I teach my Resource Econ class in the spring, and when that happens my eyes are opened to the resource Econ issues all around me, including things I see on Reddit, Twitter, in the news, etc. Here are a few.
1) Twitter thread on the health impacts of gas stoves. Burning gas produces NO2 which contributes to asthma, particularly among children; electric stoves are cleaner. Of course, there are many other relevant issues, from the emissions associated with the extraction of natural gas to the % of coal that still keeps the lights on for many of us.... [Update Jan 27: a recent study has found that homes with stoves create lots of methane, contributing to climate change as well as the health issues.]
2) It turns out that to cut your carbon footprint by half, all you need to do is give up beef! If you eat chicken instead of beef, that cuts your emissions by 48%, or so says this link. Vox.com chimes in noting that over a billion chickens a year are wasted; they are raised but end up in the landfill. Ouch.
3) And as antidote to the tendency to assume the world depends on your dietary choices, here's a reminder of the role of giant systems. To preserve gate access at some airport, Lufthansa airlines recently made 18,000 flights... that were EMPTY. Basically no passengers or cargo: just keeping up appearances in hopes of future profit.
4) While we're on the subject of externalities, just saw this tax being imposed in Quebec. If you don't get vaccinated, you will have to pay a fee. (!)
5) Someone else who is paying fees is Bayer (formerly known as Monsanto). The cost of lawsuits associated with the herbicide RoundUp is adding up, and they are taking their product off the market for home use. Interestingly, the RoundUp-Ready GMO is still so ultraprofitable both for the company and for agricultural producers that they don't seem worried about related lawsuits.
That's all for now!
