The overall purpose of this course is to provide students with conceptual insight, 
problem-solving skills, and general knowledge needed to better analyze and solve 
natural resource use issues and problems from an economic perspective which 
recognizes the important linkages between economic, environmental, and ethical 
systems. Applications we will discuss include nonrenewable resource use, renewable 
resource use, land and water resources, environmental pollution, conservation, and 
investment and business concerns.

Specific objectives of this course are to: 1) provide students with a basic 
understanding of ecological concepts and environmental systems and how these 
systems provide natural resources of use and value to people; 2) provide students 
with understanding and ability to model how economic systems allocate and use 
natural resources in economic production and consumption; 3) provide students with 
a working knowledge of basic environmental ethics concepts; 4) address the 
consequences of human activity on local, regional, and global natural systems; and 
5) provide students with training and practical experience integrating ecology, 
economics and ethics to analyze and solve "real world" natural resource and 
environmental problems.

I.	Introduction - What are the general linkages between economic and 
environmental issues and problems? 

II.	Resource Supply and Scarcity - How does a healthy environment supply 
natural resources and how do we monitor scarcity?  

III.	Economic Efficiency - How does a healthy economy allocate natural resources 
to economic production and consumption? 
    
IV.	Criteria for Resource and Environmental Policy - How do we evaluate 
environmental resource policies and programs? 

V.	Market Failure and Inefficiency - What could cause the free market to use 
and allocate environmental resources in an economically inefficient manner? 

VI.	Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA) - How do we determine whether or  not an 
environmental resource policy or project is economically feasible? 

VII.	Nonrenewable Resource Management – What is the optimal use and management 
of exhaustible, nonrenewable resources over time? 

VIII.	Renewable Resource Management – What is the optimal use and management of 
renewable resources over time? 

IX.	Conservation, Preservation, Sustainability and Environmental Ethics - What 
are the relationships between the economics and ethics of  resource conservation, 
preservation and sustainability?