Chapter 12: Q.34 (page 297)
Is zero pollution an optimal goal? Why or why not?
Short Answer
Aiming for zero pollution should be the ultimate goal.
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Chapter 12: Q.34 (page 297)
Is zero pollution an optimal goal? Why or why not?
Aiming for zero pollution should be the ultimate goal.
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Will a system of marketable permits work with thousands of firms? Why or why not?
Identify whether the market supply curve will shift right or left or will stay the same for the following:
a. Firms in an industry are required to pay a fine for their carbon dioxide emissions.
b. Companies are sued for polluting the water in a river.
c. Power plants in a specific city are not required to address the impact of their air quality emissions.
d. Companies that use fracking to remove oil and gas from rock are required to clean up the damage.
Suppose a city releases million gallons of raw sewage into a nearby lake. Table shows the total costs of cleaning up the sewage to different levels, together with the total benefits of doing so. (Benefits include environmental, recreational, health, and industrial benefits.)
Total Cost (in thousands of dollars) | Total Benefits (in thousands of dollars) | |
16 million gallons | Current situation | Current situation |
12 million gallons | 50 | 800 |
| 8 million gallons | 150 | 1300 |
| 4 million gallons | 500 | 1650 |
| 0 gallons | 1200 | 1900 |
a. Using the information in Table , calculate the marginal costs and marginal benefits of reducing sewage emissions for this city. See Production, Costs, and Industry Structure if you need a refresher on how to calculate marginal costs.
b. What is the optimal level of sewage for this city?
c. Why not just pass a law that firms can emit zero sewage? After all, the total benefits of zero-emissions exceed the total costs.
Would environmentalists favor command-and-control policies as a way to reduce pollution? Why or why not?
What is an externality?
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