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 well-
being of your neighbors or community.
