesting public policy alternatives & determining the best public policy. They included a graph of effectiveness vs. feasilibility 5	The group put in some effort toward suggesting public policy alternatives & determining the best public policy. They graphed effectiveness vs. feasibility and displayed their graph. 7.5	The group put a great deal of effort toward suggesting public policy alternatives & determining the best public policy. They displayed & explained their graph on effectiveness vs. feasibility. Their suggestions were well thought out and supported. They answered all questions 10	__/12
6. Process Teamwork	The final product is not the result of a collaborative effort. 1	The team had problems working together. Little collaboration occurred. 2	The team worked well together, but could have utilized each other's skills to a better degree. 3	It is evident that a mutual effort and cohesive unit created the final product. 4	__/4
				TOTAL - - ->	___/70

Performance Standards

This Web quest meets the following New York State English and Science Standards:

English

v E1c: Read and comprehend informational materials.

v E2a: Produce a report of information.

v E2e: Produce a persuasive essay.

v E4b: Analyze and subsequently revise work to improve its clarity and effectiveness.

Science

v S8a: Demonstrates scientific competence by completing secondary research.

v S7b: Argues from evidence.

v S7e: Communications in a form suited to the purpose and the audience.

v S5c: Uses evidence from reliable sources to develop descriptions, explanations, and models; and makes appropriate adjustments and improvements.

v S5d: Proposes, recognizes, analyzes, considers, and critiques alternative explanations; and distinguishes between fact and opinion.

CONCLUSION:

Upon completion of this project, you will have found evidence showing the depletion of renewable resources, discovered some of the underlying causes, explored & evaluated some of the relevant national and international public policy, and even suggested your own public policy solutions – which perhaps would have saved planet Earth - If your team had only been the leaders of Earth during the 21^st century, perhaps those Earthlings would not be extinct! You will have also become quite familiar with that ancient Earthling tool of communication, called the “Internet”.

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[1] A public policy is a governmental action usually intended to deal with a problem. Policies include legislation, executive orders, judicial decisions, international agreements, and even school rules. Go To Understanding Public Policy.

[2] DOI=Dept. of Interior, which includes the BLM=Bureau of Land Management; NOAA=National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration