pollution and local economies & organic farming

Week 5 Discussions and Required Resources

Assignment: This is a two-part assignment. Each part must be at least 200 words unless otherwise noted. Please read all attachments and follow ALL instructions.

To receive full credit you must include at least 2 citations of scholarly support to your answers for each discussion post (i.e. Discussion One – 2 citations, Discussion Two – 2 citations).  Citations should be within your post and include (Author, year, page number) if you are using a quote, page number is not required if you are paraphrasing.  Just listing references and not using them in your post does not count as a citation or support.  You can use your textbook as scholarly support and remember to include a reference for the support cited.  

Part 1: Pollution and Local Economies

Do new polluting facilities affect housing values and income levels in a local economy? Research one new facility that has entered into a market and estimate how housing values and income levels have been affected. In your answer, make sure to evaluate the implications for the stakeholders involved and the incentives of creating the new facility for both the local economy and citizens. Also, make sure to provide the link and the research you have found concerning the polluting facility and the overall impact on the market. 

Part 2: Organic Farming

Due to the absence of pesticides, organic farms could well be safer for the laborers who harvest the produce than conventional farms. Organic produce could also be safer for consumers of those products. Does the higher price that is paid in the market for organic products justify an efficient outcome? Is the higher price justified in the market for sustainable development? Should the government put new taxes on non-organic farms to foster a safer environment for laborers and consumers?

Required Resources

Text

Tietenberg, T., & Lewis, L. (2012). Environmental and natural resource economics (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Addison-Wesley

Chapter 19: Toxic Substances and Environmental Justice