Question

digging deeper: cost - benefit analysis student instructions
objective: practice using a basic cost - benefit analysis to make environmental decisions.
what is the situation/scenario that requires a decision?

1. what costs would be involved in the project? consider the cost of required goods, labor, time, impacts to the surrounding environment, etc.
2. what are the expected benefits of the project? benefits can include convenience, safety, aesthetic value (visual appeal), monetary savings/earnings, etc.
3. what ecosystem services might be disrupted as a result of this project?
4. are there a few options that could have different benefits and costs? if so, which one would you choose? if theres only one option, do you think the costs are worth the benefits?

Explanation:

Step1: Identify costs

Costs could include transportation cost to get to the school (fuel or public - transit fare), time spent on commuting which could be used for other activities, and potential environmental impact of the chosen mode of transportation (e.g., carbon emissions if driving a car).

Step2: Identify benefits

Benefits might be convenience of having a nearby school, safety of the route, aesthetic value of the area around the school, and potential savings if using an economical mode of transportation like biking or walking.

Step3: Identify disrupted ecosystem services

If driving, increased air pollution could disrupt air - purification ecosystem services. If building new infrastructure for a new transportation route, it could disrupt habitat for local wildlife.

Step4: Evaluate options

Options could be driving, biking, walking, or taking public transit. If biking or walking, costs are low (just time and personal effort) and benefits like health improvement and low environmental impact are high. If driving, costs are higher (fuel, car maintenance) and environmental impact is higher too. Public transit might be a good balance between cost and environmental impact. Overall, if possible, biking or walking would likely be the best option as the benefits seem to outweigh the costs.

Answer:

1. Costs: Transportation cost, time cost, environmental impact cost.
2. Benefits: Convenience, safety, aesthetic value, potential savings.
3. Disrupted ecosystem services: Air - purification, habitat disruption.
4. Options: Biking/walking are likely the best as benefits outweigh costs compared to driving. Public transit is also a good option.