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Now, consider the following:
In light of Wilson's discussion of Americans' suspicion of government action which contradicts our appreciation for effective public policies that affect our everyday lives, consider a type of public policy Wilson defines and how it could be applied to reducing our consumption habits (that number 32!) while addressing the objectives outlined in "Our Common Future" (aka "what is sustainability") on the syllabus. For full credit cite all three texts directly - that is mention the authors' or title when referencing each. Be concise and specific.
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ReplyDeleteIn the article, “The Meaning of Public Policy” Wilson elaborates on how citizens are doubtful concerning governmental policies. Citizens tend to support certain public policies over others. Wilson explains that without the authority of the government, freedom would not be as free as some believe. He mentions that policies are implemented in order to resolve certain disputes as well as protect the well being of citizens. He reveals that there are a variety of ways to classify public policies. For example, he explains how Distributive policies “ appear to allocate benefits or resources to the larger population” (Wilson p. 14). He gives an example of how the interstate highway system falls under the category of distributive policies. This policy is beneficial to all citizens. He explains how through the interstate highway system traveling is permitted as well as good trading. In the article, “Introduction to Sustainability” it is mentioned how Americans’ living habits exceed the world’s environmental means. It is elaborated on how the idea of sustainable development demands supplying citizens with their fundamental needs of living. In Correspondence, Jared Diamond, “What’s Your Consumption Factor?” explains “ with 10 times the population, the United States consumes 320 times more than Kenya does”(Diamond 2008). Diamond explains that the United States has the knowledge of sustainability yet, that knowledge has not been enforced. Moreover, the interstate highway system has a wide impact on individuals’ consumption habits. Therefore, I believe that if governmental policies had a sort of limitation on the amount of goods which could be transported amongst the United States, citizens would have no choice but to reduce their consumption of unsustainable goods. By doing this citizens will be forced to limit their intake of unnecessary use of the world’s ecological system.
ReplyDeleteWilson outlines many different types of policies, but the most important policies for sustainability are Protective Regulatory Policies. Regulatory agencies like the EPA must set up procedural policies that will prompt people to curb and eventually stop their environmentally destructive habits. According to Diamond’s article, North America consumes resources like oil and metals, and produce wastes like plastics and greenhouse gases, about 32 times more than other countries.” Protective regulatory policies are important because the EPA or the government must establish new laws which help reduce this number. The policies must be established soon otherwise people will continue to waste resources and they will pass their practices down to their children and other people which will cause even more unnecessary waste. The first step to achieve sustainability is to stop our already destructive practices. Unless we develop policies that convince people to be more environmentally conscious, sustainability will continue to be something that people only talk about.
ReplyDeleteIn the reading “What is Public Policy,” Wilson defines many different types of public policy. In regards to a type of public policy that would relate well to reducing our consumption habits, I found procedural policies to be most applicable. According to Wilson, “a procedural policy outlines the steps in a process.” As I was reading about this type of policy, I could not help but be reminded of something called the Pacific Gyre. This infamous gyre is a ring of mostly plastic waste that due to the movement of currents in the Pacific Ocean, has created a ring of waste the size of Texas that is going nowhere fast. Not surprisingly, some of the trash is believed to have originated in the United States. If the US government were to implement a procedural policy to eventually make recycling of plastic mandatory, this could possibly reduce the size of the Pacific Gyre and amounts of plastic in landfills. The reason that this would be a procedural policy, is because the government could not instantly make recycling of plastic mandatory: people would need to be educated on the harmful effects of plastic waste, scientists would have to perfect the recycling process of plastics, more recycling companies would need to be created and recycling would need to become more affordable and accessible. As is stated in the reading “Our Common Future,” problems like the Pacific Gyre affect not just one country, but the entire ecosystem. Pollution and environmental problems do not end at international borders. Policy makers must work together to make policies that will ensure that economic growth will not have further damaging effects on our ecosystem. In “What’s Your Consumption Factor,” Diamond discussed what would happen if the entire world had consumption rates similar to the US and other Western countries. If the world is one day feeling the effects of having the consumption factor of 72 billion people, the Pacific Gyre might become the Entire Ocean Gyre.
ReplyDeleteWilson explains in “What is Public Policy?” that while American approval of public policy sways with their belief systems, the distrust of government is a constant. Despite this fact, Americans welcome the implementation of public policies that they find beneficial. Wilson goes on to outline several types of public policies and competitive regulatory policies stood out to me as a way to reduce our consumption habits. Wilson gives an example of state public utility companies regulating electric companies holding monopolies (Wilson, 14). Although Americans welcome regulated prices, no matter what the price, electricity will always be consumed. However, there are many ways that we can regulate the amount of electricity we use.
ReplyDelete“What’s Your Consumption Factor?” states that while most people are concerned with the growing world population, they should realistically be turning their attention to how much each person is consuming and producing (Diamond, 31). Mass consumption is more of a burden when each American consumes 32 times as much as one Kenyan. Since electricity will always be consumed, there are easy ways that can help cut back on that consumption, including simply turning a light off in an unoccupied room or choosing more efficient light bulbs.
In order to do cut down on our environmental footprints, we can take note of what “Introduction to Sustainability” explains. In the article, it states, both sides of a policy, economics as well as environment, must be considered in order to prevent further damage to the environment (39). However, it is not only policy makers that should be considering both sides. Americans can also take this step in their day-to -day lives to help the environment by finding ways to cut back on their consumption.
In Wilson’s “The Meaning of Public Policy” he outlines many different types of public policy, one of which can be especially applicable to reducing our consumption habits, substantive policies. Wilson defines substantive policies as policies that “entails the allocation of resources and is expected to have significant impact” (Wilson, p.14). Using this definition, potential policies to require more sustainable practices, such as policy similar to the President’s agreement with major car manufacturers to increase the average automobile’s miles-per-gallon rating. It is important then to look at what is sustainability to see the effectiveness of such policies. In “Our Common Future,” the author defines sustainable development as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (p. 26). Author Jarred Diamond of “What’s Your Consumption Factor” would expand this to include a more global look, as he worries about the developed world’s 32 times higher consumption rate than the developing world, and as he states, “what really matters is total world consumption, the sum of all local consumptions, which is the product of local populations times the local per capita consumption rate” (Diamond, p. 31). As you can see, an effective substantive policy could help decrease consumptions and increase sustainability.
ReplyDeleteIn regard to Wilson’s article, I found that Distributive Policies would have the most impact in reducing our consumption habits. Wilson defines these policies as allocating benefits or resources to the larger population. Obviously it is difficult to control who is getting their hands on what resources and how much of these resources are being taken in, but their needs to be limitations on how much of a resource a country can use, especially those that are non-renewable. As Diamond talks about, those in less established countries are angry at the fact that third-world countries are using far more resources than the rest of the world. It is also mentioned that countries are starting to do a better job of looking forward toward the future such as changes in environmental policy or supporting Kyoto Protocal on cutting greenhouse gases, but improvements need to continue. “Our Common Future” discusses how all nations need to aim at a type of development that integrates production with resource conservation and enhancement. Therefore it would be in the best interest for the world if each nation came together and negotiated the amount of certain resources that can be used by each nation, depending upon how much of each resource is needed. Population should be less of a factor as the amount of the resource needed, because as explained by Diamond, the population does not matter if they are not using the resources. It would be difficult to get the third world countries to limit the amount of resources being used because those countries feel they need or deserve more than other countries, but it is in fact that countries that are by far doing the most damage to our future.
ReplyDeleteSeveral different categories of public policy was discussed in Wilson’s chapter titled, “The Meaning of Public Policy,” and the two that seemed the harbor the most power, especially is melded together, are protective regulatory and developmental policies. One brings along changes in behavior “brought abut by invoking rewards or penalties” (Wilson, 16) while another promotes economic expansion through packages with federal and local tax dollars. If a policy was created that rewards responsible development while penalizing wasteful actions that deplete resources in additional to money, the possibility to reduce our nation’s consumption factor considerably.
ReplyDeleteIt is even stated tin he reading from “Our Common Future”, that an approach in which all nations aim at a type of development that integrates production with recourse conservation and enhancement, a protective regulatory/developmental policy that regulates both of these factors can exactly that. In concerns that reduction our national consumption factor discussed in Diamond’s article, a policy will spur responsible innovation if the estimated increased numbers in resources depletion is accurate. I agree with Diamond when he explains that consumption factor does not necessarily have to be linked to our standards of living and I think Americans just need a reminder that many of our luxuries are hardly necessary.
In “What is Public Policy?” Wilson defines many different policies in his work. I think that by creating a substantive policy that offers an incentive for those in larger cities to carpool (Wilson 16). In Jared Diamond’s “What’s Your Consumption Factor?” he states “The average rates at which people consume resources like oil and metals, and produce wastes like plastics and greenhouse gases, are about 32 times higher in North America, Western Europe, Japan and Australia than they are in the developing world” (Diamond 1). By driving with other people and using less gas, we can slowly lower our consumption factor. In the article “Introduction to Sustainability” it states that “sustainability development seeks to meet the needs and aspirations of the present without compromising the ability to meet those of the future”(40). If thousands of people carpooled to work every day, then we would not be filling out atmosphere with gases. It is not hard to do, and it will help the people currently living as well as the future of generations to live around in an area. I think that a substantive policy would be the perfect policy to enact to help make the world a more sustainable place.
ReplyDeleteThe world, and America in particular, is filled with consumption-minded individuals. In “What’s your Consumption Factor?”, Jared Diamond illustrates that while we have the means and knowledge to sustain our resources in a more effective manner, we repeatedly fail to do so (p. 33). With the rise in consumption that will undoubtedly go hand-in-hand with world’s rapid population growth, it is imperative that we begin to take sustainability more seriously in the years to come.
ReplyDeleteIn “What is Public Policy?”, Wilson lists numerous types policies that could be used to reduce the consumption habits in America today. The type policy that would have the greatest affect on helping reduce consumption is a substantive policy. Already used in important policies like the Clean Air Act of 1990, a substantive policy would allow for the allocation of specific resources to help reduce America’s consumption over a long period of time (p. 14).
By utilizing an effective substantive policy, America would be able to address its consumption worries and also “provide a framework for the integration of environment policies and development strategies” as the author discusses in “Our Common Future” (p. 25). An effective substantive policy would allow the U.S. to address its increase consumption needs and do it in a manner that would also help a weak economy.
Companies sometimes do not wish to pursue technological advancement because of high risks or initial costs (Wilson 18). Government’s have the ability however to help companies by making investments into the technologies. One of the largest problems we have today with our consumption habits is the over use of gasoline, as made evident in the Diamond article. We use gasoline to make many products like plastic and as a fuel for transportation. As developing countries grow larger and want to live lifestyles similar to Americans they begin to compete with us for resources such as gasoline (Diamond 2). However, if our government put into action a public policy that attempted to develop more renewable resources to make items and to use as fuel in transportation we may have a lot less problems with oil consumption and the growth of developing countries. “Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (Common Concerns 43). Our current use of gasoline is nowhere close to sustainable, and with the growth of developing countries it will only get worse. However, if more research is placed into developing alternative fuel sources for transportation, we may be able to reach a sustainable consumption of gasoline. Strides forward have been made with hybrid and electric cars, but there still needs to be a significant push by the government to help companies move away from gasoline based items and engines and a move towards a cleaner, more renewable source of fuel.
ReplyDeleteFirst and foremost, as described in The Meaning of Public Policy, "public policies are the authoritative statements and actions of government that reflect what government decide to do or not do and what they actually do"(p. 13). Therefore, the government works in order to protect and provide equally for all citizens; however the government does whatever the government deems as necessary for society. Citizens do not have ultimate control over government decisions despite possessing a voice and for that reason policies may not be suitable for all individuals. Government officials work to accommodate the needs and safety of all citizens including themselves. As a result the government has created an abundance of policies, which some feel are vitally needed and others as useless and hindering to some citizens depending on their circumstances. Wilson explains a policy in the reading which I feel is much needed by all citizens and the movement toward sustainability. This policy is the Substantive policy, “which entails the allocation of resources and it’s expected to have a significant impact"(p. 14). This policy can be applied to reducing our consumption habits by properly providing resources and opportunities to all citizens without being discriminated against due to physical abilities or attributes, simultaneously increasing sustainability knowledge. This will provide a stronger sense of equality amongst all people and hopefully cause people to become more conscious of the decisions we make and our consumption levels. A good statement that correlates with such a policy is addressed in the reading Our Common Future stating, “environmental and economic problems are linked to many social and political factors"(p. 24). The reading continues by stating that, “the rapid population growth that has so profound an impact on the environment and on development in many regions is driven partly by such factors as the status of women in society and other cultural values"(24). The Substantive policy can serve its purpose here considering the history of discrimination toward women, people of different racial backgrounds, and the disabled. The increase of women guarantees the increase in population of men and women of all races therefore increasing the population of the able bodied and disabled citizens. As a result, all resources and opportunities must be equally distributed and provided to all citizens in order to teach the value of the resources and opportunities available. The reading goes further by explaining that, “environmental stress and uneven development can increase social tensions. It could be argued that distribution of power and influence within society lies at the heart of most environment and developmental challenges"(24). All citizens must make the decisions necessary to sustain for the future because it is not the full responsibility of the government. Sustainability in simple terms is the act of developing ways to save and produce more for the future. Seemingly, if more people participate in the sustainability process there may be a better chance that we sustain more of the resources we need and use daily. This leads me to Diamond’s article, What’s Your Consumption? The article entails the horrifying number 32. Sadly, North America which is steadily increasing in population is now using 32 times more of the resources used today as well as producing 32 times more waste. The Substantive policy is needed at times such as this in order to evenly distribute the weight of society onto all citizens’ shoulders.
ReplyDeleteIn the article, "The Meaning of Public Policy", Wilson explains that citizens are not generally supportive of the government. Americans tend to question their motives, yet contradicting that, they are supportive of the public policies being placed to benefit them. Wilson reviewed several types of policies but to me, the protective regulatory policies seem to strongly assist in reducing our consumption habits. For example, the Environmental Protection Agency aids in monitoring such things as pollution in the environment (Wilson, 14). Individually, we can make changes such as driving less (to consume less gas), reusing water bottles instead of constantly disposing of them, etc. Obviously, pollution will always exist and the environment will never be perfectly clean but protective regulatory policies such as this can spark an improvement. It is crucial for us to dig deeper into the environment from an individual standpoint rather than as a full population. According to Jared Diamond, each American consumes as much as 32 Kenyans which is absolutely outrageous (Diamond, 31). Additionally stated in "Our Common Future", we need to find a happy medium between growth and conservation of resources. Consumption is going to exist, but the rate at which it is at is unnecessary and unhealthy.
ReplyDeleteIn Wilson’s writing, “What is Public Policy”, he write about how the American people are often suspicious of the government and do not trust the political officials in power. Even though citizens question the government, many Americans still accept and support specific public policies (Wilson p.12). He explains how public policies are essential to our lives. While he outlines multiple policies in this chapter, I would like to focus on the distributive policy. Distributive policies appear to allocate benefits or resources to the larger population (Wilson p.14). Policies that involve highway systems or other forms of transportation are types of distributive policies. Many people benefit indirectly because many goods such as clothing and food are distributed by highways. This can increase a person’s consumption because they have a greater access to these goods. This ties into the article “What’s Your Consumption Factor?” because our consumption in the United States is much higher than that in developing countries. In fact, our consumption factor is 32 times higher. Whether we get there willingly or not, we shall soon have lower consumption rates, because our present rates are sustainable (Diamond 2008). By having an effective distributive public policy, our consumption rates can be lowered. The government can either place a restriction on the transferability of goods throughout the United States. All of this consumption can have a negative impact on the environment because of the use of fossil fuels. Sustainable development requires that the rate of depletion of non-renewable resources should foreclose as few future options as possible (Introduction to Sustainability). Our environment can become more sustainable by implementing good distributive public policies that will reduce the number of fossil fuels being used. This in turn can lower our consumption in America.
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ReplyDeleteIn Wilson’s discussion, he defines a number of policies. The policy that stuck out to me was morality policies. Wilson defines morality policies as having five distinguishing features. They tend to be well known, they deal with black and white issues, they involve more citizen participation than other policies, they are more contentious and emotional than the other policies, and they are more likely to involve religious organizations (Wilson 15). This policy ties in with Diamond’s consumption article because not only is it a world population issue, but an issue of conserving resources. Diamond feels that simple solution that pundits use is that if you control the population, it can control the consumption of the resources. The actual issue is that consumption in America is still well above the other third world countries. Our common future touches on this issue as well. “The rapid population growth that has so profound an impact on the environment and on development in many regions is partly by such factors as the status of women in society and other cultural values” (Future 24). Uneven allocation of resources has many moral factors because a lack of resources leads to a lack of hope. This can cause tension among the countries that do not have versus the countries that do have.
ReplyDeleteUpon having read the article by Wilson entitled “The Meaning of Public Policy”, I now have a better understanding as to what a public policy is. Not only do I better understand it, but I realize many of the misnomers that come attached to it. While many citizens are against big government and feel that they reduce our freedoms, Wilson believes otherwise. He gave Thomas Hobbes as an example when he wrote “ At some point in history people decided that life without government was chaotic and miserable” (Wilson p. 15). Part of having government is the use of public policies. A public policy that Wilson gives an example of is Distributive Policies, where he describes how they appear to allocate benefits or resources to the larger population. An example of this is the highway system because whether or not used directly is benefits all citizens. While some people may agree or disagree with various public policies, in “Our Common Future” we are told that they all must be implemented intelligently. Sustainability is the idea that economics and ecology must be completely integrated, not just to protect the environment but also development as well. This could come into play when enforcing a Distributive Policy for example. As stated earlier, a interstate is an example of this and when being enforced the government should ensure it promotes development by putting it where it is needed, but also by mapping its route in a ecologically efficient manner. We can monitor ecology and development together and ensure that the entire world is consuming resources at a balanced and more equal rate. In “What’s Your Consumption Factor?” we learn that the developed world consumes 32 times more resources that those in the developing world. With this being said, we must make sure that we allocate resources through public policies that not only promote development, but keep over consumption of our natural resources down.
ReplyDeleteIn Wilson’s “What is Public Policy?” he discusses how citizens distrust the government about public policy issues. One type of public policy that Wilson defines which can be especially applicable to reducing our consumption habits is substantive policies. Wilson defines substantive policies as policies that “entails the allocation of resources and is expected to have significant impact” (Wilson, p.14). A good example of a substantive policy is the Clean Air Act. I believe that this public policy is especially important recently due to the new environmental concerns and realizations that our natural resources are depleting and will not last forever. According to Diamond in “What’s your Consumption Factor?”, “the estimated one billion people who live in developed countries have a relative per capita consumption rate of 32. Most of the world’s other 5.5 billion people constitute the developing world, with relative per capita consumption rates below 32, mostly down toward 1” (Diamond, 1). Substantive policies can help reduce our consumption by using less natural resources and helping the environment at the same time. The Clear Air act prohibits toxic waste and makes cars pass emissions tests. Cars are one of the most abundant resources used today and by passing laws like these, our consumption habits will be changed for the better long-term. In “Our Common Future” the author states that environmental stresses are linked one to another (37). Substantive policies will not solely help our consumption habits, but it will benefit everything else as well.
ReplyDeleteWilson’s article, “What is Public Policy”, defines and outlines several different kinds of public policies. One kind he discussed is called protective regulatory policies. These policies “protect the public from a perceived harm (Wilson p. 14).” I thought this concept could be applied to the use of energy efficient light bulbs. The article states, “These policies often require a change in behavior brought about by invoking rewards or penalties (p. 14)”. I feel that non-energy efficient light bulbs should be taxed at a higher rate than those that are energy efficient to give consumers an incentive to purchase more eco-friendly bulbs. As stated in “Our Common Future”, the environment and economy operate on a global scale. The entire world suffers from the wasted energy that old fashion light bulbs produce. The article by Diamond called “What’s Your Consumption Factor” also demonstrates Americans use of energy in comparison to underdeveloped countries. Especially as Americans, I think it’s safe to say that we are not conscientious of the amount of energy our light bulbs use. The use of energy efficient light bulbs will reduce the amount of wasted energy by the bulb. As Diamond stated, Americans consume 320 times the amount of resources than those from Kenya. We produce an immense amount of wasted energy. Old-fashioned light bulbs should be taxed so that consumers will be more inclined to purchase energy efficient bulbs.
ReplyDeleteWilson clearly explains several types of public policies in his article, but also introduces us to the public’s wide range of opinions on these policies. Protective regulatory policies seemed a very effective way to reduce our consumption factor. As Wilson explains, they protect the public from perceived harm. Unfortunately, since humans do not seem to take the necessary actions to preserve the Earth’s resources, these types of policies provide an incentive to reduce harm. Protective regulatory policies often require a change in behavior brought about by invoking rewards or penalties (Wilson 15). Since many companies and individuals won’t take the initiative to reduce public harm, protective regulatory policies invoke these necessary actions.
ReplyDeleteIn “Our Common Future,” the author points out that environmental policies are aimed to stop harmful growth. While he explains that these policies have brought progress and rewards and must be continued and strengthened, he points out that additionally all nations need to aim at a type of development that integrates production with resource conservation and enhancement. It seems like regulatory protective policies could provide the incentive to achieve this end goal. In “What’s your Consumption Factor?” Diamond points out the different lifestyles between the first world and the developing world. If all nations need to make a change, as explained in “Our Common Future,” then maybe regulatory protective policies can help us achieve this goal.
In Wilson’s “The Meaning of Public Policy” he discusses competitive regulatory policies, which regulate entry into markets and regulate prices. I think that the competitive regulatory policy can be implemented to help reduce the number of people who drive. If people have to pay a $50 toll to drive into a city, they may be more likely to take the train or bus instead. By placing a toll on driving into the city, it will help reduce the number of cars entering a small space. This will lower congestion, traffic, and air pollution in cities. In “Our Common Future”, the author says “Sustainable development seeks to meet the needs and aspirations of the present without compromising the ability to meet those of the future.” Sustainable development needs to work together with economic and social development. This is the only way to develop a sustainable way of living. Placing a tax on driving into a congested area wouldn’t hinder the present or future population. Since there are alternatives to driving your car, it would be a policy that people could easily adapt to. In “What’s Your Consumption Factor?” Jared Diamond discusses how consumption rates differ across the globe. “Much of American consumption is wasteful and contributes little or nothing to quality of life.” Driving is a consumption that is wasteful and only contributes negative things to society. Our country has alternatives in place like buses and trains, so it is silly for Americans to continue to drive cars around. It is a privilege that Americans take for granted.
ReplyDeleteIn his article, “The Meaning of Public Policy,” Wilson discusses how Americans are suspicious of government, although we clearly need public policy and appreciate those policies in which we use in our everyday lives. He does a nice job of outlining different types of policies. Many types of these policies could be used to help reduce our consumption habits and address sustainability issues.
ReplyDeleteOne thing to consider when discussing public policy and sustainability is that “environmental stresses and patterns of economic development are linked to one another” (“Our Common Future” 37). So maybe we could take a look at developmental policies as a way to reduce our consumption. Wilson explains that “developmental policies involve economic revitalization. Often these policies entail solution packages designed to stimulate the expansion of existing businesses, the creation of new businesses, or the location of a new production facility in a particular area of the city” (16). In the article, “Our Common Future,” it is very clear that the economy and ecology rely on each other. For this reason, I think there should be some kind of public policy implementation that gives checks and balances to developmental policies so that the state of the environment and sustainability are considered.
It is obvious something like this is needed based on Jared Diamond’s article, “What’s Your Consumption Factor?” Diamond explains that first world countries consume on average 32 times more resources than developing countries. I believe that if America wants to lower that number 32, we need to implement new developmental policies to ensure existing businesses and new businesses are environmentally friendly. It is so important that individuals recognize this problem, and make personal changes in their everyday life. But I personally believe to really reduce that number, bigger organizations have to change their policies as well.
In the article “The Meaning of Public Policy” Wilson elaborates on why we need government and public policy, and why many people are ambivalent towards these issues. Within the article Wilson states that we have become “cynical and distrustful” towards our government, yet there is “much about government and public policies that we take for granted.” He then goes on to give an in-depth look into public policy and the many effects it has on the issues we as a society are facing today. One specific policy that caught my eye was Substantive Policy (Wilson, 16). This policy deals with the allocation of resources and “is expected to have a significant impact” (Wilson). Some examples of Substantive Policy include the Clean Air Act of 1990 and the Civil Rights Act of 1991. This is a very important policy in my eyes because it goes hand in hand with the many sustainable development issues facing our current economy. In the article “Our Common Future” from the Oxford University Press, Chapter 2 describes Sustainable Development as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” If we continue to implement effective Substantive Policy in ways that will aid our efforts to achieve sustainable development then I believe that we will be in a much better position down the road. According to Jared Diamond’s article “What’s Your Consumption Factor?” the United States is a powerhouse of consumption. In a world of approximately 6.5 billion people, “The estimated one billion people who live in developed countries have a relative per capita consumption rate of 32. Most of the world’s other 5.5 billion people constitute the developing world, with relative per capita consumption rates below 32, mostly down toward 1” (Diamond). These staggering numbers only further convince me that effective Substantive Policy is one of the most powerful solutions to our current problems with sustainable development.
ReplyDeleteIn “The Meaning of Public Policy,” Wilson explains that while many people do not trust the United States government, most are appreciative of “specific public policies.” One important type of policy that Wilson describes is the Distributive Policy. These policies allocate resources in order to positively affect the public, the society, and the environment. And while not every American may agree that environmental issues are important to our generation and to future generations, a distributive policy that provides federal or state funding for the development of sustainable local farms could benefit us in multiple ways.
ReplyDelete“Our Common Future” discusses the interrelatedness of the economy and the environment; because these entities are so closely related, plans for development are more beneficial (and less destructive) if their creators consider the environment. These chapters also point out that our actions affecting one part of an ecosystem have a widespread effect on other parts. So, with this in mind, the creation of more local farms could reduce pollution and the financial costs of food transportation, and also reduce dependency on food sources that are otherwise straining to meet demands placed upon them by buyers— among numerous other benefits. The farms would help sustain American communities and could potentially allow American communities to collectively reduce their consumption habits, an idea which Diamond (“What’s Your Consumption Factor”) stresses, given the current rate of population growth.
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ReplyDeleteIn our lifetime, we are going to be faced with some of the most difficult questions human civilization has ever faced. The exponential increase in our population in relation to our failure to understand and adapt to our changing world has left a big question mark on our future. It is all beginning now, but politically, economically, environmentally, and socially, our world is changing and it’s not for the better. Diamond cites the lack of political will that has currently wrestled our civilization into this mess, and without drastic change, we will meet demise. In the first reading “The Meaning of Public Policy”, the author talks at length about how the government works for the people to make their lives better, and in many ways they are correct. But too often then not, the government is making the lives of certain people better, and those people are the ones with influence and money. Governments think about their people, but they often don’t take into regards the effects they may have on other countries. We need to work on a global scale, far further than UN jurisdiction, and create a global community that works together. In “Introduction to sustainability”, the author clearly states that “No country can develop in isolation from others,” and she goes on to explain that nations must work collectively in order to survive in the future. If they fail to work together, we will all lose in the long run.
ReplyDeleteIn the readings, Wilson discussed many different types of public policy that could be beneficial when implemented to reduce our consumption factor. Two of the policies he outlined were procedural policies and protective regulatory policies. Procedural policies were defined as “[a policy] that outlines the steps in a process,” and procedural regulatory policies as policies “that protect the public from a perceived harm.” I believe that these two policies are particularly important when discussing how to make our nation, and our world, operate in a sustainable manner. In the “Our Common Future” sustainable development is defined as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” The excerpt we read also discusses how, in order to achieve sustainable development, all nations must work together towards the same goals. It is obvious from the Diamond reading that, in order to achieve sustainable development, one of these goals must be the reduction of “developed” nations consumption factor. Sustainable development cannot e achieved while the people of the United States use 32 times the resources that the people of a “developing” nation like Kenya do. The earth cannot support this sort of consumption, especially as large nations like China seek to “catch up” to the United States. I believe that our consumption could be reduced if we implemented procedural policies and protective regulatory policies that sought to reduce our consumption factor and outlined steps that would have to be taken in order to work towards sustainable development.
ReplyDeleteIn "The Meaning of Public Policy" Wilson describes a number of different public policies, how they work in our nation and the effect that they have. One that particularly intrigued me were the redistributive policies. Wilson defined these as policies that "shift resources or benefits from advantaged groups to disadvantaged groups" (16). An example of this would be a higher income tax rate for the middle and upper class, so that single mothers can use welfare to help raise their children. I found this ironic thought because income tax rates are at an all time low for our middle and upper classes, giving me the impression that our government no longer cares about helping out single mothers and others in the same demographic. Perhaps I am in the minority these days, but I don't feel like our funding to these groups should be decreased. This relates to Diamond's article because as a nation we are severly over consuming. We consume 32 time more than other countries. While he had to lower the amount of money we could spend on welfare, it is ultimately because we are over consuming and it is raising our national debt, which force us to make cuts across our nation. Unfortunately our government believes these cuts should be in the welfare department. If we, as a nation, could figure out a way to reduce our consumption and debt in the process, perhaps we could see us return to previous spending levels on welfare and other such topics.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading through Wilson’s piece, and about the various types of public policies that can be instated, I have found the substantive policy would be most beneficial if applied in reducing our consumption habits. Much of Wilson’s reading discussed the common apprehension the public has towards the government, and views it as an infringement on their freedom or individuality. At the same time it is acknowledged that the ease in which we are able to function day to day is consequently tied to the government and our trust in it. It is because of the government we are confident that the food we are eating is healthy and not going to harm us, or we are able to travel without difficulty. Policies are put in place to protect and help the people while substantive policies aim to help the country as a whole. Examples given of this policy enacted consist of the Clean Air Act 1990 and the Civil Rights Act 1991. This policy is described to have significant effect and are employed currently working on issues of minimizing air pollution and helping those with disabilities to name a few. (Wilson 14) Our Common Future discusses the need for sustainable development to be an international forethought. Sustainable development was described as being able to “meet the needs and aspirations of the present without compromising the ability to meet those of the future” (40). Essentially it is imperative that the ratio of what we consume or dispose of in relation to what is produced needs to minimize or become as close equal as possible. This issue was also discussed in Diamond’s What’s Your Consumption Factor?. Comparing consumption rates between countries around the world the United States is at a 32, while other countries are at a 1. An explanation Diamond made showcasing the drastic difference in consumption habits was the fact that one American would be able to consume the same amount 32 Kenyans would. Not only is it the sheer amount of current consumption but the increasing population adding to the craze affecting the environment adding more consumption. (Diamond). Through the use of substantive policy, implementing sustainable development as an international motion could help minimize our consumption and extend the longevity of our currently over-processed environment.
ReplyDeleteWilson defines many different public policies in his article. The most important ones that relate to sustainability, in my opinion, are Allocational and Developmental Policies. Wilson defines Allocational Policies as ones that regulate “the distribution of urban services.” (Wilson 16) By this, he means that we regulate where we are using our forces such as policemen and firefighters, and where we use and upkeep environmental objects, such as sewers and streets. As Americans, we consume resources at a level of 32 times faster than developing countries. (Diamond) Allocating where we have street repairs to streets that are heavily use by traffic can lead to our consumption factor going down significantly and thus our sustainability not becoming an issue, Wilson says. Repairing and repaving a road uses many natural resources, so cutting down on repairs can cut down on consumption. In order for us to achieve sustainability, we must stop what we have been doing, and instead refocus our goals and objectives to change our lifestyles. We need to be able to change how things have been done in the past so that we can move forward to a better future. If we don’t, sustainability will simply be a word we never actually see in our society.
ReplyDeleteWhen reading Wilson’s piece, The Meaning of Public Policy, I came across the policy type which I thought would best be able to address the reduction in consumption habits. This type was Protective Regulatory Policy, “…protect the public from perceived harm…Protective regulatory policies often require a change in behavior brought about by invoking rewards of penalties.” In order to compel people to change their way of life and reduce consumption, they have to have some type of incentive reward or motivation to push them in the desired direction. Otherwise, why would someone change a way of life that they know works for them? In the next section, I am going to lay out a set of incentives which would motivate the international community to change its consumption habits.
ReplyDeleteThe objective in Our Common Future which best exemplified my vision for consumption habit reduction was, “No country can develop in isolation from others. Hence the pursuit of sustainable development requires a new orientation in international relations…But it is fundamental that the transition to sustainable development be managed jointly by all nations.” Basically, nations have to be willing to give up some national sovereignty to ensure that the goals for the reduction in consumption habits are met. In light of the importance for international cooperation on this issue, I would propose a supranational organization, in the same mold as the supranational institutions of the European Union, which would have the ability to enforce the goals on the nations participating via judicial action. For example, a nation in violation of European Union law can be taken to the European Court of Justice by another country or the European Union itself. The ECJ can then impose heave fines on a country in order to compel it to abide by the EU laws. However, historically, the mere threat of being taken before the court often compels countries to comply in order to avoid international embarrassment. In the case of reducing consumption habits, a similar supranational organization with similar enforcement capabilities could be an effective way to ensure countries reduce their consumption habits.
Lastly, in order to reduce the economic hardships poor countries have in reducing consumption, the participating countries could pool money with the new supranational organization which would then have the sole discretion of deciding what countries needed it to ensure compliance with the reduced consumption habits. This would be just like EU countries paying into the EU budget. Then, the EU decides how it is best appropriated. Jared Diamond in his New York Times Article, What’s Your Consumption Factor, wrote, “In fact, we already know how to encourage the (consumption habit) trends; the main thing lacking has been political will.” The international community just needs to have the political will to establish such a supranational organization which has the power to enforce consumption habit reductions and help out poorer countries where such reductions would not normally be economically viable. Since the international community has not shown a consistent history of being able to work together to enforce environmental policy, with the Kyoto Protocols for example, then a new supranational organization which can force them to may be the best solution.
In the article “The Meaning of Public Policy”, Wilson claims “Americans are ambivalent about public policies and government.” (p21) Sometime people need Government as a protection; sometimes they feel less freedom when government overly controls everything. Government and public policies are essential. He did a great job on explaining different types of policies. Morality Policies made the most impression on me. Because it’s really important that individuals realize the environmental problems and changing their behavior in daily life. One of the five distinguishing features of morality issue is “They tend to be well known. People hear them on radio and television talk shows.” (p15) I believe the more close to people’s daily life, the more influencing the policies will be.
ReplyDeleteIn the article “Our Common Future”, the author point out that environmental stress are related to each other. Environmental stresses also associated with economic development. The author declares “economics and ecology must be completely integrated in decision-making and lawmaking processes not just to protect the environment, but also to protect and promote development.”(p23) I believe in the long run, protecting the environment equals protect the economy. Every country has the responsibilities to protect the environment. Countries should work together, making plans for our common future.
In the article “What’s Your Consumption Factor”, Jared Diamond emphasized that environmental problem is a global problem. The number 32 cause readers to think deeply about the negative influence Americans produced to the environment. I believe that government should advocate some healthy life style and offer more applicable solutions for people. For example, encourage people walk or ride a bike instead of driving. Providing some reusable bags instead of free plastic bags in the supermarket. Also, increasing tax of high pollution products.
grace gong yawen
In the article “The Meaning of Public Policy”, Wilson claims “Americans are ambivalent about public policies and government.” (p21) Sometime people need Government as a protection; sometimes they feel less freedom when government overly controls everything. Government and public policies are essential. He did a great job on explaining different types of policies. Morality Policies made the most impression on me. Because it’s really important that individuals realize the environmental problems and changing their behavior in daily life. One of the five distinguishing features of morality issue is “They tend to be well known. People hear them on radio and television talk shows.” (p15) I believe the more close to people’s daily life, the more influencing the policies will be.
ReplyDeleteIn the article “Our Common Future”, the author point out that environmental stress are related to each other. Environmental stresses also associated with economic development. The author declares “economics and ecology must be completely integrated in decision-making and lawmaking processes not just to protect the environment, but also to protect and promote development.”(p23) I believe in the long run, protecting the environment equals protect the economy. Every country has the responsibilities to protect the environment. Countries should work together, making plans for our common future.
In the article “What’s Your Consumption Factor”, Jared Diamond emphasized that environmental problem is a global problem. The number 32 cause readers to think deeply about the negative influence Americans produced to the environment. I believe that government should advocate some healthy life style and offer more applicable solutions for people. For example, encourage people walk or ride a bike instead of driving. Providing some reusable bags instead of free plastic bags in the supermarket. Also, increasing tax of high pollution products.
Jared Diamond says “The world has serious consumption problems, but we can solve them if we choose to do so.” His point is one that needs to be taken seriously because if it is not, there will be nothing left to consume. He fears that Americans might object to lowering their consumption rates, and I can agree in that point, because why would we want to live a less sufficient lifestyle to make room for others? However, the simple answer will be that with a growing population around the world and a growing economy, we will have to limit what we consume in order for others to have an ample living lifestyle. The consumption at which we live now is unsustainable and the government will have to implement some type of policy to change this.
ReplyDeleteWilson explains in the article “The Meaning of Public Policy”, numerous types of policies our government lays out for us to try and make the United States the most sufficient country in the world. Many of these policies could help solve the consumption dilemma our world now deals with. He writes, “public policies enhance our lives in many ways and make modern conveniences possible” (12). And a great way to make the modern convenience of consumption possible would be to look into morality policies, which would allow the population to take into account their consumption level at a moral viewpoint and help them decide what is the right amount to consume. However, this policy alone I believe would not work for such an immense problem. I believe that it will be through the combinations of policies, perhaps a competitive regulatory policy which could regulate entry into certain markets and may also regulate prices, a redistribution policy aka taking from the rich and given to the poor, and/or the previously mentioned morality policy. Because like stated in “Our Common Future”, “No single blueprint of sustainability will be found, as economic and social systems and ecological conditions differ widely among countries.” So it will have to be through the many efforts of our government and of our nation to solve the consumption problem, but only if we truly put forth the effort, will these policies succeed.
Toward the end of “Introduction to Sustainability” Wilson poses the conundrum, “How are individuals in the real world to be persuaded or made to act in the common interest? The answer lies partially in education, institutional development, and law enforcements” (28). The government is moving toward creating a more sustainable future, as well as big institutions such as universities. However, this move needs to also be placed in the hands of individuals, whether through coercion or simply through education. But, as Wilson suggested at the beginning of “What is Public Policy”, the citizens of the United States are skeptical and weary of their government. That’s why one way to push this movement is through utilizing regulatory policies. Regulatory policies, as Wilson states, are basically a system of rewards and penalties. If the government regulated grocery stores on what product they could sell and where the product they are selling came from, more local merchandise would be used therefore cutting the consumption of wasteful items. The government could also regulate what types of companies are cutting trees for profit. Diamond explains in “What’s your consumption factor?”: “We already know how to log them sustainably, band if we did so worldwide, we could extract enough timber to meet the world’s wood and paper needs. Yet most forests are managed non-sustainably, with decreasing yields” (33). If the government did a better job with regulation, without stepping on what is considered a basic freedom, new policies could go a long way in sustaining and ailing planet.
ReplyDeleteJared Diamond’s article, “What’s Your Consumption Factor”, blatantly gives the scary truth about our world and its sustainability issues. It is not something everyone likes to hear about because it is something us Americans are very responsible for. We live our lavish lifestyles with no regard for the rest of the world and the harm that we cause. Diamond explains, “Yet we often promise developing countries that if they will only adopt good policies – for example institute government and a free-market economy – they too will be able to enjoy a first-world lifestyle” (32). But Diamond says that this is impossible. If everyone lived like us then we would run out of resources. Other countries should not strive to reach our “32” frightening consumption rate. Like Diamond says, we must be the ones to make sacrifices and policies to compromise with the rest of the world.
ReplyDeleteIn Wilson’s, “The Meaning of Public Policy”, he explains thoroughly what public policy is and the examples of it we see in our everyday life. The public policy we should be worrying about now is how much Americans consume and how to cut this number down. Under the category of Public or Collective Goods, Wilson gives the example of flood control. He explains, “Flood control is a public good because the entire community benefits from it” (17). Looking at the world as a community, we must create a public policy that everyone would benefit from and would cut down our consumption levels. For instance making a public policy for buying local. If there was a law created that enforced individuals in certain areas who have the capability to buy goods from that area to do so, it would cut down on transportations costs from importing goods and would help support the communities around it.
“Each country may devise national agricultural policies to secure short-term economical and political gains, but no nation alone can devise policies to deal effectively with the financial, economic, and ecological costs of the agricultural and trade policies of other nations” (Our Common Future, 24). These words could not be more real today. We cannot be the only ones making changes and then having other nations make the same mistakes. This is not a national issue; it is something that affects everyone on this earth therefore everyone must make changes together.
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ReplyDeleteAlthough superficial and short, “What’s Your Consumption Factor?” By Jared Diamond does bring an important topic into the spotlight for us to analyze. The points made throughout the reading are not “should-bes” and “could haves” but rather indubitable facts. The notion of “The American Dream” has for quite some time enthralled not only Americans, but also a lot of the world, in a dark cave of inconsequential values. For example: I need a 6,000 pound H2 Hummer SUV with chrome hubcaps to drive around stand-still traffic in New York City so that people know that I am an affluent man who deserves all the attention I receive, even if it costs me 10 miles per gallon. These are our forms of self-expression to others without using words, and that is exactly what advertisers and the media want us to believe: that wearing makeup to look like the girl in the Maybelline commercial or purchasing high end fashion wear are essential to our well-being.
ReplyDeleteSome of the points made in the article serve more as eye-opening statements than effective persuasion. Of course the Kenyan to American consumption ratio is 32:1. Nearly half of Kenya’s 40 million people are poor and cannot meet daily nutritional requirements. How do you expect that population to indulge in designer handbags and gas-guzzlers when getting a proper diet is the biggest of their concerns? Nevertheless there are many interesting points made, such as Western European living standards being up to par with ours while consuming half as much, or China alone catching up to the American consumption rate causing that rate to triple.
Well, after seeing what the average scores for Americans and college educators were on the Civics Quiz, I was thoroughly disgusted with the lack of basic knowledge people had about the United States. How can someone go and vote for Congress, state officials, local officials, or even the President of the United States without first grasping an understanding of the country they live in? Taking the test in under ten minutes, I scored an 81.82% without putting any effort into it. The only questions I had trouble with were some of the more specific ones regarding the economy. And, since I am not an economics major, this is somewhat understandable. It is a lot more understandable than someone getting the question wrong that asked who was the commander and chief of the military. Seriously, how does someone who scores under a 60% get through school? I have no idea how they leave grade school and high school without knowing the material on this quiz. Personally, I find it sad there are people walking around this country who are apparently so ignorant. Maybe picking up a book or newspaper would be helpful for them. Hey, it might teach them more about the United States than they apparently ever knew before.
ReplyDeleteAfter taking the civics quiz, and seeing the scores prior, I was truly amazed at what most of our population know about our country and about our policies. Sure, there were some tough questions on the quiz, but c'mon, a lot of that stuff was information I learned while in grade school. It is acceptable to get an 70% or above, sure you miss some because you arent taking the test seriously, but below a 50%?!?! That is unbelievable.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if it is a lack of care to take the test, or if people just plain out do not know our country. Who knows who is actually taking this quiz as well. Maybe everyone from the University of Illinois takes the Civics quiz and the score rises to 70%. Who knows. Overall, if that is the brains of our nation, then we need to re-vamp fast. Hopefully there are still some smart people out there, luckily I was one of them : ) I guess I am proud to be an American.