Pollution
In a reverse way, the tragedy of
the commons reappears in problems
of pollution. Here it is not a question
of taking something out of the
commons, but of putting something
in — sewage, or chemical,
radioac tive, and heat wastes into
water; noxious and dangerous
fumes into the air; and distracting
and unpleasant advertising signs
into the line of sight. The
calculations of utility are much the
same as before. The rational man
finds that his share of the cost of
the wastes he discharges into the
commons is less than the cost of
purifying his wastes before
releasing them. Since this is true for
everyone, we are locked into a
system of “fouling our own nest,”
so long as we behave only as
independent, rational, free-enterprisers.