Opportunity cost is the cost of choosing an option over another and is measured by the value of the option not chosen. But what happens if the only other option has a negative value for us? We then get a negative opportunity cost, which is actually a net benefit. For example, having good microbes in our gut is vastly preferable to having harmful ones. This is an example of a negative opportunity cost because there is no positive or zero-value alternative: one can’t have a sterile gut. Read full article here
Societal Issues
To curb drug deaths, communities turn to Reddit, texts and wastewater
With drug overdose deaths on the rise, authorities are attempting to curb the epidemic by tracking and sharing information in real time. In one unique effort, a nonprofit in New York City is using drug-testing equipment and stamping or marking habits of dealers to identify drug batches that may endanger users. Other approaches are also being used, such as monitoring drug-related chatter on Reddit and analyzing local wastewater for opioid and other drug levels. With the combination of these efforts, researchers hope to put a dent in the opioid crisis and reduce overdose deaths. Read full article here
Merv
June 1, 2023
