StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

Assignment #2: Tragedy of the Commons - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
In addition, this practice is detrimental to the environment, and despite the fact that only the illegal loggers benefit from this, the larger human population is exposed to the…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER95.2% of users find it useful
Assignment #2: Tragedy of the Commons
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Assignment #2: Tragedy of the Commons"

Illegal Logging as a Tragedy of the Commons Illegal logging is a case of tragedy of the commons, because it benefits only one or few individuals. In addition, this practice is detrimental to the environment, and despite the fact that only the illegal loggers benefit from this, the larger human population is exposed to the environmental risks this practice brings. Before engaging in illegal logging, an individual or a group of people will make their own silent decisions, which will not be made known to other people.

First, this is because illegal logging is illegal, therefore, if exposed, these risk prosecution. In addition, illegal logging harms the environment; therefore, if one discloses their desire of logging, people who know the impact of this practice will probably stop them. Therefore, illegal loggers will decide on their own, without involving anyone else. Illegal loggers will sneak into national parks and other protected areas, as they lack permission to be there. Most of these employ child labour, while others have slaves to help them execute their mission, and this saves them the labour cost.

Illegal logging therefore, benefits the loggers, and has become a profitable business to most of them today. Illegal loggers do not pay taxes, as they evade this. They also process the wood in faraway places, creating jobs there, at the expense of the local communities from where they got the timber. Illegal logging also makes it hard for the legal timber companies to compete favourable in the market, as these go by the state rules, which is costly (Ravenel, Granoff and Magee 56). Illegal logging has negative consequences on the environment and on a country’s economy.

First, it leads to devastation of forests, as the loggers harvest many trees. Once forests are devastated, wildlife also suffers, and is devastated too, as most animals lack shelter and food for survival. Globally, it is estimated that illegal loggers clear approximately 30 million acres of tropical rainforest. Countries that have been greatly affected by illegal logging include Papua New Guinea and Indonesia (“Rey” Web). To address this problem, more governments should enact laws against illegal logging and develop harsh sanctions for the practice.

In addition, a ban and prohibition should be placed on importing or trading illegal timber and wood products. This responsibility calls for collective action, and should not be left to the government alone. Therefore, individuals should also take the responsibility of reporting suspected instances of illegal logging, creating awareness about effects of illegal logging, and belonging to an environmental group to learn more about illegal logging, its effects, and solutions.Works CitedRavenel, Ramsay, Granoff, Ilmi and Magee, Carrie.

“Illegal Logging in the Tropics: Strategies For Cutting Crime.” London: Routledge, 2004Rey, Mark. “Lessons from the US: stopping illegal logging benefits both sides of politics.” The Conversation. 14 September 2012. Retrieved Oil DrillingOil drilling is a practice that has faced controversy, especially in the USA. Offshore oil drilling was banned during the presidency of both Clinton and Bush. This is because of the negative effects this practice is believed to have on the environment.

It is true that oil drilling has detrimental effects on the environment. For instance, offshore drilling may result in oil spills, which pose a danger to the organisms in affected water bodies. On the other hand, in order to start drilling for oil, some situations require clearing of land, including cutting trees for easy accessibility to the oil source. Cutting down trees is a negative action that leads to environmental degradation. In relation to the tragedy of the commons, oil drilling is not classified as a tragedy to the commons because of its nature and use in society.

Most oil sources are owned by nations, therefore, it hard for an individual to make own independent decision to drill oil. In the case of tragedy of the commons, an individual or a group may make a decision to exploit the environment for their own benefits, but putting the whole world population at a risk. Oil, unlike other natural resources, cannot be personalized. This is drilled, and purified for industrial use, among other uses. Therefore, it may not be possible for one person to drill and keep the oil for their own personalized use.

Oil obtained from oil drilling is beneficial to a large population, since this is used in industries, and in the transport and communication, which is mass consumption (Fridell 43). Although oil drilling is detrimental to the environment, the effects are not as immense as those involved in the harvesting of other natural resources. Most of the oil in the world is found in the Middle East. A larger part of this area is a desert with little vegetation. Since most oil occurs in the open fields, drilling will not result in cutting of trees to clear land for easy access to the oil.

Therefore, its effects are not as intense as those of other practices (Hunter 31). Finally, oil is an important product to the human population, and the whole global economy. Therefore, this is a necessity, which must be obtained. Since the other alternatives of oil are limited, the available oil has to be extracted to meet the different needs in the global economy. In addition, the alternatives of oil may not be sufficient to sustain the demands of the whole world, and most of them are unreliable.

Since oil is available and reliable, oil drilling will continue, as long as governments come up with strategies to minimize its negative impacts on the environment. After all, these negative environmental effects will affect all those who enjoyed the consumption of oil in various ways. Works CitedFridell, Ron. “Environmental Issues.” London: Marshall Cavendish, 2006. Print. Hunter, Nick. “Off-Shore Oil Drilling.” New Jersey: Raintree, 2012. Print.

Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Assignment #2: Tragedy of the Commons Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words”, n.d.)
Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/environmental-studies/1613408-assignment-2-tragedy-of-the-commons
(Assignment #2: Tragedy of the Commons Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 Words)
https://studentshare.org/environmental-studies/1613408-assignment-2-tragedy-of-the-commons.
“Assignment #2: Tragedy of the Commons Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 Words”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/environmental-studies/1613408-assignment-2-tragedy-of-the-commons.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Assignment #2: Tragedy of the Commons

Theoretical Frameworks of Our Knowledge and Understanding of Social Problems

This paper tells that centuries ago, while the science of medical care was in its technical evolution stage, the prime area of reference was only the provision of health care.... In today's world, subsidiary issues have emerged that are considered to be of prime importance in the realm of health care....
7 Pages (1750 words) Assignment

Word Reappropriation

According to Gloria Naylor (Naylor, Gloria), the word 'nigger' is no big deal if it is tastefully put in place and viewed in style.... It is necessary to accept the word, turn it over in your mind, and utilize it as many times as possible so that its usage is accorded the decency it deserves.... hellip; It does no good to keep the word underground or to cover it up in the sewage so that it continues to remain there and find common cause with the grime and dirt associated with the sewage. Or let us think of something "queer"....
5 Pages (1250 words) Assignment

Earth: Tragedy of the Commons

nbsp;  … The extraction of fossil fuels such as drilling of oil or mining is not considered a tragedy of commons because the resource that is being extracted is not being stored; in fact, individuals are using it as per their needs.... The term tragedy of commons was initially driven to describe the over usage of the available resource.... Nevertheless, the general view of the economists is that fossil fuels are a tragedy of commons because due to its usage the natural resources become extinct....
1 Pages (250 words) Assignment

Macbeth as Tragedy

It is quite commonly stated that Macbeth one of the most powerful works of Shakespeare is a tragedy and this is because it contains all the elements of being a tragedy.... A tragedy needs to have a hero who has a conflict with a Macbeth As tragedy Macbeth As tragedy It is quite commonly d that Macbeth one of the most powerful works of Shakespeare is a tragedy and this is because it contains all the elements of being a tragedy....
1 Pages (250 words) Assignment

Financial Instruments Evaluation

In the real world, companies and individuals may want to invest in assets with high liquidity rates so that they may be able to meet certain deadlines.... On the other hand, they may borrow to meet such deadlines, but the most common practice is to invest in things that have high… Consequently, the following report is aimed at explaining two significant elements of the financial market; the money market and the capital market....
4 Pages (1000 words) Assignment

Different Levels of Market Efficiency

In the paper “Different Levels of Market Efficiency,” the author describes the three forms of market efficiency.... The levels of efficiency depend on the type of information that comes out in order for investors to take advantage of and eliminate profit opportunities in the process.... hellip; The author states that weak-form efficiency describes the market all the historical information has already been incorporated in the prices of the stocks, all the information contained in the past prices....
8 Pages (2000 words) Assignment

Management, People and Strategic Marketing

The paper 'Management, People and Strategic Marketing' gives an example of applying knowledge in marketing to making decisions in people and strategic marketing management.... hellip; Product development process is defined as the complete process of conceptualization, design, planning and developing engineering design and execution through to the final stage of marketing or launching the product....
11 Pages (2750 words) Assignment

The Emotional History and Development of My-Self

The paper "The Emotional History and Development of My-Self" analyzes that even though human beings experience powerful emotions at many points of time in their lives, a comparative few alone realize the importance and significance of understanding emotions, their causes and origins.... hellip; Researchers like Coleman, Dlugokinski, and others have explicated the significance of understanding human emotions in unlocking human beings' psychological mysteries....
11 Pages (2750 words) Assignment
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us