Use of Time for Outdoor Recreation in the United States, 1965-2007

This study examines time-use for outdoor recreation during 1965 to 2007. Using data on over 47,000 individuals from six nationally representative time-use surveys, we first document time-use trends between 1965 and 2007. We then develop a two-part instrumental variable censored regression model (a hurdle model) to predict individual-level time-use. Our results show that per capita time-use in outdoor recreation has more than doubled since 1965. This long-term increase was driven largely by increased participation rate. However, in the last decade or two, per capita time-use in outdoor recreation has stayed constant or slightly decreased. This change was driven mostly by reduced time-use by active participants; participation rate has not changed considerably. Demographics, amount of leisure, and other factors all have contributed to changes over time, but their effects and relative importance vary between participation, time-use per active participant, and time periods.time use, survey, outdoor recreation, leisure, censored regression, hurdle model, two part model, decomposition

Incentive Payment Programs for Environmental Protection: A Framework for Eliciting and Estimating Landowners' Willingness to Participate

This paper considers the role of incentive payment programs in eliciting, estimating, and predicting landowners’ conservation enrollments. Using both program participation and the amount of land enrolled, we develop two econometric approaches for predicting enrollments. The first is a multivariate censored regression model that handles zero enrollments and heterogeneity in the opportunity cost of enrollments by combining an inverse hyperbolic sine transformation of enrollments with alternative-specific correlation and random parameters. The second is a beta-binomial model, which recognizes that in practice elicited enrollments are essentially integer valued. We apply these approaches to Finland, where the protection of private nonindustrial forests is an important environmental policy problem. We compare both econometric approaches via cross-validation and find that the beta-binomial model predicts as well as the multivariate censored model yet has fewer parameters. The beta-binomial model also facilitates policy predictions and simulations, which we use to illustrate the framework.protection, endangered, voluntary, incentive, tobit, beta-binomial, stated preferences

Torjunta-aineiden käytön vähentämisen arvo?: Contingent valuation -tutkimus kuluttajien maksuhalukkuudesta

Tutkimus on osa MMM:n rahoittamaa maatalouden tuotantovaihtoehtojen ympäristötaloudellisia vaikutuksia käsittelevää MATYVA-projektia ja se on toteutettu Maatalouden taloudellisen tutkimuslaitoksen ympäristötalouden tutkimusalueella. Tutkimus on samalla myös Juha Siikamäen Pro Gradu -työ Helsingin yliopiston taloustieteen laitokselle.Suomalainen kuluttaja haluaa leipänsä pöytään mahdollisimman vähäisen kemiallisen torjunnan avulla tuotettuna. Tämä käy ilmi Maatalouden taloudellisen tutkimuslaitoksen tutkijan Juha Siikamäen tekemästä tutkimuksesta, jolla selvitettiin kuluttajien mielipiteitä torjunta-aineiden käytöstä maataloudessa ja arvioitiin heidän maksuhalukkuuttaan niiden käytön vähentämisestä. Tulokset perustuvat touko-kesäkuussa 1995 tehtyyn kirjekyselyyn, johon vastasi kaikkiaan noin 1500 kotitaloutta (43 % kyselyn saaneista). Vastaajista noin kolmannes (31,3 %) piti elintarvikkeiden sisältämiä torjunta-ainejäämiä merkittävimpänä elintarvikkeiden sisältämänä terveysriskinä. Lähes yhtä suuri osa (27,3 %) piti suurimpana riskinä elintarvikkeiden valmistuksessa lisättäviä säilöntäaineita. Rasvan ja kolesterolin nähdään olevan pienempi riski, sillä vain noin 15 % vastaajista nimesi sen ensisijaiseksi elintarvikkeiden sisältämäksi terveysriskiksi. Vastaajat pitivät kemiallisen torjunnan minimoimista maataloudessa tärkeänä niin elintarviketurvallisuuden kuin tuotannon ympäristöystävällisyydenkin kannalta. Torjunta-aineiden käytön tarve kuitenkin hyväksytään, sillä vain kuusi sadasta vastaajasta kannatti kemiallisen torjunnan täydellistä lopettamista. Lähes kaikki (98,5 %) kyselyyn vastanneista ilmoittivat olevansa ainakin toisinaan halukkaita ostamaan ilman kemiallisia torjunta-aineita tuotettuja elintarvikkeita. Vastaajien keskimääräinen maksuhalukkuus torjunta-aineiden käytön puolittamisesta oli noin 1500 markkaa kotitaloutta kohti vuodessa. Summa vastaa noin viittä prosenttia kotitalouksien keskimääräisistä elintarvikemenoista. Maksuhalukkuuden suuruutta arvioitaessa on pidettävä mielessä, että kuluttajien lopullinen maksuhalukkuus punnitaan kaupan kassalla eikä tällä tutkimuksella voida tarkalleen sanoa mikä todellisen maksuhalukkuuden ja tutkimuksessa ilmaistun maksuhalukkuuden suhde on. Tuloksia tulkittaessa on myös syytä muistaa, että elintarviketurvallisuuden asiantuntijoiden näkemykset poikkevat esille tulleista kuluttajien mielipiteistä. Eurooppalaisessa vertailussa kemiallisen torjunnan käyttö on Suomessa hyvin vähäistä eikä elintarvik-keiden sisältämien torjunta-ainejäämien katsota aiheuttavan mainittavaa terveysriskiä. Tutkimus kuitenkin kertoo selvästi kuluttajien halukkuudesta ja valmiudesta maksaa ympäristö- ja kuluttajaystä-vällisemmästä maataloudesta.The aim of this study is to measure in monetary terms consumer preferences for using pesticides in agriculture. A dichotomous choice contingent valuation approach was used. A questionnaire was sent to 3600 randomly sampled Finns of whom 1512 (43 %) responded. Consumers willingness to pay (WTP) for reducing the use of pesticides was estimated for two different reduction levels: 1) reducing the use of pesticides in agriculture by 50 % compared to present level (50 % decrease) and 2) completely ending the use of pesticides in agriculture (100 % decrease). The results indicate that Finnish consumers prefer the alternative 50 % decrease to the alternative 100 % decrease . WTP for 50 % decrease was some 1600 FIM per household per year (5 % of the household average total food & drink expenditure) while WTP for 100 % decrease was some 1100 FIM per household per year. Sensitivity of WTP estimates was tested as follows: WTP was estimated by different models i.e. logit-, probit-, spike- and non-parametric models. A simple jack-knife analysis for testing the bidvector desing was done. Non-response bias was tested by comparing the WTP of the respondents who returned the questionnaire after the first delivery, with the WTP of the respondents who responded after the reminder was sent. Based on these analyses, the WTP estimates were found robust. In addition, the impact of information on respondents WTP was tested by varying the information included in the questionnaire. No statistically significant effects were found in that part of the study.vokMTT Taloustutkimu

A closer look at travellers' infections abroad : Finnish nationwide data with incidences, 2010 to 2012

Background: Although infections represent the most common health problem of travellers abroad, data on morbidity and incidences of various infections are scarce. Method: Data on infections of Finnish travellers during 2010-2012 were retrieved from the database of SOS International, an assistance organization covering 95% of Finns requiring aid abroad. The study included 30,086 cases. For incidence calculation, the data were linked to the numbers of Finns visiting these regions during the same period as recorded by the Official Statistics of Finland. Results: The incidence of infections was particularly high in Africa, southern Europe plus the eastern Mediterranean, and Asia plus Oceania. The most frequent diagnoses were acute gastroenteritis (38.0%) and respiratory-tract infections (RTI) (34.5%), followed by infections of the ear (12.6%), skin or subcutaneous tissue (5.1%), urogenital tract (4.2%), eye (3.1%), and systemic febrile infections (2.2%). Vaccinepreventable diseases (VPD) accounted for 0.8% of cases, with varicella as most (49%) and influenza as second-most (27%) common. Conclusions: Incidence of infections was higher in southern than in eastern and western Europe. Gastroenteritis and RTI proved the most frequent diagnoses, whereas systemic febrile infections were uncommon. Despite pre-travel immunizations, VPDs still occurred; pre-travel consultation should cover both varicella and influenza. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Peer reviewe

An Update on the Science of Acidification in the Adirondack Park

This paper provides a review of the science pertaining to all aspects of acidification in the Adirondack Park, updating an earlier review of the science (Cook et al. 2002). The review supports an ongoing social science investigation into the willingness to pay for ecological improvements that would result from reduced acid deposition. This paper builds a bridge between the physical science and social science by providing the background that will allow researchers to accurately summarize the crucial elements of ecological status and improvement in a stated preference survey.acid rain, acidification, stated preference, willingness to pay, benefit estimation