Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a public good?

Public goods are characterized by certain traits that distinguish them from private goods. A defining characteristic of public goods is non-rivalry, meaning that one person's consumption of the good does not diminish the ability of another person to consume it as well. This is often exemplified by goods such as street lighting or national defense, where one person's use does not detract from another's ability to use the same service.

Non-excludability is another key feature of public goods. This means that it is not possible to prevent individuals from using the good once it has been provided; for instance, the benefits of a clean environment cannot be easily restricted to certain individuals.

Joint consumption refers to the fact that multiple users can consume the good simultaneously without excluding each other. For example, many people can enjoy a public park at the same time.

The option indicating rival consumption does not align with the definition of public goods. Rival consumption implies that one person's use of a good reduces its availability for someone else, which is characteristic of private goods. Hence, identifying rival consumption as NOT a characteristic of public goods emphasizes the unique attributes that define public goods in economic theory.