This is presentation of some basic economic ideas for the beginning community college student.

The Economy is a course in economics. Throughout, we start with a question or a problem about the economy—why the advent of capitalism is associated with a sharp increase in average living standards, for example—and then teach the tools of economics that contribute to an answer.

For the first time in history, the global demand for freshwater is overtaking its supply in many parts of the world. The U.N. predicts that by 2025, more than half of the countries in the world will be experiencing water stress or outright shortages. Lack of water can cause disease, food shortages, starvation, migrations, political conflict, and even lead to war. Models of cooperation, both historic and contemporary, show the way forward. The first half of the course details the multiple facets of the water crisis. Topics include water systems, water transfers, dams, pollution, climate change, scarcity, water conflict/cooperation, food security, and agriculture. The second half of the course describes innovative solutions: Adaptive technologies and adaptation through policy, planning, management, economic tools, and finally, human behaviors required to preserve this precious and imperiled resource. Several field trips to water/wastewater/biosolids reuse and water-energy sites will help us to better comprehend both local and international challenges and solutions.

Lesson Objective: At the completion of this lesson, students will understand the meaning of scarcity and opportunity cost. Students will explain how scarcity and opportunity cost affects decisions made by households, businesses, and governments. Supplies NeededStudent Handout 1The Cost of Your Future (1 per student) (found in Task 3)Student Handout 2Scarcity and Opportunity Cost Quiz (1 per student) (found in Task 7)Student Handout Answer Key 2Scarcity and Opportunity Cost Quiz (found in "Resource Library")Teacher Resource 1Dingell hosts community round table on higher education (found in "Resouce Library")Video 1Gangnam Style (4:12) (found in Task 1)Video 2EconEdLink Opportunity Cost (found in Task 2)Video 3Four Years to Broke: The Real Cost of College (6:06) (found in Task 4)Video 4Production Possibilities Curve- Econ 1.1 (found in Task 5)  References “Dingell Hosts Community Round Table on Higher Education.” The Michigan Daily. N.p., 9 Apr. 2015. Web. 19 Apr. 2015. EconEdLink: Council for Economic Education. (n.d.). Economic Glossary. Retrieved from http://www.econedlink.org/economic-resources/glossary.php and http://www.econedlink.org/interactives/index.php?iid=190 EconEdLink: Council for Economic Education. (n.d.). "Opportunity Cost." Opportunity Cost. EconEdlink, n.d. Web. 19 Apr. 2015. Ferguson, Lisa. “4 Years to Broke: The Real Cost of College.” YouTube. YouTube, 30 Apr. 2014. Web. 19 Apr. 2015. G.S. and G.D. (2014, June 3). “The Hidden Cost of Gangnam Style.” Retrieved from http://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicdetail/2014/06/daily-chart-1 MBA dictionary. (n.d.). Retrieved November 15, 2014, from MBAResearch and Curriculum Center “PSY-Gangnam Style (Official Music Video).” YouTube. YouTube, 23 Oct. 2012. Web. 19 Apr. 2015.

" This course is the first subject in the Environmental Policy and Planning sequence. It reviews philosophical debates including growth vs. deep ecology, "command-and-control" vs. market-oriented approaches to regulation, and the importance of expertise vs. indigenous knowledge. Its emphasis is placed on environmental planning techniques and strategies. Related topics include the management of sustainability, the politics of ecosystem management, environmental governance and the changing role of civil society, ecological economics, integrated assessment (combining environmental impact assessment (EIA) and risk assessment), joint fact finding in science-intensive policy disputes, environmental justice in poor communities of color, and environmental dispute resolution."