Consumer Pesticide Concerns: A 1965 and 1984 Comparison

Concern with pesticide use is a major issue for consumers. The present paper examines changes over time in consumer attitudes toward pesticide use. The study also examines the relationship between socioeconomic factors and consumer concern with pesticide use. Findings suggest that consumers were more concerned with pesticide issues in 1984 than in 1965. Concern has increased in terms of the impact of pesticides on wildlife, on farmers, and on individual health. Concern about pesticides is widespread and is not centered in any particular population group.     

Changing risk perceptions and food-handling practices of Oregon household food preparers

Results of 1986 and 1995/6 statewide random surveys were compared to assess changes in the risk perceptions and food-handling practices of Oregon food preparers. The 1986 survey revealed that perishable foods (baked potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, sliced turkey and cream pie) were often held at room temperature for longer than 2–3 h. Those who perceived greater food safety risks were significantly less likely to report temperature abuse of cream pie (P < 0·02) and baked potatoes (P < 0·001). Respondents reported serving raw and/or rare animal products (fish, milk, hamburger and pork) in both surveys. More food preparers perceived that serving undercooked foods was a ‘high’ risk in 1995/6 than in 1986. More (88%) also perceived that serving raw hamburger was a ‘high’ risk in 1995/6 than in 1986 (52%), possibly because of media coverage linking under-cooked hamburgers to the E. coli 0157:H7 outbreak in the Pacific Northwest. Those who perceived a ‘high’ risk were less likely to serve raw fish (P < 0·038) and raw milk (P < 0·002). Significantly more females perceived raw milk to be a ‘high’ risk (P < 0·003). The risks of consuming both raw fish and raw milk were more likely to be underestimated, however. Food safety education is therefore needed to help food preparers to identify ‘high’ risk foods and to motivate them to minimize risks.     

THE IMPACT OF STADIUM ANNOUNCEMENTS ON RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY VALUES: EVIDENCE FROM A NATURAL EXPERIMENT IN DALLAS-FORT WORTH

We investigate the impact of a potential new sports venue on residential property values, focusing on the National Football League's Dallas Cowboys' search for a new host city in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. We find that residential property values in the city of Dallas increased following the announcement of a possible new stadium in the city. At the same time, property values fell throughout the rest of Dallas County, which would have paid for the proposed stadium. These patterns reversed when the Dallas stadium proposal was abandoned. Subsequently, a series of announcements regarding a new publicly subsidized stadium in nearby Arlington, Texas, reduced residential property values in Arlington. In aggregate, average property values declined approximately 1.5% relative to the surrounding area before stadium construction commenced. This decline was almost equal to the anticipated household sales tax burden, suggesting that the average expected amenity effect of hosting the Cowboys in Arlington was not significantly different from zero. ( JEL L83, R53, H73)     

An Approach to Adjusting Analysts' Consensus Forecasts for Selection Bias*

Many recent empirical studies have concluded that analysts' earnings forecasts are optimistic on average. In this paper, we attempt to undo the effect of one potential source of optimistic bias in analysts' earnings forecasts. Assuming forecasts come from a truncated normal distribution, we estimate the “true” population mean using maximum likelihood. We find that our estimates of earnings are more accurate and less biased than standard measures of sample mean and median. However, we do not find a closer relationship between excess market returns and forecast errors from our maximum likelihood estimate than from the sample mean. This may suggest that the market does not fully incorporate analysts' incentives in generating expectations about future earnings.     

Occupant-use factors influencing optimal results from energy conservation strategies

Although residential conservation strategies can have a dramatic impact on energy consumption, the involvement of the occupant can have a deterring and/or an enhancing influence on optimal results. Occupant impact on the use of residential heating conservation strategies was assessed by monitoring use factors and energy-consumption data of nine families living in an energy test house. The families tested two supplemental space heating strategies, use of a sunspace and a woodstove. The families used each strategy separately for one-week periods. User- and energy-consumption data for the use of flow-restricting showerheads, a hot-water conservation strategy, were used by nine families — seven involved in the testing of the heating strategies and two who tested cooling strategies in the summer months. The families used the showerheads either for a one or two-week period. Energy-consumption data were compared against a baseline week in which none of the conservation strategies were used. A computer-based data acquisition system tracked energy consumption as well as room temperatures and other environmental data. Questionnaires, completed daily and weekly, were used to collect user-behaviour data, including evaluations of user involvement, resulting thermal comfort, and impact on family routines and habits. The results showed that resident implementation of strategy requirements was related to energy savings. Energy savings varied with being at home in order to open/close sunspace doors for optimal heating, with the level of previous experience of the woodstove strategy, and with compensating behaviour such as taking baths instead of using the flow-restricting showerheads.