The Tragedy of the Commons

      Prior to completing this activity, review the following: • The Tragedy of the Commons (Links to an external site.) • Valuing ecosystem services: Capturing the true value of nature’s capital (Links to an external site.) • What Is the Tragedy of the Commons? (Links to an external site.) • Midwestern farmers working to reverse Gulf dead zone (Links to an external site.) • Tainted wells tied to farm runoff; High nitrate levels in several towns are making water unsafe for babies, pregnant women (Links to an external site.) • Roundup weedkiller ‘substantial factor’ in farmer’s cancer, US jury finds (Links to an external site.) • Industrial and sustainable farming (Links to an external site.) The tragedy of the commons concept illustrates what can happen when people use a limited resource, which can result in “what is good for the individual is not necessarily good for the whole.” • Describe an example of the tragedy of the commons in your area. While the video used provided the example of fish being pulled from a pond, what examples do you see in your community? • Identify the natural cycle or system that is being impacted and any threats to the sustainability of a specific resource. • Additionally, identify the people or organization that is responsible for this tragedy of the commons. • Provide one potential solution that could keep this tragedy from degrading the wellbeing of your neighbors or community.