Using the cost-benefit principle in your AS exam
The cost-benefit principle is one of those core ideas that can be brought into so many discussions both in micro and macroeconomics – you should be using it in your papers
read more...»The Folly of Growth
The New Scientist has a special report on the environmental consequences of economic growth - The Folly of Growth - and their website carries some very useful links to recent research.
Not just for profit - a new breed of social entrepreneur
Underneath the surface of an economy dominated by corporate giants, a new breed of business is flourishing, where profit is not always the bottom line; these are entrepreneurs operating for a social purpose and not just for profit. A social enterprise is a business that has social objectives whose surpluses are reinvested for that purpose in the business or the community, rather than being driven by the need to seek profit to satisfy investors. Rather than maximise shareholder value and distribute dividends, a social enterprise is looking to achieve social and environmental aims over the long term.
This BBC article by Chiyo Robertson looks at the rise of the social entrepreneur - green and good!
Back to the cave or a brave new world?
I popped over to a meeting of Eton’s Geography Society tonight to hear a talk from Mike Mason, the climate change entrepreneur and founder of Climate Care the carbon offsetting business which has recently been swallowed up by JP Morgan Chase to form part of their JPMorgan’s Environmental Markets group.
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Oil sands - an enviromental catastrophe?
“The Caterpillar 797B heavy hauler is the world’s biggest truck. It’s taller than a four-storey house, as wide as a tennis court and it removes nearly 35,000 tonnes of oily sand a day from a deep open cast mine in northern Alberta in western Canada.”
John Vidal heads to Canada to ask some tough questions of the oil industry and its intentions in northern Alberta in this Guardian video report. This video is backed up by this report. Some of the photos of the plant and equipment being used are truly stunning - I will certainly be using this when I teach about economies of scale next autumn. The size of the oil sands exploration is astounding and the economic boom hitting this northern wilderness in places such as Fort McMurray beggars belief. But so too are the environmental consequences of this black gold rush
“The downside is ecological devastation and soaring greenhouse gas emissions on a scale that is beginning to alarm Canadians and other western countries trying to reduce the intensity of their carbon economies to counter climate change. Canada, alone, of developed countries, is expecting to increase emissions for 30 years and ignore its commitments to Kyoto.”
Peter Day looked at this issue a couple of years ago and his In Business report is still available on the BBC web site
Image from creative commons licence on Flickr.com
Weigh less - pay less
More than one student has asked me in the past why airlines so not link some of the cost of a ticket to the actual weight of the customer? After heavier passengers might be expected to have a detrimental effect on fuel economy and perhaps on the volume of carbon emissions?
read more...»Adjusting to oil price super spikes
The Independent carries a typically robust and vivid front page today reporting the view of a Gazprom executive who claimed that world oil prices could double from their current level to a peak in excess of $260 a barrel.
read more...»Protecting the Natural Health Service
“Under siege from climate change, development, pollution and aggressive new farming methods, the country’s biodiversity is already significantly less rich than it was 50 years ago.” The Independent continues to promote it’s environmental agenda today with a striking front cover and leading article on the threats to the UK’s natural habitat and heritage. There is a strong economic and social case for a holistic approach to protecting and improving our natural resource base including paying farmers an income for their environmental husbandry and stewardship.
Simple ideas work best
Sometimes the simplest ideas work the best especially when it comes to environmental policy. Today the Campaign for the Preservation of Rural England launches its Stop the Drop campaign in a bid to raise awareness of the impact of litter and fly-tipping. And Government minister Joan Ruddock is quoted in today’s Times saying that she is receptive to the idea of restoring compulsory deposits on plastic drinks bottles and aluminium containers as a way of incentivising people to take bottle back for recycling and reducing the volumes heading for landfill. It has worked in the past - ask the good people of Oregon. What is stopping the government? Get on with it!
Bio-fuel curse and cure
Today marks the introduction of the new EU Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation and there has been a huge amount of coverage about the economic and environmental impact of the switch towards biofuel production.
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