Potential Information to include in Background Papers:

These are just possibilities for organizing information to include in background papers. They are certainly not the only types of information that could be included in the paper.

**Note: Remember all sources used must be cited using MLA format.

Question: Should a new taconite mine be built in NorthernWI?

  • Define taconite mining:
  • what is it,
  • how is the ore extracted,
  • what resource is being gathered
  • Effects of taconite mining
  • On the environment
  • On the economy
  • Short-term effects (in the next few years)
  • Long-term effects (after a few decades)
  • Who wants to mine in NorthernWI?
  • what’s the company’s name,
  • what can you find out about the company

Question: How should manure digesters be financed? (Should taxpayers help pay for manure digesters?)

  • Define manure digesters
  • What are they
  • Types
  • Costs for different types/sizes of manure digesters
  • How are manure digesters currently funded? (yes, there could multiple ways and multiple sources of financing)
  • Examples?

Question: How should we stop the spread (or reduce the number) of an invasive species (such as Emerald Ash Borer or Asian Carp)?

  • Describe the invasive species and its effects
  • What is it?
  • Where did it originally come from?
  • How did it arrive in WI? (If it hasn’t yet arrived, are there any projections for when it might arrive?)
  • Where is it located in WI and/or the US?
  • How does it hurt the environment?
  • How does it hurt the economy
  • Methods for stopping or slowing down its spread. For each method:
  • Describe the method
  • Effectiveness?
  • Advantages?
  • Disadvantages?
  • In use anywhere?

Question: How should animal manure be dealt with? (What regulations should we have for animal manure?)

  • How much animal manure does WI have to deal with? Types and sizes of farms and effect on amount of manure.
  • Effect of animal manure:
  • On the environment
  • On the economy
  • On the nearby community and farm itself
  • Current methods for dealing with animal manure. For each method:
  • Describe method
  • What size farm (number of animals) does this method address?
  • Effectiveness?
  • Advantages?
  • Disadvantages?
  • Describe any new/innovative methods currently being discussed/proposed?

Question: How close to the water should we build?

  • What are the current rules/regulations for building near water?
  • What’s the goal(s) of current rules/regulations?What is the basis for current rules/regulations related to building near water? (Why are these the rules/regulations?)
  • Who’s in charge of rules/regulations related to building near water?
  • What effects do these regulations have on:
  • Environment
  • Economy (could include local economy and development opportunities)
  • Community – residents near the water and other residents

Question: Should homeowners be allowed to feed deer? (What regulations should we have regarding feeding deer?)

  • Why do some people feed deer?
  • Why do some people bait deer?
  • Any data on when and how deer are fed?
  • What effects do deer feeding have on:
  • Environment
  • Economy
  • Community
  • Deer
  • Who makes rules/regulations about feeding deer?
  • What are the current rules/regulations about feeding deer?
  • What are the current rules/regulations about baiting deer?
  • What is/are the goal(s) of the current rules/regulations? What is the basis for the current rules/regulations?

Question: Is ethanol a good replacement for gasoline?

  • Describe ethanol as a fuel source
  • What is ethanol?
  • How is it made?
  • How can it be used as a fuel source?
  • Describe current use of ethanol as a fuel
  • How widespread is its use?
  • Advantages?
  • Disadvantages?
  • Effects on
  • Environment
  • Economy
  • Community
  • Costs?
  • Describe current use of gasoline
  • Data on how much gasoline purchased/used in WI
  • Advantages?
  • Disadvantages?
  • Effects on:
  • Environment
  • Economy
  • Community
  • Costs?

Question: How should we improve water quality in WI so that fish are safer to eat? (How can we make fish safer to eat in WI?)

  • Current status of fish in WI
  • Health overall
  • Common contaminants or toxins found in fish here
  • Sources of fish contamination. For each source:
  • Describe how it contaminates the fish
  • When did contamination occur (for example, is this contaminant still being added to the environment or is it from the past, but still affecting our fish/water)?
  • Effects of the contaminant on:
  • Environment
  • Economy
  • Community (people’s health)
  • Fish (fish’s health)
  • Methods for improving water quality and/or fish safety. For each method:
  • Describe the method
  • Costs?
  • Advantages?
  • Disadvantages?
  • Effects on:
  • Environment
  • Economy
  • Community (people’s health)
  • Fish (fish’s health)

Question: Should the rules/laws be changed to allow for easier development of wetlands?

  • What are wetlands?
  • Define
  • Effects on:
  • Environment
  • Economy
  • Community
  • Current status of wetlands in WI – how much land do we have that is considered wetlands?
  • Describe current rules/laws related to development near/on wetlands. When were current rules/laws made?
  • What are the goals of the current rules/laws? (What is the basis for the law?)
  • Who is responsible for making the laws related to wetland development?
  • Who is responsible for enforcing laws related to wetland development?
  • Are there ways to get exceptions to the law? If so, how?
  • What is wetland development?
  • Common types of development considered for wetlands?
  • Effects on:
  • Environment
  • Economy
  • Community

Question: What is the best method for cleaning up the Fox River?

  • Where is the Fox River?
  • How did it get contaminated?
  • What contaminants need to be cleaned up?
  • Who is responsible for paying for the clean up?
  • Who is responsible for ensuring that the clean up happens?
  • Current status of clean up
  • Methods for cleaning Fox River. For each method:
  • Describe the method
  • Advantages?
  • Disadvantages?
  • Costs
  • Effects on:
  • Environment
  • Economy
  • Community

Question: Should WI power companies invest more in wind power? Should WI expand the number of wind turbines used for wind energy? What should be the regulations regarding wind power?

  • Current investment in wind power in WI
  • What power companies are invested in wind power?
  • How many wind turbines/wind fields does WI currently have?
  • What are the current rules/regulations regarding building new wind turbines?
  • What are the goals of the current rules/regulations? (What was the basis for these rules/regulations?)
  • What are the proposed changes in the last year for where wind turbines can be located? What are the reasons given for wanting to make these changes?
  • Wind turbines – what is the effect on:
  • Environment
  • Economy
  • Community
  • Advantages and disadvantages of wind turbines

Question: Is buying into a CSA (community supported agriculture) a good idea for the sustainability of farming in America?

  • Describe a CSA
  • How does a CSA work?
  • Role of farmers
  • Role of consumers
  • Costs
  • Advantages and disadvantages of CSAs
  • How does a CSA contribute to improved sustainability?
  • Environmentally
  • Economically
  • Society/Local Community
  • Compared to other methods of obtaining produce:
  • Grocery stores
  • Farmers’ markets

Question: Should GM (genetically modified) foods be labeled as containing genetic modifications (GMOs)?

  • What are genetic modifications to foods?
  • What foods or ingredients are commonly genetically modified in the US?
  • Current rules/regulations regarding genetic modifications in food/crops
  • Advantages of genetically modified foods/crops
  • Disadvantages of genetically modified foods/crops

Question: Should the UW continue research using primates?

  • What types of research are done with primates?
  • Which primates are involved in primate research?
  • Current rules/regulations regarding primate research (what policies does the UW have for primate research)
  • Why is primate research done?
  • Advantages?
  • Disadvantages?

Question: Should the cranberry industry implement systemic changes in order to protect water quality throughout the state?

  • Describe how cranberries are grown & harvested. What resources are used? What waste products are generated?
  • How does growing cranberries impact water?
  • Where are cranberries grown in WI?
  • Current rules/regulations on how cranberries are grown
  • Who’s responsible for any rules regulating the cranberry industry?
  • How can cranberries be grown with less impact on water?

Question: What’s the best way to maintain clean water in LakeMonona?

  • What types of things contaminate LakeMonona? Describe why LakeMonona doesn’t always have high water quality.
  • Methods for keeping an urban lake clean. For each method:
  • Describe the process/method
  • Costs?
  • Effectiveness?
  • Advantages
  • Disadvantages
  • Has it been tried on LakeMonona in the past (or currently)

Question: Is bottled water worth the cost?

  • Describe bottled water
  • Where does bottled water come from (examples of several)
  • What rules/regulations exist regarding bottled water –
  • Quality? (Is anyone responsible for ensuring quality bottled water?)
  • Environmental effects?
  • Costs to the consumer, environment, economy and communities near where bottled water is sourced
  • Advantages
  • Disadvantages
  • Describe tap water available to us in DaneCounty
  • Where does our water come from?
  • What rules/regulations exist regarding our tap water
  • Who’s responsible for ensuring quality tap water?
  • Costs to the consumer, environment, economy and communities near where tap water is sourced
  • Advantages
  • Disadvantages

Question: Should more ethanol plants be built in WI?

  • Describe ethanol plants
  • How do they work?
  • Costs
  • Types of jobs created/supported
  • Effects on
  • Environment
  • Economy
  • Communities located near ethanol plants
  • Advantages
  • Disadvantages
  • What ethanol plants already exist in WI? How are they doing?
  • Who buys ethanol?
  • Is there currently an unmet need for more ethanol? Is WI buying ethanol from other states or countries right now?

Question: Should the state of WI continue to partially fund and require that all communities offer recycling to their residents?

  • Describe current recycling laws at the state level
  • Advantages and disadvantages to current laws
  • Effects of mandatory recycling on:
  • Environment
  • Economy
  • Society
  • Describe proposed changes to the recycling laws
  • Why are changes being proposed?