It is tough to capture complete benefits and express it in a dollar amount, especially because it is already tough enough to measure the economic value of produ

It is tough to capture complete benefits and express it in a dollar amount, especially because it is already tough enough to measure the economic value of products that haven't yet competed in the marketplace. The US Forest Service created algorithms to calculate ecological value based on rainwater each tree retains, the electricity conserved, and reduction of air pollution - that calculation just happens to be expressed in dollars. How they make that transition from ecological value to economic value is a mystery to me, but it is just something to keep in mind as you look over this. It is moreso a measure of ecological impact, not economic (though, of course, they are connected).