Old Myths
- Nature is good and people are bad
- Business is bad
- Consumption is bad
- People are the enemy
- Only government is big enough to solve environmental problems
New Understandings
- People make choices about the environment
- Individuals value nature and the environment differently
- Production occurs in response to human wants and needs
- All choices involve trade-offs
- Choices to preserve the environment impose costs as well as conferring benefits
- Clearly defined property rights and market transactions can provide environmental quality
Program format offers much variety and plenty of free time.
- Three and a half day program length.
- Staff trained in economics and education.
- Lectures and discussions.
- Simulations to participate in and adapt to your own classroom and community.
- Field trips.
- Interaction with colleagues.
Topics connect basic economic principles to current environmental issues.
- How clean is clean…and, is it worth it?
- Marginal cost/benefit decision-making as related to environmental issues.
- Are markets friends or foes?
- How markets convey information and offer incentives or disincentives.
- School site simulation: Given environmental constraints, where should the new school be built?
- Teachers participate in the simulation and then adapt it to their own communities.
- Review of classroom materials.
Past teacher participants enthusiastically support The Environment and the Economy:
In the five years the program has been offered, a majority of the participants have been high school economics, social studies, history and government teachers. A limited number of participants have been middle grades social studies teachers and directors of university centers for economic education.
The program is designed to integrate classroom discussion involving market solutions to environmental issues. While participants return to their classrooms with the knowledge to accomplish this goal, several have received local and statewide grant funding so they can provide such training to teachers in their own area. Specifically, in the last five years, participants from Kansas, Pennsylvania, Alabama, Kentucky, Alaska and other states have used the FTE's Environmental program model as the basis for their local and statewide training programs.
This was an excellent program, with useful tools and information that
you can bring back to students and colleagues!
Karen Billingsly, High school teacher, Florida
I learned activities, concepts, and ideas that can be applied and taught
in my class.
Michael Carey, High school teacher, Arkansas
This program is a fabulous way to teach and learn about environmental
issues and economic concepts. Economics provides a realistic way to think
and to solve problems.
Cassandra Minor, High school teacher, Kentucky