3 double spaces prompt writing essay

As we become more aware of our impact on the environment, citizens and legislators are faced with decisions which impact local, state, and national economies. For example, government restrictions on construction due to effects on endangered species or wetland areas can affect the employment levels of a community. If you were a citizen or government official facing a decision between environmental protection and local economics, what factors would affect your decision-making process? In a well-developed essay, discuss the factors which might affect the decision-making process when either the environment or local economics are at stake. Include facts and examples to support your discussion. Develop a response that includes examples and evidence to support your ideas, and which clearly communicates the required message to your audience. Organize your response in a clear and logical manner as appropriate for the genre of writing. Use well-structured sentences, audience-appropriate language, and correct conventions of standard American English.

WELL WRITTEN SAMPLE (Please look over it to see how to write to get a good score)

In modern society, citizens and leaders are much more aware and mindful of the impact their actions have on the environment. This mindfulness is a result of various environmental protection laws as well as better public education regarding the environment and our impact. But in times of economic turmoil, it is often difficult to decide how to approach decisions that may be harmful to the environment but beneficial to the people. There are three main factors that I would consider if I was in a position to make such a decision. First, I would consider the long-term environmental impact of the business decision and determine if the environmental impact of the business could be reversed in any way. Next, I would consider if the decision would result in long-term economic stability and job creation or if it would simply be a quick fix to a much larger problem. Finally, I would want to determine if there were any alternatives that would not negatively impact the environment but would still stimulate the local economy.

One of the first factors to consider would be the long-term environmental impact of the business decision and whether or not a restoration of the land would be possible once the business had run its course. One example of a controversial business decision with a potentially negative impact on the environment is the oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). Conservationists argue that the long-term impacts on the environment include cutting Porcupine caribou off from their calving grounds and that drilling would damage delicate ecological systems that support local wildlife. The damage done to this area would not be able to be reversed when the oil wells run dry. In a case such as this, it would be beneficial for the local government to work with the Environmental Protection Agency or organizations such as the Wilderness Society to determine safe ways to go about such extractions without disturbing local flora and fauna. If the land and local wildlife can be reasonably restored without any permanent damage, the decision to go through with the business decision would be met with much less controversy.

The next factor to consider would be if the business decision would result in long-term economic stability and job creation or if it would just be a quick fix to a much larger problem. An example of this would be the practice of strip mining. Strip mining can have a large, beneficial impact on a local economy. In Ohio, companies such as Harrison Mining, Rosebud Mining, and Oxford Mining employ some 1,000 people in the operations of their strip mines. The more mines that are opened, the more jobs are created, boosting other local businesses and improving the overall economy. However, in the mining business, the life of a mine is often uncertain. Mines can be depleted in a matter of months or can last upwards of fifty years. If a town is going to open up their local environment to a potentially harmful business, it would be of great importance to determine as much as possible whether the business venture would have long-term beneficial economic effects.

Finally, one would want to consider if there were any alternatives that would have a similar impact on the local economy without damaging the local environment. For example, a town might be considering allowing a mining company to open a mine in their community. The mine would create jobs, but would have a harmful effect on the local environment. The town also has an offer to have an automobile plant built and operated in town. So which alternative should the town choose? Most would agree that the best option would be the one that created the most jobs with the least environmental impact. Local governments should consider various alternatives to stimulate the local economy without a negative impact to the local environment.

Making a decision between the environment and the well-being of the local people is a tough decision for anyone to make. Destruction of the local environment could lead to the town being abandoned (such as the former mining town Picher, Oklahoma) and effectively destroying the local economy. But in the same way, not providing jobs for locals would likely result in people moving from the area to find work. Officials must find a balance that reduces the likelihood of these two extremes.