How Clean Is Clean?

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• How Clean Is Clean?
• Is 100 Clean Really Worth It?

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How Clean Is Clean Really?

• Describe your bedroom
• Now, clean it up!
• What are you going to do...
• 1st?
• 2nd?
• 3rd?
• ? As you get closer to 100 clean, what becomes
  greater, cost or benefit?

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Is it Really Worth 100 Clean?

• How much _______ does it take?
• time
• work
• energy
• resources
• money
• Is it worth the cost and benefits?

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The Answer is Based on

• Technology (Do we have the capabilities to clean
  it now?)
• Money (Is it available now?)
• Value (Does everyone have the same?)
• Priorities (What is most important?)
• Cant the effort to clean up 100 be used more
  effectively elsewhere?

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Welcome to Lake Erie-

• In the Past
• Beautiful
• Clean
• Safe to fish
• swim
• drink
• Now it is dirty from
• Overuse Overflow from septic tanks
• Soil runoff Industrial discharge

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Solution 1

• Surrounding states should clean
• the lake 100.
• The technology is available to clean it.
• There is no excuse for not doing the job right.

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Solution 2

• Cleaning the lake 100 is overkill.
• ? It doesnt need to be perfectly clean.
• ? We can clean up most of the lake for 1/3 the
  cost and effort for totally cleaning it up.
• ? We should not overspend for the environment.

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Where is the Point Where We Should Stop Cleaning
Up?

• When it costs too much?
• When it becomes too much trouble?
• When the benefits stop?
• When it is completely clean?

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Pollution Clean Up

• Benefits
• MSB
• 0 100
• Pollution Cleanup

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Cost to Cleanup

• Costs
• MSC
• 0 100
• Pollution Clean Up

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What is the Point Where We Should Stop Cleaning
Up?

• Benefits
• and Costs
• (Dollars) MSB
  MSC
• 0 100
• Pollution Abatement

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How Much Should We Clean Up Lake Erie?

• Marginal Benefit Marginal Cost of Clean
  Up of Clean Up
• Completely 0 ___________
  ____________
• Polluted (25)_____________
  (25) ____________
• 25 500,000 75,000
• 
  (50)______________ (50)
  ____________
• 50 750,000 175,000
• 
  (75)___________
  (75)____________
• 75 865,000 290,000
• (100)___________
  (100)______________
• Completely Clean 100 875,000 590,000

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The Results

• Marginal Benefit Marginal Cost of Clean
  Up of Clean Up
• Completely 0 0.00 0.00
• Polluted (25)500,000 (25) 75,000
• 25 500,000
  75,000
• (50)250,000_
  (50)100,000
• 50 750,000 175,000
• (75)115,000
  (75)115.000
• 75 865,000 290,000
• (100)10,000 (100)300,000
• Completely Clean 100 875,000 590,000

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What Percentage Should We Clean Up Lake Erie?

• Only 75
• Why?

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Solution Clean up until the cost and benefits
are equal.

• Benefits
• and Costs
• (Dollars) MSB
  MSC
• 0 100
• Pollution Abatement

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The Answer is Based on

• Technology (Do we have the capabilities to clean
  it now?)
• Money (Is it available now?)
• Value (Does everyone have the same?)
• Priorities (What is most important?)
• Cant the money to clean up 100 be used more
  effectively elsewhere?

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So

• Is Clean Really Clean?
• What does clean really mean?
• Should we clean until it is 100 clean?
• Should we clean until costs outweigh benefits?

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Decisions are Based on

• Values
• Priorities
• Economics

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Whatever the decision, we must remember that our
choices

• ? Influence the environment
• ? Have unintended consequences
• ? Are influenced by rewards