RESEARCH LINKS
Issue 1: Minimum Wage
U.S. Department of Labor: State Minimum Wage Laws
National Conference of State Legislatures: State Minimum Wage Laws
Economic Policy Institute: Minimum Wage Tracker
The Guardian: “How Much Is an Hour Worth? The War Over Minimum Wage”
Massachusetts Institute of Technology: Living Wage Calculator
Forbes: “McDonald’s Says Goodbye Cashiers, Hello Kiosks”
Issue 2: Fuel Efficiency Standards
Federal Register: Notice of Proposed Rulemaking from EPA and NHTSA
EPA: Greenhouse Gas Emissions from a Typical Passenger Vehicle
InsideClimateNews: “How Pruitt’s EPA Is Weakening Clean Air Rules”
Reuters: “U.S. States Vow to Fight Trump Rollback on Auto Emissions”
Washington Post: “Trump Administration Says Weaker Fuel Standards Saves …”
EPA: Estimate Your Carbon Footprint Calculator
CRITICAL-THINKING QUESTIONS
Issue 1: Minimum Wage
- Visit the U.S. Department of Labor link above to see if your state has a minimum wage law. How does your state compare to other states? Do you think it should be higher or lower than it is?
- How does the minimum wage issue relate to gender and race?
- Use the Living Wage Calculator (link above) to calculate your living wage. Should the U.S. should establish a “living wage” standard? Why or why not?
- Do you support or oppose raising the minimum wage? If you were speaking to a person who disagreed, what is the strongest argument in support of your position?
- Do you think that if the minimum wage was raised, it would ultimately help or hurt workers?
Issue 2: Fuel Efficiency Standards
- Does the responsibility to slow down or stop climate change belong to humans? Why or why not?
- Using the EPA’s Carbon Footprint Calculator (link above), calculate your carbon footprint. What does the term “carbon footprint” mean? Why do people care about their carbon footprint?
- On an individual level, what can you do to limit your “carbon contribution” to the environment?
- Are greenhouse gases a natural part of the earth’s climate system? Why or why not?
- Do you think the U.S. should weaken their fuel-efficiency standards? Why or why not?