Dispatches from the Front Lines of Ecology and Economic Meltdown
Winter 2012 / Vol. 12 No. 4
Discussion Questions
- In what ways do the conservation benefits of economic troubles put conservationists at odds with the public? What might be some ways for conservationists to respond to this?
- In what ways does economic growth contribute to conservation efforts? In what ways does it hurt conservation?
- What alternatives might there be to economic growth and resource consumption as the dominant global economic paradigm?
- What changes to economic systems should conservationists pursue as the global economy begins to improve? Why?
Websites for Further Information
- The Trust for Public Land: http://www.tpl.org/
- Center for the Advancement of the Steady State Economy: http://steadystate.org/
- Lincoln Institute of Land Policy: http://www.lincolninst.edu/
- Save the Elephants: http://www.savetheelephants.org/
- American Water Works Association: http://www.awwa.org/index.cfm
Economics/Environment in the News
- Global warming and climate change (New York Times, December 21, 2011)
- Peru: mine protest resumes (New York Times, January 2, 2012)
- An epidemic of rhino poaching (New York Times, August 17, 2011)
Key Concepts
- Economics
- Property value
- Mining
- Poverty
- Urban-rural migration
- Poaching
- Water use
- CO2 emissions
