Tuesday, January 11, 2011

First blogging assignment

Please answer these questions by 8am Thursday.

1) Why are you taking this course?
2) What do you bring to the class?
3) Is there something specific you hope to learn?

48 comments:

Gabriela Sampaio said...

Professor, here`s my answers:

1) Why are you taking this course?
Because I`m a exchange studant from Brazil, and the program is focused on Environmental Economics.
besides, I want to do a master related to this area.

2) What do you bring to the class?
As I said, I want to do a master, and I`m studying just classes related with Environmental in general. Lorie and professor Kahn chose the specific classes.


3) Is there something specific you hope to learn?
I want to learn about the economical ways to protect the tropical forests and how to reduce the impacts of the negatives externalities there.

Guilherme said...
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Guilherme said...
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Guilherme said...

1) As Gabi said, it's a requirement of the consortium I'm participating. In spite of being mandatory for me, there's also personal satisfaction of my own to study environmental issues with the economical approach, since I am very interested in how they these fields are related. I was particularly pleased to know the course is strongly based on microeconomics analysis.

2) I believe I might be able to broaden other students' perspective because I have lived all my life in one of the most enigmatic places of the world: the Amazon forest. For example, I could gladly share my personal experiences from the Amazonas state (what policies are like, what people think of the environment, etc).

3) I'd be extremely pleased if we learned something about the role of biofuels (especially ethanol), soy and livestock in the world, their limitation and impacts on the environment.

JP Sauer said...
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JP Sauer said...

1) I am taking the course because it is a requirement for my Environmental Studies Major. This topic also sounds very interesting, as economics is what seems to drive change.

2) I bring a science background to an area of study that I am less familiar with. Hopefully, I can apply some of that knowledge to help the economics make sense.

3) There is honestly nothing specific that I can think of, but I hope to get a solid overall exposure to all the topics and viewpoints in environmental economics.

Anonymous said...

1) I am an environmental studies major and this class helps fulfill my credit requirements for the major. However, this is not the only reason I am excited to take the class. Over the past few years, as I have taken more classes for the env studies major, I have found I enjoy the ones the most that discuss the economic and policy side of environmental problems. I enjoy going beyond simply discussing the problem by delving further into the issue by discussing what are the best solutions as well.

2) I have taken a wide variety of the environmental studies major class recommendations and requirements such as econ, geo, bio (and some chem), sociology, and some upper level env studies classes. I will be able to contribute some perspective from all of those different angles.

3) I am really interested in fisheries management and the problems involved with current over-fishing practices. I'd love to learn what are the best and most efficient policy suggestions to help solve this issue.

Mackenzie Doss said...

1) Why are you taking this course?
I am an environmental studies/political science double major so this class fulfills specific requirements but I am also traveling to Brazil as a participant in Professor Kahn's class this Spring Term to study the importance of the forest in economic development. I would like to go into environmental policymaking and the economic side (which I am less familiar with) is crucial to formulating policy.

2) What do you bring to the class?
I am taking two other classes this term focusing on environmental policy and law- although you have said we do not delve into the politics of it all so this may not be of too much use. As others have said, I bring experience from many other courses since the Environmental Studies major is so interdisciplinary.

3) Is there something specific you hope to learn?
A greater understanding of economic behavior in the environmental sector so that I may apply it to political choices (not very specific but I am sure I will gather more interest on a specific topic as the term progresses).

Kelsey Sizer said...

1) As an economics and environmental studies major, this class could not fit my academic interests more perfectly. The introduction to environmental studies class immediately interested me a couple years ago, and I later found that taking an economic stance seemed, to me, to be the most logical way to address current environmental issues.

2) I just returned from spending a semester in Manaus, Brazil, where I continued studying in the environmental economics area and worked on a research project relating to ornamental fishing in the Amazon. I will be able to share my perspective, as a visitor there, on the differences in beliefs and views of responsibility towards the environment.

3) I am hoping to better understand the options for alternative energy sources and the economics behind a major transition to a source other than oil.

David Dennis said...

1) I'm taking this course for the Environmental Studies major but also to gain more knowledge on the economics of our interactions with the environment.

2) I'm also majoring in Biology and have taken several courses that deal with environmental issues.

3) I'm interested in the different energy resources and the possible externalities associated with each.

Cailin said...

1) I am taking this course because I really enjoyed Development Economics with Professor Casey.

2) I have read a lot of literature on environmental valuation methods.

3) I am particularly interested in the intersection of development and environmental economics.

Van Nguyen said...

1) Why are you taking this course?
As an Economics major, I am passionate about how the economic framework and models can be used to understand the nature of environmental conservation and environmental public policy. Especially since environmental public policies rely on many qualitative factors with interaction effects, economic analysis provides practical and sound tools to frame the questions and analyze the issues by holding certain factors constant.

Also, I'm more focused in the field of International Finance Economics; thus, by taking this class, I would be able to challenge myself.

2) What do you bring to the class?
I have decent understanding of economic models and economic analysis; thus, I would be able to expand the class' understanding of the materials a bit more. At the same time, I am a Business Administration major as well, which allows me to view environmental issues from a more microscopic orientation. I would bring to the table the connection between how environmental policies, environmental resources, and the business world are inter-related.

3) Is there something specific you hope to learn?
I am very interested in the valuation methods that are used in environmental economics. Even though the course might not cover these models in depth, it is good for me to have a general understanding of these techniques.

Unknown said...

I am taking this class as an elective to complete my economics major. The topic is very critical to current global politics, which is my other major.

I hope to be able to contribute to the class with my background in economics as a senior major. I also took Development Economics with Professor Casey last term, and we covered some environmental issues.

As several other have said, I hope to gain an understanding of the environmental and natural resource challenges we face and possible economics-based policy solutions.

Unknown said...
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Unknown said...

I am taking this class as an elective to complete my economics major. The topic is very critical to current global politics, which is my other major.

I hope to be able to contribute to the class with my background in economics as a senior major. I also took Development Economics with Professor Casey last term, and we covered some environmental issues.

As several other have said, I hope to gain an understanding of the environmental and natural resource challenges we face and possible economics-based policy solutions.

Unknown said...

I am taking this class as an elective to complete my economics major. The topic is very critical to current global politics, which is my other major.

I hope to be able to contribute to the class with my background in economics as a senior major. I also took Development Economics with Professor Casey last term, and we covered some environmental issues.

As several other have said, I hope to gain an understanding of the environmental and natural resource challenges we face and possible economics-based policy solutions.

Unknown said...

I am taking this class as an elective to complete my economics major. The topic is very critical to current global politics, which is my other major.

I hope to be able to contribute to the class with my background in economics as a senior major. I also took Development Economics with Professor Casey last term, and we covered some environmental issues.

As several other have said, I hope to gain an understanding of the environmental and natural resource challenges we face and possible economics-based policy solutions.

Graham Sheridan said...

1) I'm taking this course because as a longtime camper and camp counselor. As a kid, I had many amazing outdoors experiences and want others to be able to have them, too. I think this class will help me see the situations that face the environment.

2) I hope to bring a longtime appreciation of the outdoors. Also, as a senior economics major, I bring several years of econ background.

3) I hope to learn more about farming. In literature about the environment, farming gets very mixed reviews. Many people blame farms for environmental woes, while others say that more people should be farmers and that we have grown too far from the land.

Ryan Hanson said...

1) I am taking this course because I am interested in Environmental Law and want to gain a more broad prospective on Environmental Issues. While I have more background in Policy and Science, an economics background will be helpful.

2) I have taken a few economics and environmental classes, but have experience in the policymaking/political realm.

3) I hope to learn more about environmental and natural resource economics in regards to coastal seascapes.

Wendelbo said...

1) Why are you taking this course?
I would like to work with development policy in the future, and environmental policy and thus economics are of significant importance to me. Also, of course, I loved Development last semester.
2) What do you bring to the class?
I believe very much in the interdisciplinarity of environmental studies, so I come to this class with a background in economics, environmental ethics and a number of scientific classes which all relate to this class.
3) Is there something specific you hope to learn?
I would like to explore the intersection where economics meets social and environmental issues. I think environmental issues are at once important to each of the three categories. I would like this class to bridge some of the gap that exists. That is, I hope that we can go a little beyond modeling optimal conditions and connect our models with those of economics of social issues and so on.

Katie Garratt said...

1) I'm taking this course to fulfill my business admin. major elective requirement.

2) I'm also taking Global Climate Change this term, so hopefully I will bring experience and knowledge to our discussion of climate change. I also have some first hand experience with alternative energy sources after a study abroad experience during high school in the Bahamas. The community we lived in ran on solar and wind power as well as biodiesel.

3) I'm interested in learning more about the economics of adopting and using alternative sources of energy.

Siwan said...

1) Why are you taking this course?
I am taking this course because I have enjoyed Development Economics with Professor Casey a lot. Having a Chinese background, I am often confronted with questions about China’s attempts to balance economic growth and environmental protection - which is of particular interest to me.

2) What do you bring to the class?
As a German-born Chinese student from the University of St Andrews, I hope to bring an international perspective into the classroom.

3) Is there something specific you hope to learn?
See 1). I am also especially interested in interactions between Development and Environmental Economics.

Jennie Norcini said...

1) Why are you taking this course?
I am finished with all the requirements for my business administration major so this term I am taking classes that looked interesting. I enjoy economics classes but not a lot of experience with environmental science so I am taking this term to learn about it.

2) What do you bring to the class?
Because I am a business administration major with experience in marketing and finance I think I can bring a perspective that applies environmental issues to business practices.

3) Is there something specific you would like to learn?
I am interested in learning about fisheries and how they factor into the environment because I took a marine technology class while I was in Australia and we touched on that topic which seemed interesting and very relevant. I would also like to learn about how businesses can practice economically and environmentally sound practices at the same time.

Ann McCampbell said...

I. I am taking this course to get credit for my Economics major. Also, I thought the topic was interesting

2. I have not taken any environmental course but I have completed Microeconomics and Macroeconomics.

3. I am working in the land administration department of a natural gas company this summer. I would like to learn about alternative energy as well as the externalities associated with energy consumption.

Unknown said...

1) Why are you taking this course?

I'm taking this course because I'm interested in doing research regarding natural resource or environmental economics this summer, and I'd like to gain a greater understanding of the topic.

2) What do you bring to the class?

I spent last summer in Argentina, and observed a lot of the issues that either benefited or hindered such a huge and resource-rich country. I hope that I'll be able to bring this perspective and experiences from past economic classes to this one.

3) Is there something specific you hope to learn?

Hopefully through my studies in this class I'll be able to formulate a research question that I can propose to study down in South America this summer.

Paige Gance said...

1) I'm taking this as an elective for my business journalism major

2) I bring my writing experience from journalism classes.

3) I hope to learn how to apply important economic concepts related to the environment to current events and be able to convey them to newspaper readers

Ben Fass said...

1) I am majoring in economics and minoring in environmental studies so this course complements both very well. I have briefly touched on the subject of environmental economics in several classes, but want to increase the depth of my knowledge in a more concentrated course.

2) Not only have I taken environmental studies courses at W+L, but my high school also had a great environmental studies program. Also, this past summer I studied at the London School or Economics and took a course in environmental economics while there.

3) I would say that my biggest interest in this field is alternative energy, and what is being done in the real world today. There is a great deal of uncertainty in the subject and plenty of room for new and original ideas.

Michelle Cong said...

1. I'm taking this class because I'm an outdoors person and really enjoys nature. It will be interesting for me to learn more about the environment beyond the surface of what we see. Also as an econ major, it would be interesting to learn the economic implications on the environment, something I haven't thought much about before.

2. I will bring my background in economics and business.

3. I want to learn about the alternative energy sources and how the current economic policies affect the issue of global warming, and if any changes in policy can lessen the effect.

Unknown said...

1) Why are you taking this course?
I am finished with all the requirements for my business administration major so this term I am taking classes that looked interesting. I enjoy economics classes but not a lot of experience with environmental science so I am taking this term to learn about it.

2) What do you bring to the class?
Because I am a business administration major with experience in marketing and finance I think I can bring a perspective that applies environmental issues to business practices.

3) Is there something specific you would like to learn?
I am interested in learning about fisheries and how they factor into the environment because I took a marine technology class while I was in Australia and we touched on that topic which seemed interesting and very relevant. I would also like to learn about how businesses can practice economically and environmentally sound practices at the same time.

Levi said...

1) Why are you taking this course?

I really enjoyed Development Economics with Professor Casey, as it was the first (and still only) Economics class to largely focus with the application component of economics (as opposed to pure theory). Also, I am very interested in the subject material.

2) What do you bring to the class?

Unfortunately not much, other than an enthusiasm for the subject material.

3) Is there something specific you hope to learn?

I would like to learn about the economic theory that we can use to apply appropriate solutions to pollution issues. Also, I am very interested in learning about the possibility of using liquid hydrogen as an alternative fuel source, as well as other green energy sources.

George Brooke said...

1) I am taking this course because I have an interest in studying both the environment and economics; a combination of the two studies sounds like it will provide a lot of important knowledge.

2) I took an Environmental class in high school and with Professor Humston last year. Professor Humston's class touched on a couple of articles in our syllabus and seems to focus on a lot of the same areas of environmental studies.

3) The final exam in Professor Humston's class included a paper questioning the sustainability of the Earth and its resources if humans continue to have such a major impact. I hope that this course will teach me how we can adjust our lifestyles to a sustainable level.

colin elliott said...

1) I am taking this course because I plan on double majoring in Business Administration and Environmental Studies and this course addresses the main area I have come to enjoy learning about it in past classes with Professor Casey: Macroeconomics, and Intro to Environmental Studies.

2) I bring genuine interest in the subject matter as well as previous exposure to the material in the afore mentioned classes.

3) I am most interested in the "slices" of action necessary to reduce climate change. This includes: alternative energy, carbon mitigation, preventing deforestation, and many other factors. More specifically, how to convince others that these advances and sacrifices could have crucial impact on the future of the Earth.

Matt Benson said...

1. I am taking this course because I am an Economics and a Geology major and this course seems like it can combine these two interests effectively.
2. I bring to the class an understanding of the environment and natural resources from geology, and a solid background in economics.
3. I am very interested in learning more about the economic side of coral reefs.

Shane R said...

1) Why are you taking this course?
This class completes my environmental studies minor. I am excited to learn about economic solutions to all the environmental issues I have learned about.

2) What do you bring to the class?
I bring a biological and scientific prospective to the class. I have studied abroad in Australia and took a fisheries science class there that should give me some additional insight when we talk about fisheries. I have also witnessed, first hand, an island community in Maine adopt wind power and seen the reactions and obstacles associated with the project.

3) Is there something specific you hope to learn?
As I mentioned, I am excited about the fisheries section. Most of all I want to learn how to apply economic tools to make persuasive conservation arguments and to come up with solutions to environmental problems.

Spence Daw said...

1)I am a business administration major and environmental studies minor. I have only taken macro and micro up to this point, so I wanted to see how economics could be applied extensively to issues I am interested in.

2)I have knowledge of business and environmental issues. I also interned at a leed certified contracting company this summer that was consistently faced with environmental issues. They had to decide whether the cost of achieving leed certification was worth the benefit.

3)I would like to learn about the future of sustainable energy from an economic perspective because I am doing a paper on this for my environmental capstone.

Sarah said...

1) I am taking this course to fulfill a requirement in my environmental studies major.

2) I have taken many environmental studies and biology courses at W&L so I bring everything I've learned in those courses.

3) I want to learn more about the economic side to the issues I've discussed in other classes. I haven't taken any economics classes except 101 so I'd like to broaden my knowledge of economics in general.

Peter O'Donnell said...

1) I am taking this course to fulfill an environmental studies minor requirement.

2) I am a biology major and bring a scientific perspective to the class.

3) I'd like to view several environmental issues from an economist's perspective such as the fisheries management, deforestation, and energy consumption.

Jeffrey Stirling said...

1) I am taking this course as an economics major, which I need for one of my required electives. The topic also seemed interesting, as I have not taken an environmental course at W&L yet.

2) I will bring my skills in economics, but I will be lacking in the environment department. This I hope to master by the end of the winter term.

3) Human health caused by pollution and other negative externalities, that can be avoided while at the same time benefiting the actual business.

Jeff Stirling said...

I reposted this to clarify my full name

1) I am taking this course as an economics major, which I need for one of my required electives. The topic also seemed interesting, as I have not taken an environmental course at W&L yet.

2) I will bring my skills in economics, but I will be lacking in the environment department. This I hope to master by the end of the winter term.

3) Human health caused by pollution and other negative externalities, that can be avoided while at the same time benefiting the actual business

Bobby Gorman said...

1. I am taking this course because I am an environmental studies minor and a business major, and this topic applies to both of my areas of interest.

2. I have taken a variety of courses from both the environmental studies program as well as the business program. I am also currently enrolled in Geology 141 Global Climate Change, which you said will be useful in this class, so hopefully I will be able to provide insights from my other classes.

3. I have learned a little bit about resource valuation through some of my environmental studies courses, but I have never learned about it in depth. This is something that I would be interested in learning more about.

Joe Moravec said...

I am taking this course because I am interested in development and solving political conflict problems, which both often coincide with environmental concerns. I have taken development economics with Prof. Casey, so I have basic knowledge there. My perspective of a policy-seeking student leads me to be more practical in my approach to economics. I am interested in learning if there are economic ways concerning the environment to both protect the environment while simultaneously reducing poverty and conflict.

Becca Bolton said...

1. I am taking this course because I am an environmental studies major, and I am extremely interested in environmental issues. I am planning on doing some sort of environmental work after I graduate, so I think that this class will help me with my future plans.

2. I am also a biology major, and I definitely understand environmental science a lot better than I understand environmental economics. I am specifically interested in marine ecology and biology, so I think that I will be able to provide more information about the marine environment.

3. I would like to learn about how economics can affect the exploitation of our oceans and rivers. I am specifically interested in the management of the whaling industry.

Unknown said...

1) Why are you taking the course?

As an econ and biology double major, this in one of the rare classes that is able to bridge the gap between the two disciplines.

2) What do you bring to the class?

I have taken other classes dealing with the environment for my biology major and I plan to bring this knowledge to the class.

3) Is there something specific you hope to learn?

I would enjoy learning about alternative fuels and their effects on the environment.

curriee13 said...

1) I am taking this course because it is a requirement for my environmental studies major.

2) I have taken a few of the more science-related courses and am taking this course along with Prof. Greer's Global Climate Change class with the advice that they would greatly complement each other and enrich my knowledge of both subjects by taking them simultaneously.

3) I hope to learn more about the consequences that natural resources have on the economy both locally and globally because I hope to eventually live and work in a foreign country that could most benefit from improvements in both its economic and environmental situations.

Alli Shearin said...

1) Why are you taking this course?
I am taking this course because I am an Environmental Studies minor, and it fulfills a requirement for that. I am also very interested in the environment and preserving natural resources.

2) What do you bring to the class?
Because I am an Environmental Studies minor, I have taken many classes dealing with environmental issues (one example is environmental ethics). I can bring knowledge from these previous classes I have taken to this class.

3) Is there something specific you hope to learn?
I honestly can't think of anything specific that I hope to learn, but I am looking forward to focusing on the economic side of some environmental issues, because I am less familiar with economics other than what I learned in the intro level economics class.

Kelly Cossey said...

1) I am taking this course to fulfill the requirement for the Environmental Studies major.

2) Last spring, I was able to study environmental economics and development with Professor Kahn in Brazil, so I have some experience with environmental economic topics. I also am minoring in Poverty, and I think that will provide me with an interesting perspective.

3) I spent my past summer in West Virginia, and obviously one of the most divisive issues there is the extraction and use of coal. I would love to learn how alternative energy solutions could be implemented there and what the potential costs and benefits of that would be.

Bobby R. said...

1) I am taking this course because I have always been interested in studying the environment, and I like the framework that economics provides for analyzing environmental issues.

2)Through Student Consulting, I have been involved in several projects that focus on sustainability and environmental protection. While many of these projects are small in scale, they have given me great insight into the difficulties surrounding environmental policy.

3) I am interested to study and discuss elasticities of fuel demand. How much do gas prices have to rise before there is a noticeable decrease in demand? And how do economists think today's alternatives effect this demand?

Ben Bartlett said...

1.) I am taking this class because I have become increasingly interested in the economics of natural resources during my time at W&L. Likewise, I am writing my capstone on issues pertaining to the availability of fresh water in developing countries and feel that this class will help me in this endeavor.

2.) I bring with me the knowledge I have attained as an senior economics major as well as knowledge I have gained from a taking a mixed bag of environmental studies and geology classes.

3.) I do not have one specific topic in mind that I would like to study in this class but my hope is to walk away from with a greater understanding of the economic side of the environmental and geological issues pertaining to natural resources that I have studied in other classes. It would, however, be nice to spend some time discussing water as that is very relevant to my capstone.