ECON 2100
Fall 2015
Economics of Environmental Quality
Meeting Time:
Tuesday Thursday 11:00 – 12:15
Classroom:
Jackson Street Building room 125
Instructor:
Dr. Tianwei Zhang
Office Hours:
Tuesday Thursday 5:00-6:30 or by appointment
Office:
508 Brooks Hall
tzhang@uga.edu
(706) 542-2284
Course Description
The economic analysis of environmental issues, with discussions on current environmental problems,
their underlying causes, possible policy solutions, and the relationship between economic growth and
sustainability.
Pre-Requisites:
Econ 2106 and Econ 2105
Collage level calculus and algebra
Course Objective
This is an introductory level environmental economics course assuming the students have already
completed at least one semester principle level microeconomics course. The course deals with the
connections between environmental quality and the economic behavior of consumers, producers, and
government. We will learn the economics theory and knowledge utilized in the analysis of
environmental problems, such as externality, public goods, market allocation, and market failure. We
will learn how to measure the value of environmental goods, how to weigh the costs against the benefits
of economic activities, how to implement policies to help correct market failures in air pollution and
water pollution issues, and how to understand sustainable development as economists.
Textbook and Course Website

Environmental Economics and Management, 6th edition, by Callan and Thomas
Purchase online (buy e-book or buy e-chapter)
http://www.cengagebrain.com/shop/search/9781111826673
UGA bookstore has a customized copy of textbook

Course Website https://uga.view.usg.edu
eLearningCommons will be used to post course materials, assign homework, make announcements, send
group emails, and maintain grades.

Fall 2015 Final exam schedule and policy
http://www.reg.uga.edu/calendars/final-exam-dates/FinalExamDatesFall-2015
1
ECON 2100
Fall 2015
Grading Policy
Your course numeric grade will be computed with the following weights:
Midterm 1 Midterm 2 Homework Final Quiz Participation Attendance
20%
20%
20%
25%
10%
3%
2%
Grading Scale
You must reach the cutoff point in order to receive the corresponding letter grade. The rounding rule is
to round to the nearest integer. ‘80.5’ will be rounded up to ‘81’, which qualifies for a ‘B-’. However,
‘80.4’ will be rounded down to ‘80’, which qualifies for a ‘C+’.
No exceptions!
A
AB+
B
= 94-100
= 91-93
= 88-90
= 84-87
BC+
C
C-
= 81-83
= 78-80
= 74-77
= 71-73
D
F
= 60-70
< 60
Course Policies
1. There will be two midterms and one cumulative final exam. All tests are mandatory and all test dates
are fixed. You are responsible for properly arranging your personal plan for any potential time
conflicts. I don’t reschedule any exam for personal/family reasons except for family member
funerals.
2. Testing format in this course will be True/False questions and Multiple Choice questions. A photo
ID is required to attend all tests. If you arrive late to any test, you will only be allowed to take the
test if no other students have left.
3. I don’t return exam copies. After your midterm grades are posted, you have 10 work days to review
your test, check your bubble sheet, take down notes, or ask me any question related to your test or
grade. After the 10 days window, I will not answer any question related to your exam or grade. If
you have any concern about your exam, you have to address it promptly.
4. I don’t provide makeup exams unless you have time conflicts with an official UGA event. In any
unpredictable emergency case that prevents you from showing up physically for exams, I will need
appropriate documentations within 2 days after the exam. Providing documentations does not
guarantee your absence will be excused. After I approve the validity of the absence, we will discuss
the possible solutions.
 If you see a doctor, I will need your doctor’s written statement of not recommending the student
to participate school activity for health consideration. Just a doctor’s office or health center visit
receipt won’t work.
5. You are responsible for being able to log in and checking your UGA email and the eLC course web
site regularly and promptly. Please use your UGA email for any academic correspondence to me.
2
ECON 2100
Fall 2015
6. I extremely welcome visitors during my office hours. Having a conversion is the most efficient way
for me to help you. My UGA email tzhang@uga.edu is the second best way to get on hold of me.
Whenever you email me, you need to identify your class information, such as “I am in your
Econ2100 Environmental Econ class and……’.
7. Fairness is very important in my class. In any particular situation, I need to think of the whole class
and make sure my decision can be applied to any student if he or she has the same situation.
About Homework
During the semester, I will assign approximately 6 homework assignments. Homework assignment is
typically due in a week in class. I will not return your homework but I will post answer keys.
eLC won’t take late homework submission.
University Honor Code & Academic Honesty Policy
As a University of Georgia student, you have agreed to abide by the University’s academic honesty
policy, “A Culture of Honesty,” and the Student Honor Code. All academic work must meet the
standards described in “A Culture of Honesty” found at: www.uga.edu/honesty. Lack of knowledge of
the academic honesty policy is not a reasonable explanation for a violation. Questions related to course
assignments and the academic honesty policy should be directed to the instructor.
I take academic fairness and academic dishonesty very seriously and I have extensive experience of
preventing potential cheating and catching many kinds of cheaters. During the test, I reserve the right to
reseat students. So for your own goodness, simply do NOT cheat. If you do and get caught in any test,
that test grade will become zero and I will file report to the department, the college, and the university.
Need Extra Help?
 Please do not hesitate to talk to me if you have any problem or concern. Most problems can be easily
solved or targeted at early stages.
 Students with disability or health issues should come to see me with appropriate documents in the
first two weeks of the semester. I will be happy to arrange other accommodations for your
course/test needs.
 Students who need to attend official University event on a test day need to see me with
documentation at least one week before the test and I will reschedule your test time.
3
ECON 2100
Fall 2015
Tentative Schedules
The course syllabus is a general plan. I reserve the right to modify course contents if necessary.
However, the test dates are fixed.
Aug
Sept
w1
w2
w3
w4
w5
Mon Tuesday Wed Thursday Fri
18
20
25
27
1
3
8
10
15
17
Notes
Drop/Add
Tentative chapters
1, 2
3
4
5
w6
Oct w7
w8
w9
w10
w11
Nov w12
w13
w14
22
29
6
13
20
27
3
10
17
24
1
8
15
22
29
5
12
19
Midterm 1
Withdraw
Midterm 2
9
11
12
13
14
15
16
20
Dec
24
1
8
26
3
10
Break
Last week
Final
21
w15
Subjects
Chapters
Basic economics in environmental issues
Chapter 1, 2
Market failure
Chapter 3
Policy solutions: command and control
Chapter 4
Policy solutions: market based instruments Chapter 5
Activities
Campus tour to Correll Hall
Guest speaker on climate change
Benefit Cost Analysis
Chapter 6
Air quality analysis
Chapter 10-13
Guest speaker on energy saving
Water quality analysis
Chapter 14-16
Campus tour to UGA Watershed
Sustainability
Chapter 20, 21 Group discussion
4