List of topics for
EFB 120: Biophysical Economics (BPE)
Curriculum Development: In progress
Based on 2013 Curriculum update
Section I: Introduction to Biophysical Economics
1. Review of Economics and Introduction of Biophysical Economics
2. Thinking in Systems – Beyond Firms and Households
3. History and Foundations of Economics:
4. History of Biophysical Economics
5. Economic and Biophysical Scarcity
6. Island Economies
7. Can you have an economy without money?
8. Supply, Demand, Market Clearing Price
9. Economics, value, and the American Dream
10. Value: what is it and how does the economy account for it?
11. Valuing the environment
Section II: Exploring a Biophysical Economy
12. Suggested Activity:
- Students will need a lot of practice with creating systems diagrams, and this activity will focus on creating a diagram of the flow of energy through the school system.
13. Discussion of current event: Focus on Hydrofracking*
*This class can be adjusted to focus on any current local issue that students will be able to find articles on. Hydrofracking presents a particularly interesting issue because of its local as well as national implications and controversy.
14. Our role in the economy and environment
15. Reaching Consumers and Competition: The rise and influence of green advertising
16. Business as a System
17. Example of Business as a System: Healthcare and the economy/ environment
18. Sustainable Entrepreneurship: The Evolving System of Business
19. Decision Making as a Business: Cost-Benefit Analysis*
*depending on how long the class period is, this lesson may span two class meetings.
Section III: The Global Economy
20. The Global Economy and International Trade
For students in a ½ year course
- As these students will not have completed the first research project associated with the full-year course structure, it can be adapted for an in-class activity or the basis for learning how to do research in the computer lab (See page 4)
- Students will compare two economies: a developed and a developing economy. Students may work in groups
- Students can give short presentations on their countries of choice, write a short comparison paper, or develop systems diagrams for a good or service in each of the economies.
21. Introduction to Globalization
22. GDP as an economic indicator
23. Development
24. Trade Strategies and testing development goals
25. Using BPE to study the economy and goals of development
26. How have Biophysical Economists applied these methods?
Section IV: Energy and the Economy
27. Limits to Growth : the role of energy in the economy?
28. Does Peak Oil Even Matter?
29. EROI and the future of U.S. Energy
30. Energy Debate
Class Activity: Energy Debate
- Each student was assigned a different energy source and provided with a chapter from Hall, Cleveland, and Kaufman .1986. Energy and resource quality: the ecology of the economic process. John Wiley and Sons.
i. Petroleum (Chapter 7)
ii. Imported Petroleum (Chapter 8)
iii. Natural Gas (Chapter 9)
iv. Shale Oil (Chapter 10)
v. Coal (Chapter 11)
vi. Nuclear (Chapter 12)
vii. Solar (and other alternative energies) (Chapter 13)
Section V: Biophysical Economics Today
31. Discussion of current economic issues
32. Discussion: Critiques and Contending Views of a Biophysical Economics
33. Ecology in Times of Scarcity
34. Global Change through a Biophysical Lens
35. Final Class: Final Project and Student Presentations
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