Environmental Policies Reflective Journal - ENV2221, Weeks 3-6

This reflective journal, created by a student for the ENV2221 course, documents reflections on environmental policies across weeks 3-6. The journal entries cover a range of topics, including environmental regulations, the difference between prohibition and duty, and the impact of government actions like taxation and fines. The author analyzes corporate citizenship through the lens of Shell's initiatives, and examines the roles of federal, state, and local governments in environmental legislation. The journal also explores the influence of mass media on framing environmental policies, including agenda-setting and media bias, and the impact of digital media. The student references the course material, including lectures and videos, to critically assess these topics and connect them to real-world issues such as climate change in Australia and the role of car manufacturers.

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Environmental policies

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Week 3
The week 3 class gives me an understanding of what is regulation and how it is operated. The
class lectures remove my confusion on the difference between prohibition and duty; it
informed me that Regulation specifies both. Previously I was unaware of the fact that
regulation is established by a set of objectives which need to be met. After this class, I can
connect the need of government to tax, fine and imprison with the violation of the
regulations. This study helped me to relate how the economic activities are affected by
environmental regulations while on the other hand this regulatory activity purifies or
improves the environment. The study helped in growing new perspectives of
environmentalists and NGOs who feel that the government is giving less effort in ensuring
environmental compliances; As a result, the political power controls the regulations leading
to weakening it. This class lecture develops my views on the fact that the advocates become
regulators by citing the example of George Bush' selection of spokespersons, who were
lobbyists in their previous lives. The class notes helped me in understanding the benefit of
prohibiting actions, like compliance, awareness, and improvement of the environment. This
study also highlights the disadvantage of Prohibition by reflecting on the issues of high cost,
disharmony, mistrust, disobeying rules, etc. After this class, I learned that the regulation
encourages the improvement of the standard of technology solutions among industries. It
enabled me to improve my critical thinking ability when I find conflicting situations like The
improvement of the minimum technical standard will increase making costs and it will give
an unfair competitive advantage to a few large firms. Also, this study creates another
conflicting situation when I studied the pros and cons of deciding the emission standard. This
class lecture increases my concern on Australia's climate change and how transportation
issues mostly affect that. It enriches my knowledge of how the policymakers of car
manufacturers should be aware of the environmental damage and global warming caused by
vehicle engines.

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Week 4
The week 4 class informs me about the topic of the corporate citizen by bringing light into
the effort of Shell. Before this class, I have a knowledge gap about the corporate effort on
sustainable society though I have seen the logo of Shell reflecting the image of ‘Helios’ and
the metaphoric use of “BP”. This class demonstrates that the corporation wants to mean the
warmth of sunlight over nature and BP stands out far beyond petroleum. Before this class, I
used to think that only the government can initiate in making sustainable society. The videos
on Shell's activities gave me a new knowledge where Shell works individually without the
support of state or government. This class gave me a thorough understanding of how
companies work in renewable energies; It enriched my knowledge with the detailing of
changes of functions in existing operations like using low emission fuels or allow new
operations like seeking new oil supply strategies without affecting the environment.
Previously I have an image of Shell who works for the environment selflessly; this class
develops my understanding by highlighting on the topic that Shell is the larger producer of
carbon-di-oxide around the world which they feel to be covered by enabling green-themed
advertising or restructuring their environmental image. In spite of this self-interest, this class
helped me to grow respect for the corporates like shell who ensures the future energies. The
class also reflect on the concept of Constitution, Federalism and High court and here I collect
the information about the power distribution of environmental policy-protection. All-over this
class enhances my knowledge of how a company changes its image by a caring environment
and how a firm’s decision making is influenced by self-regulation.

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Week 5
Previously, I was confused about the roles and responsibilities of the Australian government
and its divisions. This class strengthens my base on Australian government while it informed
about the divisions of Federal, state or territory and Local government. It enables me to point
out that environmental legislation by Federal government focuses on greater issues like
preservation of biodiversity, water conservation, climate changes, and industrial relation; On
the other hand, the state government laws reflect on agriculture, fishing, transport, emergency
service, consumer affairs, etc. The local government works in building regulations, roads,
playground and car parking areas, community services, waste disposal, etc. This class
informs me to understand the high power of the Local government which is occurred due to
the greater size of local areas. The knowledge, I gained from the class helps me to connect
with my daily life affairs and how the three division of government is connected in
performing environmental policy. For example, I throw the garbage daily; as local
government is directly connected to the houses of locality, they take part in collecting
garbage and ensure the cleanliness of the local government; In the next step, the state
government participate in their mission of waste disposal and ensure the pollution control; at
the last stage, it is the function of the Federal government who maintains these above-stated
works by enabling international treaties and national environmental policies. This class helps
me to think about the source of funding of the government for enabling these policies. Here, I
got the answers that the fund comes from the public through the mechanism of taxation like
water, sewage, land; consumer fees like road tolls, parking; Grants from the federal and state.
This paper enriches my knowledge on discussing policy instruments like Partnering, direct
investment, Regulation, enforcement, taxation or pricing hike, incentives rates, etc.

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Week 6
The class of Week 6, which I attend, discussed the role of Mass media on framing
environmental policies. The class reflects on the relationship between the public and the
government which led me led me to align the relationship between mass media and
environmental policymaking. From the comment of McLuhan (1964), I came to know that
the Media manipulates our thought and develops outlook. Here, I am introduced to a topic,
called ‘agenda-setting' which determines the chosen issues and the way those issues will be
presented or perceived. Initial background knowledge on media study is important in
investigating how environmental policy agenda is represented through the mass media. So,
Public opinion on environment and policy framing is massively influenced by mass media
and the human role is significant in framing the government policies like environmental
policy. Here, I came to know a new term, "Media bias". I was aware of the meaning of the
phrase that describes a business of media to some specific content but the class lecture
informed me that it is a promotional strategy of mass media. The tutor reflected on the topic
that the media is not only biased in selecting stories but also covering the real truth to hit the
public sentiments. I revealed the reason for the dissemination of information from Chomsky's
comment as he says, the media owners are also the owners of multinational organizations
who have interest in presenting the picture of the world or environment for attracting buyers,
sellers, investors, and sponsors (Collinge, 1989). His logic led me to find out that the media
like Television, Newspapers and Radio channels earn their income through the sponsors of
advertisement. This class opened another insight of digital media, termed as ‘digital
democracy' which also creates a business by attracting like-minded views. This class helped
to understand the two ways and one-way communication platform in interactive media which
influence on framing environmental policy.

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References:
Collinge, N. (1989). Encyclopedia of Language. London: Routledge.
McLuhan, M. (1964). Understanding media. Toronto: Toronto Education Quarterly.