Deck 2: Environmental Laws Economic and Ethics

Question 1

"Multiple individuals receiving the greatest amount of goods and services from a limited set of resources" describes the economic principle (s) of:

A) externality
B) efficiency
C) utility
D) externality and utility

Answer 1

B

Question 2

An environmental impact statement must include:

A) an ethical analysis of the proposed action.
B) short- and long-term environmental consequences of federally sponsored projects.
C) solutions to any potentially adverse environmental effects.
D) documentation of the financial cost-benefit analysis of the proposed action.
E) a description of the solution to any associated environmental controversy.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

The world's first national park was established in what year?

A) 1780
B) 1865
C) 1872
D) 1890
E) 1906

Answer 3

C

Question 4

You are an environmental ethicist. As such you consider:

A) what role humans play in determining the fate of Earth's resources
B) how humans should relate to the natural environment
C) the moral basis of environmental responsibility
D) political, economic, societal, and individual tradeoffs
E) all of these choices are correct

Question 5

Which U.S. president was most responsible for setting aside national forests in the late 1800s and early 1900s?

A) Grover Cleveland
B) Benjamin Harrison
C) Abraham Lincoln
D) Herbert Hoover
E) Theodore Roosevelt

Question 6

Earth Day:

A) is celebrated exclusively in the U.S.
B) was initiated by the U.S. Senate in 1970.
C) has gained support for the environment within one or two major religions.
D) is largely a government-sponsored event.
E) focuses on what individuals can do to protect the environment.

Question 7

Environmental Impact Statements:

A) must be made available to the public.
B) only address potential impact on endangered or threatened species.
C) only need to project impact out to two years following the completion of the project.
D) only affect the 20% of lands owned by the federal government.
E) are not required for any state-funded projects.

Question 8

The legislation that authorizes the president of the United States to set aside national monuments is the:

A) Antiquities Act.
B) National Parks and Forest Act.
C) National Monuments Act.
D) Wilderness Act.
E) Endangered Species Act.

Question 9

The deep ecology worldview is an understanding of our place in the world based on

A) harmony with nature and a spiritual respect for life
B) human superiority and dominance over nature
C) right and wrong environmental behaviors of our government
D) hidden beliefs about the hierarchy of all species
E) green politics

Question 10

All of the following were authors whose writings influenced the environmental movement except:

A) Rachel Carson
B) John James Audubon
C) Aldo Leopold
D) Wallace Stegner
E) George Perkins Marsh

Question 11

Laws that impose rules and regulations and set limits of pollution are called:

A) command and control.
B) environmental impact statements.
C) legislative documents.
D) legislative directives.
E) environmental directives.

Question 12

Whose work heightened public awareness and concern about the use of pesticides and ultimately led to restrictions on the use of certain pesticides?

A) George Perkins Marsh
B) Henry David Thoreau
C) Paul Ehrlich
D) John Muir
E) Rachel Carson

Question 13

Who was the first head of the U.S. Forest Service?

A) Gifford Pinchot
B) George Perkins Marsh
C) John Muir
D) Aldo Leopold
E) Wallace Stegner

Question 14

The National Environmental Policy Act:

A) mandates development of an Environmental Impact Statement at the end of any project using federal funds.
B) provided for the establishment of the Court on Environmental Quality to enforce U.S. environmental law.
C) requires the evaluation of federal highway construction and military projects.
D) requires documentation of the financial impact of all projects with potential environmental impact.
E) was signed into law in 1965.

Question 15

Which of the following is not included in an environmental impact statement?

A) nature of the proposal
B) short- and long-term effects of the proposal
C) why the proposal is needed
D) alternatives to the proposed course of action
E) guarantees that no species or habitat will be negatively impacted by the proposal

Question 16

Founder of the Sierra Club, naturalist, and force behind the establishment of Yosemite and Sequoia national parks:

A) Aldo Leopold.
B) Henry David Thoreau.
C) John James Audubon.
D) John Muir.
E) Theodore Roosevelt.

Question 17

One approach to pollution control is incentive-based regulation. In this tactic:
1) industries adopting specific pollution control methods recommended by the government are rewarded.
2) industries are encouraged to emit an amount of pollution that is economically most desirable for that company.
3) green taxes are levied on industries that represent an emission charge on polluters.
4) pollution control laws establish emission targets and industries are provided enticements to reduce emissions.

A) 1
B) 2
C) 3
D) 4
E) 2 and 3

Question 18

Provisions of the Endangered Species Act

A) require the timber industry to reforest in areas of logging.
B) grant the President authority to establish National Parks for endangered species.
C) provide a spending limit by the federal government in protecting endangered species.
D) require the government to protect the habitat of endangered species so that their numbers increase.
E) specify incentive-based regulation for endangered species.

Question 19

When consumption or production of a product has a harmful side effect that is borne by people not directly involved in the market exchange for that product, the side effect is called a(n):

A) marginal cost.
B) indirect cost.
C) additional cost.
D) intrinsic cost.
E) external cost.

Question 20

In the field of economics, the additional cost associated with one more unit of something is called a(n):

A) marginal cost.
B) external cost.
C) direct cost.
D) fringe cost.
E) total product cost.

Question 21

National income accounts are incomplete estimates of national economic performance because national income accounts do not include:

A) gross domestic product
B) net domestic product
C) estimates of imported goods and services
D) estimates of external costs such as natural resource depletion and the environmental cost of economic activities
E) estimates of human manufactured material goods

Question 22

Economic strategies for pollution control include all of the following except:

A) emission charges.
B) emission reduction credits.
C) waste-discharge permits.
D) complete shutdown of a business that is responsible for excess environmental damage.
E) None of these choices, all are valid economic strategies

Question 23

The amount of pollution that is economically most desirable is determined by plotting two curves. The point where the two curves meet is termed the __________ from an economic viewpoint.

A) marginal cost of pollution
B) marginal cost of pollution abatement
C) direct cost of pollution
D) indirect cost of pollution
E) None of these choices is correct

Question 24

When economists adopt a market-oriented strategy to deal with pollution:

A) they encourage large retailers to pollute more.
B) they raise the cost of pollution to discourage it.
C) they lower the cost of pollution to discourage it.
D) they increase the demand for pollution.
E) they discourage recycling and encourage the use of virgin materials.

Question 25

Environmental destruction in formerly communist countries was so extensive because of:

A) an attitude of high production and economic self-sufficiency, regardless of environmental damages.
B) an attitude of meeting industrial production quotas taking precedence over environmental concerns.
C) an attitude of support for heavy industry such as power plants, chemicals, metallurgy, and large machinery.
D) an attitude of low regard for the economic value of clean air, water, and soil.
E) all of these choices are correct

Question 26

All of the following would contribute to natural capital, except:

A) groundwater.
B) soil.
C) clean air.
D) mineral resources.
E) None of these choices, all are natural capital

Question 27

Which of the following people is incorrectly matched with their environmental voice?

A) John Audubon: On Walden's Pond
B) Rachel Carson: Silent Spring
C) Paul Ehrlich: The Population Bomb
D) Aldo Leopold: A Sand County Almanac
E) Wallace Stegner: Wilderness Essay

Question 28

Pricing a bottle of freon at $2,000 in order to pay for the damage it does to the ozone layer when it is eventually released into the environment is an example of adding in:

A) emission charges.
B) environmental impact statements.
C) marginal costs.
D) external costs.
E) emission reduction credits.

Question 29

Pollution is considered an external cost because:

A) it has a harmful effect borne only by people who purchased the product that caused it.
B) its cost to the environment is not reflected in the price of the product that produces it.
C) it has a significant impact on the consumer's decision to buy the product that causes it.
D) it is a hidden cost that would produce increased demand if the consumer were aware of it.
E) it is an advertised cost that may affect consumer demand for a given product.

Question 30

The associated graph represents the:

A) marginal cost of pollution.
B) marginal cost of pollution abatement.
C) marginal cost of recycling.
D) marginal cost of waste-charge policy.
E) marginal cost.

Question 31

Based on the accompanying graph, which of the following statements is correct?

A) As more and more pollution is eliminated from the environment, the cost of removing each additional unit of pollution decreases.
B) As more and more pollution is eliminated from the environment, the cost of removing each additional unit of pollution stays the same.
C) As more and more pollution is eliminated from the environment, the cost of removing each additional unit of pollution increases.
D) As more and more pollution is eliminated from the environment, the cost of removing each additional unit of pollution reaches equilibrium when intersecting the amount of pollution axis.
E) Nothing can be inferred from the graph.

Question 32

The cost, in environmental quality, of a unit of pollution that is emitted into the environment is the:

A) marginal cost of pollution.
B) marginal cost of pollution abatement.
C) optimum amount of pollution.
D) indirect cost of pollution.
E) indirect cost of pollution abatement.

Question 33

The graph below represents the Marginal Cost of Pollution. Which is the correct curve for the marginal cost of pollution?

A) Curve A
B) Curve B
C) Curve C
D) Curve D
E) Curve E

Question 34

A preservationist is more likely to have a __________ worldview, and a conservationist probably has a __________ worldview.

A) biocentric, eccentric
B) biocentric, utilitarian
C) anthropocentric, biocentric
D) universal, rare
E) self-centered, unselfish

Question 35

According to the EPA's Draft Report on the Environment 2003, levels of wet sulfate, a major component of acid rain, have dropped by 20-30% since 1990. This success may be attributed to:

A) National Environmental Policy Act (1970)
B) Clean Air Act (1977)
C) Clean Water Act
D) Earth Day 1990 (Think globally, act locally)
E) Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990

Question 36

All of the following are successes in pollution control since 1970 except:

A) improved water quality in rivers and streams.
B) DDT, asbestos, and dioxins have been banned from use in the U.S.
C) 75% reduction in sulfur dioxide and resulting acid rain.
D) 98% reduction in lead levels in the air.
E) 70% reduction in the use of CFCs and other chemicals that are contributing to the ozone hole.

Question 37

Put the following historical views of the environment in the correct chronological sequence.
I. Frontier attitude: desire to conquer and exploit nature as quickly as possible.
II. Biocentric preservationists: belief that all life deserves respect and consideration.
III. Utilitarian conservationist: view of environment in terms of usefulness for people.
IV. Earth Day celebrant: demonstrates support of environmental quality by planting trees, cleaning roadsides and rivers and marching in parades.

A) I - II - III- IV
B) V - III - II - I
C) I - III - II - IV
D) III - IV - I - II
E) IV - II - I - III

Question 38

Which of the following statements reflects the prevailing Western worldview?

A) All organisms are interdependent.
B) Nature should be preserved, not used.
C) Humans have the right to modify the environment to benefit their wellbeing and high standard of living.
D) Humans and all other species have an equal worth.
E) Humans have no right to reduce diversity of life forms except to satisfy vital needs.

Question 39

A green campus is a(n) ______ campus!

A) discard and go
B) reuse and recycle
C) environmentally unfriendly
D) naïve and unsophisticated
E) emerald and olive

Question 40

The marginal cost of pollution abatement:

A) is the added cost of reducing all types of pollution by one unit.
B) drops as the level of pollution falls.
C) increases as the level of pollution falls.
D) is low at low levels of pollution.
E) is high at high levels of pollution.

Question 41

Explain the frontier attitude and the effect it had on early development of North America.

Question 42

The Western world view most closely resembles the:

A) deep ecology worldview
B) utilitarian conservationist attitude
C) biocentric preservationist attitude
D) frontier attitude
E) paralysis by analysis worldview

Question 43

Identify three individuals that have made a significant contribution to the environment and provide a brief explanation of the contribution of each.

Question 44

Which of the following NOT a principle of deep ecology, according to Arne Naess?

A) All life has intrinsic value
B) Environment must be exploited to improve living standards
C) Flourishing human and nonhuman life depends on diversity of life forms
D) Human interference with nature is excessive
E) Flourishing of human and nonhuman life depends on a decrease in the human population

Question 45

Discuss the role of economics and government on the status of the environment in Central and Eastern Europe. Cite specific issues and/or examples in your discussion. Given the relatively recent changes in the government structure within this region, have any improvements in environmental policy or condition occurred? If so, explain the mechanism(s) that have allowed this to happen.

Question 46

Which of the following is a critique of economic approaches to environmental regulation?

A) It's difficult to assess the costs of environmental damage
B) Utilitarian economics are not universally accepted
C) Many economic records of environmental problems are false
D) It's difficult to assess the costs of environmental damage and Utilitarian economics are not universally accepted
E) none of these choices

Question 47

Which of the following describes the cost to society of having less pollution being offset by the benefits to society of the activity creating the pollution?

A) marginal cost of pollution
B) optimal amount of pollution
C) marginal cost of abatement
D) regulatory reform
E) none of these choices is correct

Question 48

Which of the following are NOT examples of religions making an effort to improve the environment?

A) The 2010 Baha'i Social and Economic Development Conference
B) U.N. Millennium World Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders
C) Evangelical Climate Initiative
D) International Seminar on Religion, Culture, and Environment sponsored partially by the Islamic Republic of Iran
E) All of the above are examples of religious efforts to improve the environment

Question 49

What is an environmental impact statement (EIS)? List what each EIS must include. How does an environmental impact statement provide protection for the environment?

Question 50

What is the relationship between marginal cost of pollution and marginal cost of pollution abatement? What can plotting these two curves together tell you?

Question 51

What is the National Environmental Policy Act? Discuss its role in U.S. environmental law. Include a specific example of the implementation of NEPA in your discussion.

Question 52

Which of the following is not a successful pollution-control outcome according to the EPA?

A) Levels of wet sulfate dropping by 20%
B) Over 800 of the 1500 Superfund sites have been cleaned up
C) Release of toxic chemicals has decreased by 48% since 1988
D) Emissions of six air pollutants have decreased by 25%
E) 50% of rivers and streams are in violation of water quality standards

Question 53

Describe the optimum amount of pollution concept and identify any weaknesses in this approach. What is the nature of the conflict between this economic view of the environment and an environmentalist's perspective? How can these discrepancies be resolved in a way that benefits the environment?

Question 54

Western Xanadu is permitted to place a maximum of 350 tons per day into its landfill but must trade 50 extra tons to a nearby county. This is an example of a(n):

A) command and control policy.
B) emission charge policy.
C) emission reduction credit.
D) marketable waste-discharge permit.
E) environmental directive.

Question 55

Which of the following gave authority to the president to establish forest reserves on federally owned land?

A) Northwest Forest Plan
B) General Revision Act
C) frontier attitude
D) Antiquities Act
E) The Fifth Amendment

Question 56

One approach to pollution control is incentive-based regulation. In this tactic

A) industries adopting specific pollution control methods recommended by the government are rewarded.
B) industries are encouraged to emit an amount of pollution that is economically most desirable for that company.
C) green taxes are levied on industries that represent an emission charge on polluters.
D) governments issue a fixed number of marketable waste-discharge permits.
E) green taxes are levied on industries that represent an emission charge on polluters and governments issue a fixed number of marketable waste-discharge permits.

Question 57

Which of the following statements reflects the Western worldview?

A) All organisms are interdependent
B) Nature should be preserved, not used
C) Human superiority and dominance over nature
D) Humans and all other species have an equal worth
E) Humans have no right to reduce diversity of life forms except to satisfy vital needs