CHAPTER 1--ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS, THEIR

CAUSES, AND SUSTAINABILITY

1. The long-term sustainability oI liIe on planet Earth has depended on
A. solar energy
B. nutrient recycling
C. biodiversity
D. all oI these answers
E. nutrient recycling and biodiversity
2. Which oI the Iollowing areas oI study are not important in the study oI environmental science?
A. Biology.
B. Chemistry.
C. Geology.
D. Economics.
E. All oI these answers.
3. Which oI the Iollowing is a goal oI environmental science?
A. Learn how nature works.
B. Understand how we interact with the environment.
C. Live more sustainably.
D. Find ways to deal with environmental problems.
E. All oI these answers.
4. Which oI the Iollowing is a social movement dedicated to the protection oI the Earth's natural capital?
A. ecology
B. environmental science
C. environmentalism
D. natural science
E. sustainability
5. Which oI the Iollowing terms encompasses all oI the others?
A. natural capital
B. natural resources
C. natural services
D. nutrient cycling
E. photosynthesis
1
6. Which oI the Iollowing is a Iorm oI natural capital gained directly or indirectly as a result oI solar
energy?
A. photosynthesis
B. Ilowing water
C. wind energy
D. bioIuels
E. all oI these answers
7. Which oI the Iollowing is best categorized as an example oI a natural service?
A. renewable energy
B. nonrenewable energy
C. water puriIication
D. oil
E. soil
8. When we speak oI protecting the environment, we are reIerring to
A. all living things on the planet
B. all non-living things such as air, Iresh water, and energy
C. all living and non-living things
D. humans and the living and non-living things that aIIect them only
E. humans and the living things that aIIect them only
9. A set oI organisms within a deIined area interacting with one another and with their environment oI
living and non-living matter is called a(n)
A. species
B. ecosystem
C. sustainable society
D. natural resource
E. none oI these answers
10. Nutrient recycling is a vital natural service carried out by which natural resource?
A. natural gas
B. clean air
C. topsoil
D. all oI these answers
E. two oI these answers
11. An environmentally sustainable society
A. protects natural capital
B. lives oII the income natural capital provides
C. does not compromise the ability oI Iuture generations to meet their basic needs
D. all oI these answers
E. protects natural capital and lives oII the income natural capital provides
2
12. Which oI the Iollowing would best be categorized as a perpetual resource?
A. oil reserves
B. Iisheries
C. solar energy
D. Iorests
E. coal reserves
13. What is an essential characteristic that indicates whether a resource should be categorized as a renewable
resource?
A. It must be an energy resource.
B. It must be a biological resource.
C. It must be recyclable.
D. It must have the capacity to be replenished within days to several hundred years.
E. It must have the capacity to be utilized Ior immediate economic beneIit.
14. Which oI the Iollowing categories oI resources can be degraded iI used beyond sustainable vield?
A. renewable resources
B. perpetual resources
C. energy resources
D. mineral resources
E. nonrenewable resources
15. The tragedv of the commons reIers to
A. overuse oI privately held resources
B. overuse oI shared common resources
C. human deaths Irom polluted shared resources such as air or water
D. government over-regulation oI Iresh water use
E. all oI these answers
16. Evidence that we are living unsustainably includes which oI the Iollowing?
A. Renewable Iorests are shrinking.
B. Agricultural lands are deteriorating.
C. The lower atmosphere is warming.
D. Coral reeIs are disappearing.
E. All oI these answers.
17. Which oI the Iollowing best depicts what is meant by an ecological Iootprint?
A. It is the average size oI the lot on which a Iamily home is built.
B. It is the number oI acres necessary to grow enough Iood to support a Iamily.
C. It is the geographic area in which a person travels during the course oI their average daily activities.
D. It is the amount oI biologically-productive land and water needed to supply the people in a particular
country or area with necessary resources.
E. It is the amount oI tillable agricultural land necessary to supply the Iood requirements oI a nation.
3
18. II a country`s ecological Iootprint is larger than its biological capacity to replenish its renewable
resources and absorb the resulting waste and pollution:
A. It is said to have an ecological deIicit.
B. It should be supported by other countries with smaller Iootprints.
C. It is said to be a sustainable society.
D. It is most likely a developing country.
E. More than one oI these answers is correct.
19. Which oI the Iollowing is an example oI recycling?
A. collecting and remelting aluminum beer cans and making them into new cans
B. cleaning and reIilling soIt-drink bottles
C. selling used clothing at a garage sale
D. saving leItovers in a peanut butter jar
E. using household water to water a garden
20. Select the choice that correctly states the best priority Ior use oI non-renewable resources, such as metals
and plastics, Irom the environmentally sustainable perspective.
A. recycle, reuse, reduce
B. reuse, reduce, recycle
C. reduce, reuse, recycle
D. reduce, recycle, reIuse
E. repurpose, recycle, remake
21. Developed countries
A. are high-income
B. are low-income
C. use about 88 oI the world`s resources
D. make up about 80 oI the world's population
E. Are high-income and use about 88 oI the worlds resources
22. Which oI the Iollowing statements about developing countries is true?
A. They are highly industrialized.
B. They have high-average per capita income.
C. They include the United States, Germany, and Japan.
D. They are classiIied as middle-income or low-income.
E. They have about 85 oI the world's wealth and income.
23. About oI the world's human population lives in the developing countries.
A. 20
B. 40
C. 60
D. 80
E. 90
4
24. All oI the Iollowing are potentially renewable resources except
A. groundwater
B. trees in a Iorest
C. Iertile soil
D. oil
E. animals
25. Nonrenewable resources include
A. oil
B. minerals
C. salt and sand
D. coal
E. all oI these answers
26. Sustainable yield is the
A. proIit yield Irom a business that operates Irom the perspective oI sustainable living
B. highest rate that a renewable resource can be used indeIinitely without reducing its available supply
C. proIit Irom tax breaks tied to sustainable economic practices by businesses
D. all oI these answers
E. none oI these answers
27. Which oI the Iollowing best describes the concept oI environmental degradation?
A. using solar power at a rapid rate
B. growing crops Ior Iood
C. cutting trees Ior wood products Iaster than the trees can regrow to maturity
D. letting agricultural runoII cause oxygen depletion and Iish kills downstream
E. two oI these answers
28. Which oI the Iollowing would be categorized as a non-renewable resource?
A. topsoil
B. Iisheries
C. solar energy
D. Iorests
E. coal reserves
29. The IPAT model states that the key Iactor in environmental impact in
A. developing countries is resource use
B. developing countries is population size
C. developed countries is resource use
D. developed countries is population size
E. more than one oI these answers
5
30. You generally buy and eat microwave dinners. AIter dinner, cardboard tops and plastic trays remain. The
least eIIective way to deal with this type oI solid waste problem is to
A. Store leItovers in the plastic trays.
B. Put all oI the solid waste in the household trash to be taken to the landIill.
C. Donate the plastic containers to the local nursery schools to use with preschoolers.
D. Recycle the components.
E. All oI these answers are eIIective.
31. Point sources oI pollution
A. enter ecosystems Irom dispersed and oIten hard-to-identiIy sources
B. include runoII oI Iertilizers and pesticides Irom Iarmlands and suburban lawns
C. are cheaper and easier to identiIy than nonpoint sources
D. are more diIIicult to control than nonpoint sources
E. are always Iound in rural areas
32. Nonpoint sources oI pollution
A. enter ecosystems Irom single identiIiable sources
B. are more diIIicult to control than point sources
C. include smokestacks and automobile exhaust pipes
D. are cheaper and easier to identiIy than point sources
E. are always Iound in rural areas
33. Pollution cleanup eIIorts can be ineIIective because
A. They oIten transIer pollutants Irom one part oI the environment to another.
B. Once pollutants are dispersed, it costs too much to reduce them to acceptable levels.
C. They can be overwhelmed by growth in population and consumption.
D. All oI these answers.
E. None oI these answers.
34. EIIects oI pollution might include
A. less diversity oI stream liIe because oI road salt runoII
B. acid rain-induced destruction oI a statue in your city park
C. increased incidence oI respiratory diseases in polluted cities
D. all oI these answers
E. both a and b only
35. Root causes oI unsustainability include all oI the Iollowing except
A. wasteIul use oI resources
B. poverty
C. rapid population growth
D. inclusion oI environmental and social costs in market prices
E. All oI these answers
6
36. Which oI the Iollowing is an environmental beneIit oI aIIluence and wealth?
A. Increasing wealth allows Ior an increased capacity Ior resource consumption.
B. Increased wealth provides resources to apply toward the creation oI environmentally beneIicial
technologies.
C. Increasing aIIluence oIten leads to a desire to travel widely and Irequently in order to see the world.
D. The aIIluence oI developed nations is highly desirable and sought aIter by citizens oI developing
nations.
E. The typical consumption patterns oI aIIluent nations leads to beneIicial environmental conservation
practices.
37. Which oI the Iollowing is a major Iactor contributing to the degradation oI natural capital associated
with the pricing oI consumable goods?
A. They are priced in such a way that they do not reIlect the environmental damage caused by their
production.
B. They are priced in such a way as to allow even those in poverty in developing nations to acquire
them.
C. They are priced in such a way that only the most aIIluent purchaser is able to acquire them.
D. Consumers are typically aware oI the kinds oI environmental damage resulting Irom the production oI
the item.
E. None oI these answers.
38. The resource consumption oI the average person in the United States is about times that oI the
average citizen oI India, and about times that oI the average person in the world`s poorest
countries.
A. 2, 10
B. 5, 10
C. 8.6, 15
D. 30, 100
E. none oI these answers
39. Government subsidies to industries can actually contribute to the depletion and degradation oI natural
capital iI the recipient oI the subsidy does not
A. contribute to environmental causes
B. include the value oI natural capital in the market price oI the goods they produce
C. abide by environmental regulations in production practices
D. all oI these answers
E. only two oI these answers
7
40. A worldview that holds that we can and should manage the Earth Ior our own beneIit but that we also
have an ethical responsibility to be caring stewards is called the
A. planetary management worldview
B. stewardship worldview
C. environmental wisdom worldview
D. none oI these answers
E. all oI these answers
41. In 2009, the world population is about
A. 6.8 billion people
B. 2.9 billion people
C. 9.3 billion people
D. 6.8 million people
E. 7.2 billion people
42. Every day, approximately new people are added to the global population.
A. 50,000
B. 100,000
C. 150,000
D. 200,000
E. 250,000 (a quarter oI a million)
43. II we make a commitment to more sustainable liIestyles and economies now, scientiIic evidence
indicates it will take how long to Iully implement the changes?
A. 10 years
B. 25 years
C. 40 years
D. 50 years
E. until the year 2100
44. Which oI the Iollowing is not among the three scientiIic principles oI sustainability?
A. economic growth
B. reliance on solar energy
C. biodiversity
D. chemical cycling
E. Population control
45. An environmentally sustainable society must be based on policies that provide Ior economic growth and
development.
True False
8
46. An exponential growth curve is best described as a J-shaped curve.
True False
47. Recycling nonrenewable metallic resources takes much less energy, water, and other resources and
produces less pollution and environmental degradation than exploiting virgin metallic resources.
True False
48. Polluting chemicals enter the environment only through human activities.
True False
49. The per capita ecological Iootprint is the average ecological Iootprint oI an individual in a given country
or area.
True False
50. The United States has the world's largest per capita ecological Iootprint.
True False
51. Government subsidies can actually encourage companies to conduct business in ways that result in
environmental degradation.
True False
52. In an environmentally sustainable society, most aIIluent citizens work to decrease their consumption oI
products.
True False
53. Pollution cleanup is considered a short-term solution iI population and consumption levels grow without
corresponding improvement in pollution control technology.
True False
54. Rapid population growth and associated poverty are primarily occurring in developing countries and
have little impact on environmental degradation.
True False
55. In order Ior the social changes to occur that will produce sustainable economies, Iully 50 oI the
population oI a country must support the change.
True False
56. We can say that biodiversitv is a Iactor in maintaining liIe on this planet.
True False
9
57. Perpetual resources exist in a Iixed quantity or stock in the Earth`s crust.
True False
58. II industry managers ask the question 'How can my company avoid producing polluting air exhaust Irom
my Iactory? they are seeking pollution prevent, which is preIerable to pollution cleanup.
True False
59. The tragedv of the commons is a phenomenon that occurs only when the number oI users is small.
True False
60. A resource such as solar energy that is renewed continuously is a called a(n) .

61. The three principles oI sustainability are chemical cycling, reliance on solar energy, and
.

62. is the biological science that studies the relationships between living things and
their environment.

63. is the ability oI the Earth's various natural systems and human cultural systems
and economies to survive and adapt to changing environmental conditions indeIinitely.

64. are materials and energy in nature that are essential or useIul to humans.

65. An ecological is an irreversible shiIt in the behavior oI a natural system.

66. The action oI processing plastic or aluminum cans into another usable product is called
.

67. are Iunctions oI nature, such as puriIication oI air and water, that support liIe
and human economies.

10
68. The IPAT model oI environmental impact takes into consideration population size, technology, and
.

69. Fish, Iresh water, wild animals, and Iertile soil are examples oI .

70. The highest rate at which a renewable resource can be used indefinitelv without reducing its available
supply is called its .

71. A single, identiIiable source oI pollution is called a(n) .

72. Pollution is cheaper and more eIIective than pollution

.

73. Developing countries can be classiIied as moderately developed, middle-income, or as

, least developed.

74. Old drink bottles that are collected, washed, and reIilled are an example oI .

75. Natural capital is comprised oI natural resources and natural .

76. When we exceed a renewable resource's natural replacement rate, the available supply begins to shrink
through a process known as .

77. Pesticides blown Irom agricultural lands into the air is an example oI
pollution.

78. It has been estimated that humanity's global ecological Iootprint exceeds the Earth's biological capacitv
by about .

11
79.
Is India's per capita ecological Iootprint greater than that oI Japan?
12
80.
Is India`s total ecological Iootprint greater than that oI Japan?
13
81.
What is the signiIicance oI this diIIerence between India and Japan?
14
82.
What can be interpreted about the ecological Iootprints oI the United States Irom the above graphs?
15
83.
Compared to other developed countries such as Japan and the European Union countries, how does the
per capita ecological Iootprint oI the United States measure up? Why?
16
84.
What percentage oI the world's population does not have adequate sanitation?
17
85.
IdentiIy problems that result Irom lack oI sanitation.
18
86.
II poverty stricken people in developing countries engage in activities that degrade valuable natural
resources, which two statistics do you think are driving those actions?
87. Clearly describe how wealth and aIIluence can have both harmIul and beneIicial environmental eIIects.
19
88. Why should the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) oI the United States be concerned with
ecological tipping points Ior certain environmental problems?
89. Explain how the IPAT model and the ecological Iootprint model emphasize diIIerent aspects oI how
natural resources are aIIected by unsustainable use.
20
CHAPTER 1--ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS, THEIR
CAUSES, AND SUSTAINABILITY Key
1. The long-term sustainability oI liIe on planet Earth has depended on
A. solar energy
B. nutrient recycling
C. biodiversity
D. all oI these answers
E. nutrient recycling and biodiversity
2. Which oI the Iollowing areas oI study are not important in the study oI environmental science?
A. Biology.
B. Chemistry.
C. Geology.
D. Economics.
E. All oI these answers.
3. Which oI the Iollowing is a goal oI environmental science?
A. Learn how nature works.
B. Understand how we interact with the environment.
C. Live more sustainably.
D. Find ways to deal with environmental problems.
E. All oI these answers.
4. Which oI the Iollowing is a social movement dedicated to the protection oI the Earth's natural
capital?
A. ecology
B. environmental science
C. environmentalism
D. natural science
E. sustainability
5. Which oI the Iollowing terms encompasses all oI the others?
A. natural capital
B. natural resources
C. natural services
D. nutrient cycling
E. photosynthesis
1
6. Which oI the Iollowing is a Iorm oI natural capital gained directly or indirectly as a result oI solar
energy?
A. photosynthesis
B. Ilowing water
C. wind energy
D. bioIuels
E. all oI these answers
7. Which oI the Iollowing is best categorized as an example oI a natural service?
A. renewable energy
B. nonrenewable energy
C. water puriIication
D. oil
E. soil
8. When we speak oI protecting the environment, we are reIerring to
A. all living things on the planet
B. all non-living things such as air, Iresh water, and energy
C. all living and non-living things
D. humans and the living and non-living things that aIIect them only
E. humans and the living things that aIIect them only
9. A set oI organisms within a deIined area interacting with one another and with their environment oI
living and non-living matter is called a(n)
A. species
B. ecosystem
C. sustainable society
D. natural resource
E. none oI these answers
10. Nutrient recycling is a vital natural service carried out by which natural resource?
A. natural gas
B. clean air
C. topsoil
D. all oI these answers
E. two oI these answers
11. An environmentally sustainable society
A. protects natural capital
B. lives oII the income natural capital provides
C. does not compromise the ability oI Iuture generations to meet their basic needs
D. all oI these answers
E. protects natural capital and lives oII the income natural capital provides
2
12. Which oI the Iollowing would best be categorized as a perpetual resource?
A. oil reserves
B. Iisheries
C. solar energy
D. Iorests
E. coal reserves
13. What is an essential characteristic that indicates whether a resource should be categorized as a
renewable resource?
A. It must be an energy resource.
B. It must be a biological resource.
C. It must be recyclable.
D. It must have the capacity to be replenished within days to several hundred years.
E. It must have the capacity to be utilized Ior immediate economic beneIit.
14. Which oI the Iollowing categories oI resources can be degraded iI used beyond sustainable vield?
A. renewable resources
B. perpetual resources
C. energy resources
D. mineral resources
E. nonrenewable resources
15. The tragedv of the commons reIers to
A. overuse oI privately held resources
B. overuse oI shared common resources
C. human deaths Irom polluted shared resources such as air or water
D. government over-regulation oI Iresh water use
E. all oI these answers
16. Evidence that we are living unsustainably includes which oI the Iollowing?
A. Renewable Iorests are shrinking.
B. Agricultural lands are deteriorating.
C. The lower atmosphere is warming.
D. Coral reeIs are disappearing.
E. All oI these answers.
3
17. Which oI the Iollowing best depicts what is meant by an ecological Iootprint?
A. It is the average size oI the lot on which a Iamily home is built.
B. It is the number oI acres necessary to grow enough Iood to support a Iamily.
C. It is the geographic area in which a person travels during the course oI their average daily
activities.
D. It is the amount oI biologically-productive land and water needed to supply the people in a
particular country or area with necessary resources.
E. It is the amount oI tillable agricultural land necessary to supply the Iood requirements oI a nation.
18. II a country`s ecological Iootprint is larger than its biological capacity to replenish its renewable
resources and absorb the resulting waste and pollution:
A. It is said to have an ecological deIicit.
B. It should be supported by other countries with smaller Iootprints.
C. It is said to be a sustainable society.
D. It is most likely a developing country.
E. More than one oI these answers is correct.
19. Which oI the Iollowing is an example oI recycling?
A. collecting and remelting aluminum beer cans and making them into new cans
B. cleaning and reIilling soIt-drink bottles
C. selling used clothing at a garage sale
D. saving leItovers in a peanut butter jar
E. using household water to water a garden
20. Select the choice that correctly states the best priority Ior use oI non-renewable resources, such as
metals and plastics, Irom the environmentally sustainable perspective.
A. recycle, reuse, reduce
B. reuse, reduce, recycle
C. reduce, reuse, recycle
D. reduce, recycle, reIuse
E. repurpose, recycle, remake
21. Developed countries
A. are high-income
B. are low-income
C. use about 88 oI the world`s resources
D. make up about 80 oI the world's population
E. Are high-income and use about 88 oI the worlds resources
4
22. Which oI the Iollowing statements about developing countries is true?
A. They are highly industrialized.
B. They have high-average per capita income.
C. They include the United States, Germany, and Japan.
D. They are classiIied as middle-income or low-income.
E. They have about 85 oI the world's wealth and income.
23. About oI the world's human population lives in the developing countries.
A. 20
B. 40
C. 60
D. 80
E. 90
24. All oI the Iollowing are potentially renewable resources except
A. groundwater
B. trees in a Iorest
C. Iertile soil
D. oil
E. animals
25. Nonrenewable resources include
A. oil
B. minerals
C. salt and sand
D. coal
E. all oI these answers
26. Sustainable yield is the
A. proIit yield Irom a business that operates Irom the perspective oI sustainable living
B. highest rate that a renewable resource can be used indeIinitely without reducing its available
supply
C. proIit Irom tax breaks tied to sustainable economic practices by businesses
D. all oI these answers
E. none oI these answers
27. Which oI the Iollowing best describes the concept oI environmental degradation?
A. using solar power at a rapid rate
B. growing crops Ior Iood
C. cutting trees Ior wood products Iaster than the trees can regrow to maturity
D. letting agricultural runoII cause oxygen depletion and Iish kills downstream
E. two oI these answers
5
28. Which oI the Iollowing would be categorized as a non-renewable resource?
A. topsoil
B. Iisheries
C. solar energy
D. Iorests
E. coal reserves
29. The IPAT model states that the key Iactor in environmental impact in
A. developing countries is resource use
B. developing countries is population size
C. developed countries is resource use
D. developed countries is population size
E. more than one oI these answers
30. You generally buy and eat microwave dinners. AIter dinner, cardboard tops and plastic trays remain.
The least eIIective way to deal with this type oI solid waste problem is to
A. Store leItovers in the plastic trays.
B. Put all oI the solid waste in the household trash to be taken to the landIill.
C. Donate the plastic containers to the local nursery schools to use with preschoolers.
D. Recycle the components.
E. All oI these answers are eIIective.
31. Point sources oI pollution
A. enter ecosystems Irom dispersed and oIten hard-to-identiIy sources
B. include runoII oI Iertilizers and pesticides Irom Iarmlands and suburban lawns
C. are cheaper and easier to identiIy than nonpoint sources
D. are more diIIicult to control than nonpoint sources
E. are always Iound in rural areas
32. Nonpoint sources oI pollution
A. enter ecosystems Irom single identiIiable sources
B. are more diIIicult to control than point sources
C. include smokestacks and automobile exhaust pipes
D. are cheaper and easier to identiIy than point sources
E. are always Iound in rural areas
33. Pollution cleanup eIIorts can be ineIIective because
A. They oIten transIer pollutants Irom one part oI the environment to another.
B. Once pollutants are dispersed, it costs too much to reduce them to acceptable levels.
C. They can be overwhelmed by growth in population and consumption.
D. All oI these answers.
E. None oI these answers.
6
34. EIIects oI pollution might include
A. less diversity oI stream liIe because oI road salt runoII
B. acid rain-induced destruction oI a statue in your city park
C. increased incidence oI respiratory diseases in polluted cities
D. all oI these answers
E. both a and b only
35. Root causes oI unsustainability include all oI the Iollowing except
A. wasteIul use oI resources
B. poverty
C. rapid population growth
D. inclusion oI environmental and social costs in market prices
E. All oI these answers
36. Which oI the Iollowing is an environmental beneIit oI aIIluence and wealth?
A. Increasing wealth allows Ior an increased capacity Ior resource consumption.
B. Increased wealth provides resources to apply toward the creation oI environmentally beneIicial
technologies.
C. Increasing aIIluence oIten leads to a desire to travel widely and Irequently in order to see the
world.
D. The aIIluence oI developed nations is highly desirable and sought aIter by citizens oI developing
nations.
E. The typical consumption patterns oI aIIluent nations leads to beneIicial environmental
conservation practices.
37. Which oI the Iollowing is a major Iactor contributing to the degradation oI natural capital associated
with the pricing oI consumable goods?
A. They are priced in such a way that they do not reIlect the environmental damage caused by their
production.
B. They are priced in such a way as to allow even those in poverty in developing nations to acquire
them.
C. They are priced in such a way that only the most aIIluent purchaser is able to acquire them.
D. Consumers are typically aware oI the kinds oI environmental damage resulting Irom the
production oI the item.
E. None oI these answers.
7
38. The resource consumption oI the average person in the United States is about times that oI the
average citizen oI India, and about times that oI the average person in the world`s poorest
countries.
A. 2, 10
B. 5, 10
C. 8.6, 15
D. 30, 100
E. none oI these answers
39. Government subsidies to industries can actually contribute to the depletion and degradation oI natural
capital iI the recipient oI the subsidy does not
A. contribute to environmental causes
B. include the value oI natural capital in the market price oI the goods they produce
C. abide by environmental regulations in production practices
D. all oI these answers
E. only two oI these answers
40. A worldview that holds that we can and should manage the Earth Ior our own beneIit but that we also
have an ethical responsibility to be caring stewards is called the
A. planetary management worldview
B. stewardship worldview
C. environmental wisdom worldview
D. none oI these answers
E. all oI these answers
41. In 2009, the world population is about
A. 6.8 billion people
B. 2.9 billion people
C. 9.3 billion people
D. 6.8 million people
E. 7.2 billion people
42. Every day, approximately new people are added to the global population.
A. 50,000
B. 100,000
C. 150,000
D. 200,000
E. 250,000 (a quarter oI a million)
8
43. II we make a commitment to more sustainable liIestyles and economies now, scientiIic evidence
indicates it will take how long to Iully implement the changes?
A. 10 years
B. 25 years
C. 40 years
D. 50 years
E. until the year 2100
44. Which oI the Iollowing is not among the three scientiIic principles oI sustainability?
A. economic growth
B. reliance on solar energy
C. biodiversity
D. chemical cycling
E. Population control
45. An environmentally sustainable society must be based on policies that provide Ior economic growth
and development.
FALSE
46. An exponential growth curve is best described as a J-shaped curve.
TRUE
47. Recycling nonrenewable metallic resources takes much less energy, water, and other resources and
produces less pollution and environmental degradation than exploiting virgin metallic resources.
TRUE
48. Polluting chemicals enter the environment only through human activities.
FALSE
49. The per capita ecological Iootprint is the average ecological Iootprint oI an individual in a given
country or area.
TRUE
50. The United States has the world's largest per capita ecological Iootprint.
TRUE
51. Government subsidies can actually encourage companies to conduct business in ways that result in
environmental degradation.
TRUE
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52. In an environmentally sustainable society, most aIIluent citizens work to decrease their consumption
oI products.
TRUE
53. Pollution cleanup is considered a short-term solution iI population and consumption levels grow
without corresponding improvement in pollution control technology.
TRUE
54. Rapid population growth and associated poverty are primarily occurring in developing countries and
have little impact on environmental degradation.
FALSE
55. In order Ior the social changes to occur that will produce sustainable economies, Iully 50 oI the
population oI a country must support the change.
FALSE
56. We can say that biodiversitv is a Iactor in maintaining liIe on this planet.
TRUE
57. Perpetual resources exist in a Iixed quantity or stock in the Earth`s crust.
FALSE
58. II industry managers ask the question 'How can my company avoid producing polluting air exhaust
Irom my Iactory? they are seeking pollution prevent, which is preIerable to pollution cleanup.
TRUE
59. The tragedv of the commons is a phenomenon that occurs only when the number oI users is small.
FALSE
60. A resource such as solar energy that is renewed continuously is a called a(n)
.
perpetual resource
61. The three principles oI sustainability are chemical cycling, reliance on solar energy, and
.
biodiversity
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62. is the biological science that studies the relationships between living things
and their environment.
Ecology
63. is the ability oI the Earth's various natural systems and human cultural
systems and economies to survive and adapt to changing environmental conditions indeIinitely.
Sustainability
64. are materials and energy in nature that are essential or useIul to humans.
Natural resources
65. An ecological is an irreversible shiIt in the behavior oI a natural system.
tipping point
66. The action oI processing plastic or aluminum cans into another usable product is called
.
recycling
67. are Iunctions oI nature, such as puriIication oI air and water, that support
liIe and human economies.
Natural services
68. The IPAT model oI environmental impact takes into consideration population size, technology, and
.
affluence
69. Fish, Iresh water, wild animals, and Iertile soil are examples oI .
renewable resources
70. The highest rate at which a renewable resource can be used indefinitelv without reducing its available
supply is called its .
sustainable yield
71. A single, identiIiable source oI pollution is called a(n) .
point source
72. Pollution is cheaper and more eIIective than pollution
.
prevention, cleanup
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73. Developing countries can be classiIied as moderately developed, middle-income, or as
, least developed.
low-income or
low income
74. Old drink bottles that are collected, washed, and reIilled are an example oI
.
reuse
75. Natural capital is comprised oI natural resources and natural .
services
76. When we exceed a renewable resource's natural replacement rate, the available supply begins to
shrink through a process known as .
environmental degradation
77. Pesticides blown Irom agricultural lands into the air is an example oI
pollution.
non-point source
78. It has been estimated that humanity's global ecological Iootprint exceeds the Earth's biological
capacitv by about .
30
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79.
Is India's per capita ecological Iootprint greater than that oI Japan?
No, India`s per capita ecological Iootprint is smaller than Japan`s.
13
80.
Is India`s total ecological Iootprint greater than that oI Japan?
Yes.
14
81.
What is the signiIicance oI this diIIerence between India and Japan?
Although the per capita Iootprint oI India is small, its large population size means India`s overall
eIIect on the environment is greater.
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82.
What can be interpreted about the ecological Iootprints oI the United States Irom the above graphs?
The United States has both the largest per capita ecological Iootprint on the planet and the largest
total ecological Iootprint on the planet.
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83.
Compared to other developed countries such as Japan and the European Union countries, how does
the per capita ecological Iootprint oI the United States measure up? Why?
The per capita ecological Iootprint oI the United States is double that oI the other developed
countries. This reIlects the much higher consumption oI natural resources in the United States
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84.
What percentage oI the world's population does not have adequate sanitation?
37
18
85.
IdentiIy problems that result Irom lack oI sanitation.
-- widespread disease
-- polluted water and air
-- decrease in workIorce because oI disease, etc.
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86.
II poverty stricken people in developing countries engage in activities that degrade valuable natural
resources, which two statistics do you think are driving those actions?
Lack oI enough Iuel Ior heating and cooking, as they harvest wood Irom Iorests, and lack oI enough
Iood Ior good health as they hunt and take Iish or wildliIe to Ieed themselves
87. Clearly describe how wealth and aIIluence can have both harmIul and beneIicial environmental
eIIects.
The typical liIestyles oI the citizens oI developed nations are built on high levels oI consumption and
unsustainable use oI natural resources. This type oI aIIluence has an enormously harmIul
environmental impact.
On the other hand, aIIluence can lead people to become more educated, environmentally aware, and
concerned. It also provides money Ior the development oI improved technologies that can help to
reduce pollution, resource waste, and environmental degradation.
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88. Why should the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) oI the United States be concerned with
ecological tipping points Ior certain environmental problems?
A time delay can occur between the unsustainable use oI resources and the resulting harmIul
environmental eIIects. This process means problems can slowly build in intensity until they reach a
threshold level called the environmental tipping point. Once that is reached, the problems are
irreversible.
89. Explain how the IPAT model and the ecological Iootprint model emphasize diIIerent aspects oI how
natural resources are aIIected by unsustainable use.
The IPAT model includes the per capita use oI both renewable and nonrenewable resources, while the
ecological Iootprint model emphasizes the use oI renewable resources.
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