1.2.5 [related to the Economics in Practice on p. 352] As cities go, Las Vegas is about as “over-the-top” as is imaginable.

Where else in the world can you find a 350-foot tall glass pyramid, a half-scale replica of the Eiffel Tower, a fire-spewing volcano, and patrons being serenaded in Italian while riding in authentic Venetian gondolas, and all of this along one street, Las Vegas Blvd? Despite the city’s numerous excesses, the four largest casino companies in the United States, all based in Las Vegas, have each spent millions of dollars on environmental sustainability programs, with the earliest program dating back to 2007.

What are the positive and negative effects of engaging in such programs? Why do you suppose all four companies have chosen to implement these environmental programs?