Alongside Head-author, Assistant Professor at Northern Ohio University, and UIUC Graduate program alum Laura Logan, a group of experts including CEOS' co-director Amy Ando recently co-authored new research that attempts to quantify tradeoffs between electricity generation and fish populations via population habitat duration curves (PHDCs). The paper analyzes the threat posed by thermal pollution via electricity generation to aquatic ecosystems using data from The Shawnee Fossil Plant on the Ohio River. PHDCs were generated from this data, providing a valuable quantitative model that decision makers can use in economic analyses. The ecosystem gains through fish population growth and electricity generation losses are presented in a scenario in which the river temperature changes by 1.1 degrees Celsius. The PHDCs demonstrate how water temperature can be quantified as a resource, as well as the tradeoffs between operating thermoelectric power plants, and promoting sustainability in aquatic ecosystems.
Amy Ando Co-authors research on Tradeoffs Between Fish Populations and Electricity Generation
The First Round of Sustainability Mini-Talks are Now Online!
Did you miss out on our first round of the Economics of Sustainability Mini-Talks? Don't worry! All four talks, hosted by Amy Ando, Madhu Kanna, Hope Michelson, and Yilan Xu are now available on the CEOS Youtube channel!
Individual Links:
Using Nature to Stop the Next Pandemic - Amy Ando
Economic Costs and Benefits of Biofuels - Madhu Kanna
Small Farmers and Global Value Chains - Sustaining Development? - Hope Michelson
Fracking: Myths and Truths - Yilan Xu
Worshipping the Tiger Matters for Conservation
The non-use existence value of nature is a seldom discussed topic in the field of economics, and for good reason: In a subject full of figures, equations, and meticulously constructed quantitative models, how could one estimate the numeric value of something so abstract and unused by people? In his recent paper "Worshipping the Tiger: Modeling Non-use Existence Values of Wildlife Spiritual Services," CEOS researcher and UIUC professor Dr. Shadi Atallah does exactly this. His newest research quantifies the spiritual value of the tiger to the Soligas Tribe in India and shows how that value can be harnessed as an economic tool for promoting sustainable wildlife conservation and preserving the ways of life of indigenous people.
Save the date: 12/2 second round of mini talks on the economics of sustainability
CEOS' second round of bitesized Mini-Talks on the economics of sustainability are coming up soon! Join us on Wednesday December 12th for four 10-minute talks from University of Illinois Faculty that focus on the sustainability economics of food and agriculture. Like before, the talks will be followed by a brief Q&A session and are as follows:
Joe Janzen | "How much U.S. farmland is organic?"
Ben Gramig | “If less tillage costs less, then why don’t more farmers use conservation tillage?”
Brenna Ellison | "Digging in: Food waste along the supply chain"
Shadi Atallah | "Are consumers willing to pay for both local brewing and local hops?"
The session will be hosted via Zoom, and sign-up can be found here. All are welcome!
SAVE THE DATE: 10/28 Upcoming Mini-talks on the Economics of Sustainbility
CEOS's mini-talks on the economics of sustainability are coming up soon! Join us on Wednesday, October 28th to hear four 10 minute segments from College of ACES faculty about overcoming sustainability challenges in agricultural and urban systems. The talks will be followed by a brief Q&A session, and are as follows:
Amy Ando | "Using Nature to Stop the Next Pandemic "
Madhu Khanna | "Economic and Environmental Costs and Benefits of Biofuels"
Hope Michelson | "Small Farmers and Global Value Chains - Sustaining Development?"
Yilan Xu | "Fracking: Myths and Truths"
The session will be hosted via Zoom, and sign-up can be found here. All are welcome!