Natural Resource Economics Commons^™

Introduction To Special Edition: The Oceans And National Income Accounts: An International Perspective, Charles S. Colgan

Journal of Ocean and Coastal Economics

Introduction to articles in the special edition.

The Real Footprint Of Electric Vehicles, And What That Could Mean For Our Future, Krista Brown

Journal of Environmental and Resource Economics at Colby

This paper looks at the impact of electric vehicles on CO2 emissions specifically based on the type of electricity used in each New England state analyzed. The research looks at the question of whether or not emissions will in fact be lowered as electric cars start to take the majority of vehicles used instead of the conventional cars that take up a much larger percent of the motor vehicles used today. Taking into account the use of electricity and how many sources of electricity also release a substantial amount of emissions, we see how valid the public opinion of electric …

The Effect Of The Deer Population On The Number Of Car Accidents, Timothy J. Hallock Jr

Journal of Environmental and Resource Economics at Colby

This paper examines the relationship between the deer population and the number of car accidents in New York State from 2002-2012. Data collected includes information on the amount of deer hunted, the number of car accidents, and the number of hunting permits issued. This paper also involves a county level analysis within New York State of 56 counties from 2007 - 2012. An important part of analysis of this paper is the examination of the Buck population vs. the Doe population on the number of car accidents. This is an important study because of its possible policy implications regarding the …

The Effect Of Information On Avoidance Behavior And Bicycle Transportation: A Study Of “Spare The Air” And Bay Area Bikeshare, Paige W. Whistler

Journal of Environmental and Resource Economics at Colby

This paper seeks to address the effect of “Spare the Air” pollution control alerts in the San Francisco Bay Area in California on the use of Bay Area BikeShare as a form of transportation. By observing the daily alerts on the duration of rides using BikeShare, this paper observes if STA ozone alerts are effective in changing human behavior. The results show that only as a subscriber to the BikeShare program and on an alert day does duration decrease whereas customers regardless of if it is an alert day will ride more often and at longer distances. The results contradict …

Socioeconomic Attributes’ Relationship To Green Commercial Office Buildings, Tianyang Zhou

Journal of Environmental and Resource Economics at Colby

This paper examines the relationship between the socioeconomic attributes of a state and its green commercial office space adaptation. I hypothesize that a state with high socioeconomic status will have a high green building adoption. Additionally, the high socioeconomic status states may be more likely to invest in green commercial buildings with higher LEED certification levels, and various types of LEED commericial office projects are affected by the socoeconomic attributes differently.

Who Cares About The Environment? A Study Of Environmental Behavior In Maine, Chandler L. Blake

Journal of Environmental and Resource Economics at Colby

Identifying and targeting environmentally minded people is crucial to making any environmental campaign successful. It allows you to advertise to the people who will be the most helpful and supportive to your cause. The goal of this study is to identify the general demographics of environmentally minded people. To do this I examine voting data through each county in Maine and run a regression to test whether income, education level, and household size have any correlation to how the county votes on environmental issues. I found that the higher a county’s income, the more environmentally friendly their voting. I also …

Analyzing Consumers’ Willingness To Pay For Eco-Labeled Seafood Products In Coastal And Inland Maine Counties, Gaby E. Carpenter

Journal of Environmental and Resource Economics at Colby

Around the world, green labels are used for a wide range of food products, both in grocery stores and restaurants. Often, the price for these labeled products is higher due to higher production costs associated with the goods. This leads to demand for these goods in the market and consumers that are willing to pay. Here, I will examine the willingness to pay for three different eco-labeled seafood dishes at a Maine restaurant using a consumer choice experiment survey. I will use this survey to conduct a benefits transfer analysis to approximate the willingness to pay of consumers in each …

Do Peers Get Punished: Stock Market Effect Of Bp Oil Spill On Peers, Yuga Koda

Journal of Environmental and Resource Economics at Colby

This paper examines the stock market reaction to the British Petroleum oil spill on April 20, 2010. This event study looks at different sectors that may be affected by the oil spill. It finds that different industries do not have significant abnormal returns, with two exceptions. First, utilities companies have a very small positive abnormal return for a short period of time after the incident. Second, when only looking at BP's direct competitors, there is a statistically significant negative abnormal return, implying that BP's competitors are punished for BP's mishap.

Media Effects On Solar Panel Installations Across 20 States, Casey Romeo

Journal of Environmental and Resource Economics at Colby

This paper looks at the relationship between media coverage of solar power and the solar panel installation at a state level. Specifically, it aims to find if more newspaper articles cause more households to adopt solar energy. Use data from 20 states from 2009 to 2014. I find that there is a modest, yet positive and statistically significant relationship between newspaper articles and installations, which suggests that the media does influence the decision to install solar panels. There is possible endogeneity between these two variables. Disentangling this endogeneity is beyond the scope of this research and would be a topic …

Renewable Energy Consumption: Initiatives In Colorado And Washington, Robin K. Doroff

Journal of Environmental and Resource Economics at Colby

This paper examines the use of policy mechanisms to increase renewable energy consumption within the United States. In order to effectively measure the change of renewable energy consumption, I analyze two initiatives that promote energy consumption from renewable sources and overall increases in energy conservation. Colorado and Washington had approved initiatives in the years 2004 and 2006, respectively. Although the results are not entirely statistically significant, I find that the initiatives lead to increases in total renewable energy consumption and decreases in total energy use.

Stock Market Reactions To The Iarc Announcement Linking Red Meat And Processed Meat To Cancer, Scott B. Lehman

Journal of Environmental and Resource Economics at Colby

This study investigates how food companies were affected by the International Agency for Research on Cancer’s report that linked processed meat and red meat consumption to increased risk of cancer. The results indicate that neither fast food companies nor meat producers were greatly affected by the announcement in the days immediately following the release.

Property Value Changes From Public Transportation: How The Greenbush Commuter Line Affected Property Values, Sarah C. Evans

Journal of Environmental and Resource Economics at Colby

Prior studies have investigated the impact on property values to the proximity of established public transportation stations. Public transportation is thought to increase value of towns and properties, giving residents more options for transportation to and around the city. Both benefits and consequences of public transportation exist, allowing for either a raise or lower of property values in towns with stops. This paper analyzes the Greenbush Commuter line in Massachusetts, seeing if the proximity to the stops has an affect on the property of values in the towns. A difference – in – difference model is used to investigate a …

The Effectiveness Of The Colby College Electricity Competition On Promoting Electricity Conservation To Students, Jeff Vaz

Journal of Environmental and Resource Economics at Colby

This paper examines the effectiveness of the Colby College electricity reduction competition in altering students’ behavior to conserve electricity. The Colby College electricity reduction competition is an information-based policy that Colby implemented to promote the conservation of electricity, which are a major contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the United States. The study analyzes if different residence halls reduce electricity consumption by different amounts during the competition period. Results indicate that only 4 of 22 residence halls reduced electricity usage during competition periods in a statistically significant manner. The study concludes that the electricity competition at Colby College is …

Invited Introduction To Jerec, Matthew Kotchen

Journal of Environmental and Resource Economics at Colby

No abstract provided.

Welcome By The Editor, Nathan W. Chan

Journal of Environmental and Resource Economics at Colby

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Soil Erosion On Children’S Calorie Intake Among Corn-Producing Households, Davao Region, Philippines, Pedro A. Alviola Iv, Jon Marx P. Sarmiento, Nikko L. Laorden, Nilo B. Oponda

Journal of Economics, Management and Agricultural Development

Soil erosion is a constant challenge to farm productivity and profitability. However, extending the effect to food expenditure and children’s nutrition is yet to be explored. In this research, an attempt was made to establish the path linking soil erosion to children’s calorie intake levels. Using the geo-coordinates of Mindanao soil erosion areas from the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Agricultural Research (DA-BAR), Geographic Information System (GIS) was used to identify the research sites for corn producing households in Davao region. A total of 125 samples were analyzed. A 24-hour food-frequency recall survey was conducted and conversion of food consumption to …

The Effect Of Soil Erosion On Children’S Calorie Intake Among Corn-Producing Households, Davao Region, Philippines, Jon Marx P. Sarmiento, Nikko L. Laorden, Nilo B. Oponda

Journal of Economics, Management and Agricultural Development

Soil erosion is a constant challenge to farm productivity and profitability. However, extending the effect to food expenditure and children’s nutrition is yet to be explored. In this research, an attempt was made to establish the path linking soil erosion to children’s calorie intake levels. Using the geo-coordinates of Mindanao soil erosion areas from the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Agricultural Research (DA-BAR), Geographic Information System (GIS) was used to identify the research sites for corn producing households in Davao region. A total of 125 samples were analyzed. A 24-hour foodfrequency recall survey was conducted and conversion of food consumption to …

A Qualitative Analysis Of Service Delivery Of Potable Water Through Cooperatives: The Case Of Talaga Barangay Water Service Cooperative, Philippines, Arminga B. Oeria

Journal of Economics, Management and Agricultural Development

This paper aims to demonstrate the important role of cooperatives in the provision and delivery of potable water to a community of households based on evidence from a case study of Talaga Barangay Water Service Cooperative (TBWSC) in Tanauan, Batangas. TBWSC is a water service type of cooperative that successfully provides its members with access to potable water. The case shows how social capital works in addressing a common need. Particularly, it presents the collaborative partnership between the government and the cooperative in implementing a waterworks project. The factors contributing to the success of water service delivery are the felt …

Nemo's Plight: Political Economy, Green-Cultural Criminology, And Fish Abuse, Jordan Edward Mazurek

Online Theses and Dissertations

Using the Marine Aquarium Fish Trade as a case study, I propose an integrated theoretical framework in green criminology that strengthens the political economic "treadmill of production" theory (see Lynch et al., 2013) by incorporating an analysis of the "cultural grease" that ensures the treadmill’s smooth operation. Choosing fish as a subject matter, though, requires challenging the "thoroughgoing speciesism" (Beirne, 1999) inherent in the mammalian-centric animal abuse literature. To do this I draw from research in marine biology and animal cognition to philosophically establish that fish are moral agents, "subjects-of-a-life" (Regan, 1983) on par with mammals and thus worthy of …

Late Holocene Expansion Of Ponderosa Pine (Pinus Ponderosa) In The Central Rocky Mountains, Usa, Jodi R. Norris, Julio L. Betancourt, Stephen T. Jackson

United States National Park Service: Publications

Aim: Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) experienced one of the most extensive and rapid post-glacial plant migrations in western North America. We used plant macrofossils from woodrat (Neotoma) middens to reconstruct its spread in the Central Rocky Mountains, identify other vegetation changes coinciding with P. ponderosa expansion at the same sites, and relate P. ponderosa migrational history to both its modern phylogeography and to a parallel expansion by Utah juniper (Juniperus osteosperma).

Location: Central Rocky Mountains, Wyoming and Montana, and Black Hills, Wyoming and South Dakota, USA.

Methods: Plant macrofossils were analysed in …

Managing Risks Of Market Price Uncertainty For A Microgrid Operation, Sriram Raghavan

Masters Theses

"After deregulation of electricity in the United States, the day-ahead and real-time markets allow load serving entities and generation companies to bid and purchase/sell energy under the supervision of the independent system operator (ISO). The electricity market prices are inherently uncertain, and can be highly volatile. The main objective of this thesis is to hedge against the risk from the uncertainty of the market prices when purchasing/selling energy from/to the market. The energy manager can also schedule distributed generators (DGs) and storage of the microgrid to meet the demand, in addition to energy transactions from the market. The risk measure …

Positive Organizational Leadership And Pro-Environmental Behavior: The Phenomenon Of Institutional Fossil Fuel Divestment, Abigail Abrash Walton

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Climate change is one of the most significant dynamics of our time.The predominant contributor to climate change is combustion of fossil fuels by humans.This study deepened understanding of organizational leaders’ role in enacting one approach to addressing climate change:institutional fossil fuel divestment.The study used a qualitative research design to explore U.S.-based foundation leaders’ readiness to pursue fossil fuel divestment by their institutions.The study examined leaders’ motivations and actions in pursuing divestment, while simultaneously exercising their fiduciary duty to steward institutional assets.Research questions focused on the divestment behavior change process and the outcomes of divestment on leaders and their organizations.Data collection …

The Role Of The State, Multinational Oil Companies, International Law & The International Community: Intersection Of Human Rights & Environmental Degradation Climate Change In The 21st Century Caused By Traditional Extractive Practices, The Amazon Rainforest, Indigenous People And Universal Jurisdiction To Resolve The Accountability Issue, Marcela Cabrera Luna

Master's Theses

Local, national and international conventions that protect indigenous sovereignty and their territories, where many of the resources are extracted from by multinational corporations (MNCs) particularly oil, the number one commodity of the world and cause of climate change, continue to be jeopardized because of the lack of a clear international legal framework that can protect them and potentially hold multinationals accountable for their actions. These practices are causing not only environmental issues to the indigenous and surrounding communities, but climate change is in fact, the real human rights issue of the 21^st century and it affects everyone. By using …

Comments On Public Lands: Title Transfer Proposals, Chuck Howe

Challenging Federal Ownership and Management: Public Lands and Public Benefits (October 11-13)

3 pages.

Using Future Benefits To Set Conservation Priorities For Wetlands, Samuel B. Merrill

Journal of Ocean and Coastal Economics

In an era of rising sea levels, costal land managers including land trust representatives, municipal planners, and others contributing to decisions about whether to develop or protect coastal parcels do not have viable means of evaluating future values on wetlands that will be created when sea levels rise. This project develops and tests a software modeling approach to help address this issue, in combination with a novel, expert-opinion driven benefit-cost framework. The beta test used three parcels in Scarborough, Maine: Hampton Circle, Maine Audubon, and Pine Point. It used a group of experts to 1) allocate initial values to these …

Artificial Reef Attributes And The Relationship With Natural Reefs: Evidence From The Florida Keys, William L. Huth, O. Ashton Morgan, Paul Hindsley

Journal of Ocean and Coastal Economics

Natural or coral reefs represent extremely valuable ecosystems supporting an estimated 25 percent of all marine life, yet recent reports suggest that 75 percent of the world’s natural reefs are under threat from both natural and human stressors. In areas such as the Florida Keys that boasts an expansive mix of natural and artificial reefs, recreational diving on the system provides an important economic contribution to the local community but also potentially contributes to the stress of the existing natural reef system. We develop a revealed and stated preference modeling framework of diver behavior and find that deployment of an …

Economic Valuation Of Marine And Coastal Ecosystems: Is It Currently Fit For Purpose?, Nick Hanley, Stephen Hynes, David Patterson, Niels Jobstvogt

Journal of Ocean and Coastal Economics

In this paper, we consider whether the current “state of the art” of environmental valuation is suitable for producing policy-relevant estimates of the benefits or costs of changes in marine and coastal ecosystems. We review recent changes in European legislation which has meant an increasing demand for economic valuation from the policy and regulatory community. The next section considers, at a more conceptual level, whether the economic “toolbox” and scientific evidence is up to the task of meeting the demand for more evidence-based policy. Finally, three case studies are used to explore the nature of the valuation task and review …

Prescribed Fire Monitoring Report, Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve 2014 (Iqcs Fire Number 285382, 285383, 266782, 285677), Sherry A. Leis, Sarah E. Hinman

United States National Park Service: Publications

Introduction

In 2014, the preserve’s federal and NGO partners conducted prescribed fires during March, April, and October that encompassed 8129.8 acres of Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve (TAPR). This was a unique burn year in that prescribed burns occurred in the spring, the traditional burn season, and the fall. Fall burns were conducted to support needed archaeological surveys as part of the environmental compliance for a symphony event scheduled for June 2015 at the preserve. Burns at TAPR were coordinated with local US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), The Nature Conservancy (TNC), and various units of the National Park Service.

Burns …

Using Choice Experiment Valuation Methods To Measure Public Preference For A New National Park In Maine, Alexander G. Wilsterman

Journal of Environmental and Resource Economics at Colby

With global population increasing faster than ever, the need to protect land from development is at an all-time high. This paper seeks the measure the public preference for a new national park located in northern Maine. A national park will both protect the land and inject a much-needed economic stimulus to the surrounding communities. The study uses the choice experiment valuation method to quantify its results. Through this revealed preference we can quantify which characteristics are most important to the public so that these characteristics may be considered if the project is ever approved.

Golf Courses In Maine: Land Type Valuation Versus A Hedonic Pricing Analysis, Gregory Ladd, Jason Buco

Journal of Environmental and Resource Economics at Colby

Many studies have been conducted analyzing the economic impact of golf courses on the local communities. These studies examine economic impacts of tournaments, endorsements, and vacation expenses of the major golf courses in the United States. However, there is little research conducted on the environmental impact of Golf courses, specifically in Maine. This paper performs a hedonic pricing analysis using housing prices in proximity to golf courses and compares it to the valuation of various land types in Maine. Housing prices were collected in the towns of Auburn, and North Yarmouth both near and distant from the local golf course. …