We’ve all been told to do our part when it comes to taking care of the environment. Whether it’s recycling, using reusable bags when grocery shopping, or turning off the sink when brushing our teeth, these small actions are supposed to add up to a big difference on the well-being of our environment. But what happens when a huge portion of the population believe that these little things don’t matter? People choosing convenience on things like taking long showers, leaving their lights on, or ordering fish that you know are not in season are all examples of small things people do that they know they shouldn’t. And when too many people think this way, these small things can add up, sometimes leading to a depletion of resources, potentially leading to massive consequences for the whole world.
The tragedy of the commons occurs when individuals, acting in their own self-interest, deplete a shared resource, harming the entire group that relies on that resource. A famous example, one that I spoke a little about in my discussion post, is overfishing. Fishermen may think, “What’s the harm in catching just a few more fish?” but when every fisherman has that mindset, fish stocks can become overexploited & can collapse. According to Kyle Lee from the Alaskan Salmon Company, the depletion happens when fishing practices exceed the rate at which fish populations can reproduce and replenish themselves. The result is declining fish populations, disrupted ecosystems, & economic instability in fishing communities that so many people rely so heavily on (Lee, 2021).
Overfishing is just one example of The Tragedy of the Commons. Another issue that maybe more can relate to, especially if you are on the West-Coast, is water usage. California has been facing the worst drought in recorded state history year after year. 39 million residents are experiencing the effects of the drought, yet farmers & landowners are still converting their row crop acreage to newly-planted almond orchards, despite the statewide water shortages (Frank, 2015). The overuse of water for growing almonds, an extremely lucrative crop, worsens the water crises significantly and shows how individual decisions can add up to contribute to a large-scale issue.
When everyone acts out of self-interest, the resource depletes quickly, and when individuals consider only the short-term benefit for tackling certain issues, it can come at a long-term cost for the entire group (Gruman et al., 2016). What can be done? As we’ve learned in the text, the first step is to identify a specific behavior to be changed that would improve the quality of the environment. An intervention can be developed, targeting something specific, and a determination can be made on if the intervention succeeded (Gruman et al., 2016).
The tragedy of the commons is a powerful reminder that while individual actions may seem insignificant at the time, they can have massive consequences for the entire world. There is hope, as with the right interventions, we can, step-by-step, tackle issues & attempt various strategies at changing some of the harmful behavior we see in our society. Sacrifices may have to be made, but it’s for an extremely important cause as it would help protect our resources for generations to come.
References:
Lee, K. (2021, May 26). Overfishing: Causes, effects, and solutions. Alaskan Salmon Company. https://aksalmonco.com/blogs/learn/overfishing?srsltid=AfmBOoqvBs-A1kpBy7-1rIFuziHvDYgwmx0Hw9PJEV9VEQXbJtDM5PI3
Frank, R. (2015, July 14). Tragedy of the commons–California drought-style. Legal Planet: Environmental Law and Policy. https://tagteam.harvard.edu/hub_feeds/1852/feed_items/2109250
Gruman, J. A., Schneider, F. W., & Coutts, L. M. (2016). Applied social psychology: Understanding and addressing social and practical problems. SAGE Publications, Inc
Hello!
I thought this post was very good at summing up the idea that is the Tragedy of the Commons. I think that you used a great example and one that still rings true today as individuals rail against regulations and environmental protections. I think that personal responsibility is someone that is a growing issue in our society. Many people seem to have become a bit more callous towards others and have adopted a more “fend for yourself” mindset, taking what they need and not thinking of others. In the content for this week, the topic of resource dilemmas was brought up and the example of watering a lawn was used. I think that resource dilemmas and the tragedy of the commons go hand in hand. In the example of watering a lawn, surely someone will fall victim to the “what’s one more” mentality and use more than they should. People justify why they are right in their decisions and beliefs, but if it was someone else, they’d be just as easy to see them as selfish and their actions as unjustifiable.
Hello, I enjoyed reading your post. I agree that it is a problem how people act on their own self-interest instead of thinking of the long-term consequences of what seem like small behaviors. When it comes to people overfishing, perhaps a sign using an injunctive norm asking to limit the number of fish that are caught can help with that resource as injunctive norms have been found to increase desired behavior (Gruman, 2016). It seems California should develop policies to help reduce water consumption since it seems to be quite a problem. Perhaps incentives for those who purchase appliances that use less water and energy could help. Informing people of their water consumption and setting a goal as to how much water they should use each month to reduce usage and also being aware of their neighbor’s usage could also be beneficial.