Week 3 - Science vs. Politics *and* The History of the Environmental Movement

Agenda:

1. Announcements, Attendance and Administration
2. Science vs. Politics: Mini Lecture, Video Clip and Discussion
3. History of the Environmental Movement: Discussion
4. NEXT WEEK: Debate on California Proposition 23 (2010)

Science vs. Politics - Discussion Questions:

• How do you know what you think you know about science?
• Do you follow politicians' claims about science, climate change, AIDS, etc.?
• How do your parents and friends learn about science-related issues?
• Is there an element of working it out on your own, i.e. reasoning from experience, that comes into play?

The History of the Environmental Movement - Discussion Questions:

• The history of the environmental movement shows a record of both successes and failures, with the the former receiving a great deal of emphasis while the latter was often deemphasized and sometimes avoided altogether. Why do we hear more about environmental successes? Why is both public AND voluntary action a necessary element in bringing about changes in environmental politics?
• How can effective environmental policy makers enlist the support from a bigger section of the nation's population when trying to come up with new policies aimed at big industries (chemical, automobile manufacturers) or will they continued to face heightened opposition from powerful interests and citizens concerned more about an adverse impact on their way of life rather than the immediate and long-term effects of the obstruction of environmental action?
• Can the EPA redesign its plan of action and play a significantly greater role when dealing with environmental issues or is it confined to be the arena of conflict among the different masters it serves (executive, Congress, Special interest groups)?

Costain and Lester's "The Evolution of Environmentalism"

• Which model presented by Costain and Lester best explains the pattern of American environmental policy?
• Offer a critique of each policy model presented by Costain and Lester.
• Costain and Lester describe a shift from federal responsibility for environmental policy formulation to primarily state-led policy implementation. What problems do states face in implementing environmental policy? Is this shift a good thing given states' varying capacities for assuming environmental management? Would national implementation of environmental policy be more effective?