Mitchell Koeckeritz Chapter 1 question #2

In the first chapter of the book Wheelan speaks on the topic of utility and (although not specifically) opportunity costs. One area he addresses is the improvement of ones own state financial or otherwise and gives them the most utility. An example he used that got me were the people in South America who cut down the rain forest to take care of their own children. We fear the demise of the rain forest, but they fear for the safety of their children and themselves. However, many people find greater utility in saving the rain forest and not the people and that is frightening to me. The long term benefits of saving the rain forest may be better and more economically minded, but for me the greater utility would be in saving the people because humanity is more beneficial to the future although we may hurt the planet in the process.