Chapter 1. Chapter 1: Environmental Literacy

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Scenario: Bison in North America numbered in the tens of millions in the 19th Century. A rapidly escalating market for their hides, meat, and territory for cattle lead to their near extinction. Please place the following in the correct order to demonstrate the social trap "time delay".

1. --------Bison are hunted using muskets and sold for their hide and meatDecreasing bison population increases price for bisonIncreased availability of bison meat increases hunting for bisonIncreased hunting decreases bison populationThe invention of the rifle increases the hunting of bison and its sale as meat

2. --------Bison are hunted using muskets and sold for their hide and meatDecreasing bison population increases price for bisonIncreased availability of bison meat increases hunting for bisonIncreased hunting decreases bison populationThe invention of the rifle increases the hunting of bison and its sale as meat

3. --------Bison are hunted using muskets and sold for their hide and meatDecreasing bison population increases price for bisonIncreased availability of bison meat increases hunting for bisonIncreased hunting decreases bison populationThe invention of the rifle increases the hunting of bison and its sale as meat

4. --------Bison are hunted using muskets and sold for their hide and meatDecreasing bison population increases price for bisonIncreased availability of bison meat increases hunting for bisonIncreased hunting decreases bison populationThe invention of the rifle increases the hunting of bison and its sale as meat

5. --------Bison are hunted using muskets and sold for their hide and meatDecreasing bison population increases price for bisonIncreased availability of bison meat increases hunting for bisonIncreased hunting decreases bison populationThe invention of the rifle increases the hunting of bison and its sale as meat

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Scenario: Hydraulic fracturing (“hydrofracking”) is a new practice to extract natural gas trapped in layers deep beneath the Earth’s surface. Deep wells are drilled into these layers, into which custom mixtures of fluids are injected. The drilling and injection of the fluid can cause pollution of nearby water supplies. The dangers of this drilling, the effect on water supplies, and the proper procedures to regulate it are all still being discussed politically. Please place the following in the correct order to demonstrate the social trap "tragedy of the commons."

1. --------Landownwers compete to attract hydrofracking to their own landsDrilling fluids from hydrofracking contaminate water in neighboring wellsCompanies begin drilling hydrofracking wells in new areasWater supplies over large regions are too contaminated to drink safely

2. --------Landownwers compete to attract hydrofracking to their own landsDrilling fluids from hydrofracking contaminate water in neighboring wellsCompanies begin drilling hydrofracking wells in new areasWater supplies over large regions are too contaminated to drink safely

3. --------Landownwers compete to attract hydrofracking to their own landsDrilling fluids from hydrofracking contaminate water in neighboring wellsCompanies begin drilling hydrofracking wells in new areasWater supplies over large regions are too contaminated to drink safel.

4. --------Landownwers compete to attract hydrofracking to their own landsDrilling fluids from hydrofracking contaminate water in neighboring wellsCompanies begin drilling hydrofracking wells in new areasWater supplies over large regions are too contaminated to drink safely

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