Lesson 7 Media Selections

The goal of this lesson is for you to apply the knowledge you've gained in the first Module to a contemporary artifact in energy and sustainability.  Pick one of the themes below to analyze. I strongly suggest taking a look at the assignment details prior to reading and/or listening to it, and before deciding which theme to analyze. This will help frame your thinking and home in on key details. I also suggest at least browsing through each of the selections below in order to make a well-informed choice regarding which theme to analyze.

The assignment is to analyze and post about one. If you analyze more than one, you may earn more Yellowdig points, but it isn't necessary if your first post is engaging and thorough. You are encouraged to go through each of the selections, as these are all really important contemporary issues. However, your only required to analyze one.

Theme 1: The Real Cost of Pollution

In this podcast, we return to Mr. Stephen Dubner and his Freakonomics podcast. (Recall that Lesson 5's behavioral economics section featured a different Freakonomics podcast episode.) The focus of this episode is the hidden economic impacts of particulate air pollution, both on human health and cognitive ability. If it sounds like the episode focuses on externalities, that's because it does! As mentioned in Lesson 2, pollution is a commonly cited example of something that has negative externalities. As you will see in this podcast, researchers (especially environmental economists) have attempted to quantify these negative externalities in order to determine the true cost of air pollution. If you choose this topic, base your discussion board post this week on this artifact.

Theme 2: Degrowth: An Alternative to Late Capitalism

In this podcast, the folks at Vox explore the concept of degrowth, which puts a name to something that we have explored in this course. While there is not one universal definition to point to, degrowth refers to minimizing and/or eliminating the influence of GDP on economic policy and instead pursuing quality of life and sustainable use of natural resources. In order to do this, wealthy countries in particular must stop growing economically, and even shrink. If you choose this topic, base your discussion board post this week on this artifact.

Theme 3: Climate Change Adaptation and Emergency Planning

You probably recall the devastating and deadly flash flooding that occurred in Texas during the very early morning hours of July 4th, 2025. Over 130 people died, including dozens of children, many of whom were campers at Camp Mystic. This flood was kind of a "worst case scenario," given that it happened in the very early morning hours when people were sleeping, and since it was a flash flood, which provides very little warning. That stated, there appeared to be some possible oversights by emergency personnel on that morning that made it more deadly, and it is notable that a flood warning system was not in place due at least partially to a recent policy (and budget) decision. Camp Mystic - where so much devastation and tragic death occurred - is in a 100-year floodplain and in part of Texas nicknamed "Flash Flood Alley."

In this interview on the "Fresh Air" NPR show, Abrahm Lustgarten of ProPublica discusses the probability of the increased incidence of climate-related disasters such as this one, the attitude of the current federal government with regards to disaster preparedness, the economic impacts of these and other such events, climate mitigation, and domestic climate refugees. If you choose this topic, base your discussion board post this week on this artifact.