Deck 23: Sustainable Communities and Lifestyles

Question 1

The most important limiting factor for most driver-commuters is

A)the distance to their job.
B)the time it takes to drive to their job.
C)the cost of transportation to get to their job.
D)the health risks associated with getting to their job.

Answer 1

the time it takes to drive to their job.

Question 2

Urban sprawl typically results in

A)narrower highways.
B)increased commuting distances.
C)increased population densities.
D)decreased reliance on automobiles.

Answer 2

increased commuting distances.

Question 3

Over the past 50 years in the United States,the populations of

A)suburbs have increased while rural regions and city centers have declined.
B)suburbs and rural regions have increased while city centers have declined.
C)city centers have increased while suburbs and rural regions have declined.
D)city centers and rural regions have increased while suburbs have declined.

Answer 3

suburbs have increased while rural regions and city centers have declined.

Question 4

Over the past 50 years in the United States,commuting

A)time and distance have nearly doubled.
B)time has remained about the same,but the distance has doubled.
C)time and distance have increased sixfold.
D)time and distance have remained about the same.

Question 5

The Atlanta BeltLine project will provide

A)more parks but not any remediation of brownfield areas.
B)a rapid completion of all its projects within two years.
C)a large increase in the city's tax base and thousands of construction jobs.
D)some new housing units,but coming at the expense of reducing public parks.

Question 6

As an urban region experiences urban sprawl,the

A)number and size of roadways decrease.
B)number of farms and parks increase.
C)number of shopping malls increases.
D)reliance on public transportation increases.

Question 7

In most large cities,suburban commuters might benefit from the use of light rail systems for commuting.In most cities,if commuters switched from driving to rail commuting,they would

A)arrive at their destinations in half the time.
B)need to travel nearly twice the distance to get to their jobs.
C)spend more money on commuting.
D)use fewer natural resources,especially fossil fuels.

Question 8

This region just outside of Las Vegas illustrates

A)a pedestrian mall and green community.
B)a rust-belt area.
C)urban blight.
D)urban sprawl.

Question 9

The Atlanta BeltLine Project addresses environmental justice issues because it will

A)use a mix a public and private funding.
B)create many temporary construction jobs.
C)expand the parks and trails of the area.
D)clean up and redevelop more than 1000 acres of brownfields.

Question 10

Which of the following federal actions immediately after WWII might have significantly decreased urban sprawl during that post-war period?

A)the construction of many new light rail commuter systems out to suburbs
B)grants to support dramatic improvements in city systems and services
C)low cost home loans and tax deductions for mortgage interest
D)construction of new highways using taxes raised through the sale of motor fuels

Question 11

The Atlanta BeltLine project seeks to

A)identify regions of sprawl within the city.
B)take a brownfield area and retrofit it using principles of smart growth.
C)try to bring social services to an area of urban blight
D)construct new interstate highways to relieve some of the area's congestion.

Question 12

Which of the following activities of the federal government most encouraged urban sprawl in the period following WWII?

A)low interest home loans
B)increased low interest student loans
C)federal investment in urban public transportation
D)the creation of the United States federal welfare program

Question 13

In general,commuting to work after WWII was more common because of

A)increased automobile ownership and the Highway Trust Fund.
B)the elimination of most forms of public transportation in cities.
C)increases in the populations of most cities.
D)the widespread and rapid construction of light rail systems out to suburbs.

Question 14

Which of the following activities generally occurs less frequently in the United States in the period following WWII?

A)walking to work
B)riding in a car
C)eating produce from outside the United States
D)flying to your vacation destination

Question 15

The dense traffic and wide highways illustrated in this photograph are the result of

A)state sales taxes diverted from city services.
B)federal income taxes which are higher in urban areas.
C)the Highway Trust Fund's gasoline tax revenue.
D)the Department of Urban Renewal.

Question 16

The transportation within the Atlanta BeltLine will

A)focus on accommodating cars and parking.
B)eliminate all transportation except pedestrian traffic.
C)include pedestrian-friendly rail-based transit.
D)take public parks and convert them into low-cost parking structures.

Question 17

Which one of the following permitted the widespread move into suburbs after WWII?

A)increased use of telephones and television
B)increased ownership of automobiles
C)improvements in the railway and bus systems
D)cheaper sources of energy

Question 18

Prior to WWII,people living in cities in the United States enjoyed

A)a housing boom.
B)widespread use of public transportation.
C)increasing quality of public housing.
D)improving air quality.

Question 19

Rust belt areas have resulted partly from

A)abandoning urban industrial areas as workers left for better jobs.
B)increasing severity of acid rain in large industrial areas.
C)increased reliance on domestic industry and the decline of imports.
D)federal funding that favored northern U.S.industrial areas over southern areas.

Question 20

The effect of the 2008 recession has

A)speeded up the flight from inner cities to suburbs.
B)made existing properties more valuable.
C)greatly slowed the suburban building boom and the purchase of new houses.
D)reversed the movement to suburbs,increasing the pressure to find housing in the inner city.

Question 21

According to the U.S.Sprawlometer,the most sprawling and congested area is

A)New York.
B)Los Angeles.
C)Greensboro,NC.
D)Riverside,CA.

Question 22

Driving through slow,congested traffic on a busy Saturday afternoon,you barely have time to notice all of the signs on the shopping malls.Your friend wants you to head to the next town but it is unclear where one town begins and ends.
A friend who was raised in a Chicago suburb was describing what her life was like growing up.Then she said something very surprising and unexpected.She said that in her suburban town,

A)everybody kept complaining about the rising price of gasoline.
B)she saw very little wildlife except a few squirrels and common birds.
C)just about everybody bought locally raised vegetables at the farmer's market.
D)most of the people she knew had never seen a farm.

Question 23

When generally comparing life in suburban sprawl and life in the inner city,people living in the inner city

A)walk more and shop locally.
B)have larger homes and better city services.
C)experience lower crime rates.
D)enjoy lower-density residential living.

Question 24

Over the past 60 years,as people moved from U.S.cities to suburbs,the people that were left behind in the cities were primarily

A)older,poor people representing ethnic minorities.
B)younger,wealthy people representing ethnic minorities.
C)older and wealthy Caucasians.
D)younger Caucasians.

Question 25

In many other developing urban regions of developed nations around the world,suburban sprawl

A)and the car-dependent lifestyle are both increasing.
B)is increasing,but commuting is still based on public transportation.
C)is uncommon,and public transportation systems are still widely used.
D)is uncommon,but the car-dependent lifestyle is increasing.

Question 26

In a large city experiencing urban blight,we would be surprised to find

A)a declining tax base.
B)depreciating real estate.
C)improving schools.
D)increasing crime.

Question 27

The choices to live in ever-expanding suburbs,despite the costs to society and the environment,reflects a choice that places greater value on

A)common good over personal good.
B)personal good over common good.
C)resource services over environmental services.
D)environmental services over human services.

Question 28

Over the past 60 years,as the suburban population of the United States doubled,the demand for petroleum products has

A)declined.
B)stayed about the same.
C)doubled.
D)tripled.

Question 29

Urban sprawl has resulted in

A)wildlife habitat fragmentation.
B)decreased reliance on fossil fuels.
C)decreased production of greenhouse gases.
D)increased dependence on family farms for food.

Question 30

Which one of the following principles of smart-growth will most likely result in an increase in the use of locally grown foods?

A)provide several transportation choices
B)set physical boundaries on urban sprawl and purchase and preserve open spaces
C)build new homes and stores on existing abandoned or brownfield urban properties
D)promote the integration of homes,stores,light industry,and professional offices

Question 31

Which one of the following principles of smart-growth will most likely result in less commuting for all residents?

A)have states purchase open spaces
B)set physical boundaries on urban sprawl
C)build new homes and stores on existing abandoned or brownfield urban properties
D)promote the integration of homes,stores,light industry,and professional offices

Question 32

Consider a comparison of people living well in densely populated cities versus people living well in less dense suburbs.For the people living in the cities,it is

A)less expensive to provide social services and utilities but costs more to control crime and pollution.
B)less expensive to provide social services and control crime and pollution.
C)more expensive to provide social services and utilities and to control crime and pollution.
D)more expensive to provide social services and utilities but less to control crime and pollution.

Question 33

Which of the following is not typical of U.S.suburbs?

A)residential density is as high as the inner city.
B)there is high physical separation between homes,work,and shopping.
C)there is congested traffic due to inadequate road networks.
D)there are unclear city borders.

Question 34

Driving through slow,congested traffic on a busy Saturday afternoon,you barely have time to notice all of the signs on the shopping malls.Your friend wants you to head to the next town but it is unclear where one town begins and ends.
As you continue driving,your friend notes that he grew up in this region and nothing has really changed.Then,most surprisingly,he mentions that

A)he has never ridden in a taxi or on been on a train.
B)every day his parents commute about 40 minutes each way to work.
C)he has never had a car and always got around using public transportation.
D)his family typically drove about 20-30 minutes every time they went out to dinner.

Question 35

The Obama administration has moved to combat urban sprawl through the

A)Clean Air Act.
B)Clean Water Act.
C)American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
D)ISTEA.

Question 36

Urban sprawl is associated with

A)low residential density.
B)high physical separation between homes,work,and shopping.
C)congested traffic due to inadequate road networks.
D)low residential density,high physical separation between homes,work,and shopping,and congested traffic due to inadequate road networks.

Question 37

Tired of the traffic jams downtown,Roxanne decides that she wants to move out to the suburbs.Then she won't have to spend so much time in the car.One major problem with this decision is that on average,people living in suburbs

A)have to pay much more money for housing.
B)spend much more time walking to their destinations.
C)are faced with higher crime rates that add many more problems.
D)spend as much time commuting as people living closer to the city.

Question 38

Driving through slow,congested traffic on a busy Saturday afternoon,you barely have time to notice all of the signs on the shopping malls.Your friend wants you to head to the next town but it is unclear where one town begins and ends.
Which of the factors just described are characteristic of urban sprawl?

A)abundant shopping malls
B)unclear boundaries between towns
C)dense,congested traffic
D)abundant shopping malls,unclear boundaries between towns,and dense,congested traffic

Question 39

Which one of the following principles of smart-growth will most likely result in more wildlife habitat and scenic beauty within established suburban neighborhoods?

A)have states purchase open spaces which are preserved from urban development
B)set physical boundaries on urban sprawl
C)build new homes and stores on existing abandoned or brownfield urban properties
D)promote the integration of homes,stores,light industry,and professional offices

Question 40

Smart-growth efforts are being used with great benefit to growing communities.Which one of the following is a principle of smart-growth?

A)To allow higher density populations,all available spaces in a town should be used for housing.
B)Expanding suburbs should have physical boundaries that limit further spread.
C)Expanding towns should carefully segregate commercial and residential buildings.
D)Existing stores and light industry must move outside of the town to free up space for housing.

Question 41

Compared to the inner city,the families living in these suburban homes are most likely

A)wealthier Caucasians.
B)younger,poor people who are also Caucasians.
C)older and less affluent people representing ethnic minorities.
D)younger and wealthier people representing ethnic minorities.

Question 42

The common denominators of livable cities include

A)low population density,concentrated housing,few stores and businesses,wide highways,and abundant parking.
B)low population density,heterogeneous mixtures of residences and businesses,wide highways,and abundant parking for efficient transportation.
C)high population density,concentrated housing,limited business and stores,and a car-centered approach that makes driving easy.
D)high population density but heterogeneous mixtures of residences and businesses that encourage people to socially interact.

Question 43

The move to curb urban sprawl is also a way to

A)conserve agricultural and wilderness spaces.
B)decrease the population density of large cities.
C)promote faster and more efficient highways and bridges.
D)promote a car-centered approach to urban development.

Question 44

Most of the successful urban plans that have made cities more livable have designed space to be centered on

A)efficient automobile traffic.
B)the movements and interactions of people.
C)housing and places for people to park their cars.
D)oceans as a common source for water and mode of transportation.

Question 45

The city in this photograph illustrates a city that is

A)car-centered.
B)people-centered.
C)industry centered.
D)environmentally friendly.

Question 46

One of the most common and essential ways that modern cities have become more livable is by

A)shifting emphasis from personal automobiles to public transportation.
B)decreasing the density of the population throughout the cities.
C)eliminating all city taxes and instead relying upon federal aid.
D)requiring all citizens to perform monthly community service.

Question 47

The main financial problems for a city experiencing urban blight result from

A)a declining tax base.
B)increasing industrial growth.
C)the need to build new schools.
D)increasing use of public transportation.

Question 48

Cities that move toward sustainability will have to do all of these,except

A)promote social justice.
B)manage growth.
C)fight environmental degradation.
D)greatly expand highways and parking facilities.

Question 49

In the more livable modern cities of the world,you are now less likely to see

A)parking lots.
B)automobiles.
C)highways.
D)parking lots,automobiles,and highways.

Question 50

A livable city is designed to permit people to

A)park their cars conveniently near their homes.
B)walk to most of the places that they want to go.
C)have most of their needs brought to them.
D)live in the least populated places.

Question 51

Chattanooga,Tennessee is a shining example of a city that has

A)long suffered from urban sprawl and urban blight.
B)moved from urban sprawl and urban blight to increasing sustainability.
C)become completely self-sufficient,requiring no resources from outside the city limits.
D)rigidly enforced its criminal laws and demonstrated the benefits of a tough-on-crime policy.

Question 52

Small urban gardens in vacant lots and on rooftops are increasing in number.These gardens

A)are able to make most cities agriculturally self-sufficient.
B)recycle most of the compost generated by the city's sewage treatment facilities.
C)are able to recapture most of the carbon dioxide in the city,making the cities carbon neutral.
D)recycle compost,create jobs for unskilled workers,and provide limited amounts of fresh produce.

Question 53

High crime rates in U.S.cities are generally the result of

A)high population densities.
B)higher levels of education.
C)poor social conditions and poverty.
D)the lack of public transportation.

Question 54

In the city of Boston,the prominent elevated expressway that once ran through the heart of the city has been moved to an underground system.The area that once was the expressway has now been converted into

A)a flowing river through the city.
B)a tree-lined promenade.
C)a new light rail public transportation system.
D)widespread public housing.

Question 55

When we compare urban blight in developed and developing countries,we typically find

A)increasing population densities in both types of countries.
B)decreasing population densities in both types of countries.
C)increasing population densities in developed countries but declining population densities in developing countries.
D)decreasing population densities in developed countries but increasing population densities in developing countries.

Question 56

One of the keys to helping the people who live in the vast slums surrounding major cities in the developing world is to

A)grant them lawful titles to the land where they live.
B)offer them transportation to the countryside where they will more likely find jobs.
C)help them identify distant family members and help them relocate to the cities.
D)help them repay student loans used in their educations.

Question 57

Urban sprawl and urban blight are serious problems for urban regions.However,the consequences are generally different.Urban sprawl generally results in problems associated with

A)the environment while urban blight involves issues of social justice.
B)public health while urban blight involves issues of the environment.
C)social justice while urban blight involves issues of education.
D)education while urban blight involves issues of public health.

Question 58

The vast slums surrounding major cities in the developing world are occupied by people who

A)could afford to live elsewhere.
B)typically own small,simple homes.
C)vote in large numbers and have great influence on local politics.
D)represent an essential workforce for the cities in which they live.

Question 59

As a city moves toward sustainability,the sustainable development typically

A)reduces the density of the resident population.
B)capitalizes on the natural resources in the region.
C)shifts the management of its waste to regions well beyond its borders.
D)focuses on the needs of the most abundant and most economically successful citizens.

Question 60

Organizations such as the Shack/Slum Dwellers International are helping the people who live in the vast slums surrounding major cities by

A)helping them dig wells for drinking water and grow vegetable gardens near their homes.
B)representing them to institutions such as the World Bank and city governments.
C)constructing public transportation systems within developing cities.
D)relocating them into the rural countryside where jobs are abundant.

Question 61

The changes in behavior of the fishermen on Tangier Island since 1997 best reflects

A)values-based stewardship.
B)personal gain.
C)sound science.
D)sustainable use of energy.

Question 62

The public's understanding of how science is done,especially as it relates to environmental policies,is essential.Therefore,the general public needs to understand that action may be necessary when scientists

A)are certain.
B)reach a consensus.
C)have completed all their research.
D)have eliminated all doubt about their conclusions.

Question 63

Returning from a vacation in Michigan,Terrance wonders why his state of Illinois does not have bottle laws as they do in Michigan.In Michigan,all beverage containers require a small deposit that is returned to the consumer when the cans or bottles are recycled.Recent research in Michigan indicates that their bottle laws have dramatically decreased glass and aluminum beverage containers in municipal solid waste.Terrance is convinced that a bottle law in Illinois is the responsible thing to do.He begins to collect signatures on a petition to his state representatives.Weeks later,as Terrance presents the petitions to his state senator,he finds a sincere representative who will talk with other legislators to consider action.
Terrance recognized the importance of laws that dramatically increase the recycling of glass and aluminum,reducing energy costs,the demand for raw materials,and pressure on landfills.Even more,bottle laws reduce litter and the dangers of broken glass for people and wildlife.By recognizing these positive impacts of bottle laws and feeling the need to act responsibly,Terrance was illustrating

A)obedience.
B)stewardship.
C)loyalty.
D)trust.

Question 64

Returning from a vacation in Michigan,Terrance wonders why his state of Illinois does not have bottle laws as they do in Michigan.In Michigan,all beverage containers require a small deposit that is returned to the consumer when the cans or bottles are recycled.Recent research in Michigan indicates that their bottle laws have dramatically decreased glass and aluminum beverage containers in municipal solid waste.Terrance is convinced that a bottle law in Illinois is the responsible thing to do.He begins to collect signatures on a petition to his state representatives.Weeks later,as Terrance presents the petitions to his state senator,he finds a sincere representative who will talk with other legislators to consider action.
Based upon the studies that indicate the impacts of Michigan's bottle laws,Terrance worked to have such laws in his State of Illinois.This illustrates

A)political action and stewardship.
B)stewardship and sound science.
C)sound science and political action.
D)stewardship and sustainability.

Question 65

Climatologists recorded the temperature and pH of the oceans in more than 1,000 locations for more than 30 years.The results indicate that the oceans are warming and dropping in pH.This is an example of

A)political action.
B)stewardship.
C)sound science.
D)sustainability.

Question 66

Returning from a vacation in Michigan,Terrance wonders why his state of Illinois does not have bottle laws as they do in Michigan.In Michigan,all beverage containers require a small deposit that is returned to the consumer when the cans or bottles are recycled.Recent research in Michigan indicates that their bottle laws have dramatically decreased glass and aluminum beverage containers in municipal solid waste.Terrance is convinced that a bottle law in Illinois is the responsible thing to do.He begins to collect signatures on a petition to his state representatives.Weeks later,as Terrance presents the petitions to his state senator,he finds a sincere representative who will talk with other legislators to consider action.
When Terrance helps gather signatures for petitions to add bottle laws to Illinois,he is not paid.Instead,his actions represent efforts for

A)personal gain.
B)the common good.
C)building trust.
D)social justice.

Question 67

Responsible and sustainable actions and policies regarding environmental issues function at the

A)individual level.
B)community level.
C)national level.
D)all levels of society

Question 68

For most environmental issues,the solutions are

A)certain,and the science is certain.
B)complex,but the science is certain.
C)complex,and the science is insightful but tentative and evolving.
D)clear and certain,and the science is insightful but tentative.

Question 69

Returning from a vacation in Michigan,Terrance wonders why his state of Illinois does not have bottle laws as they do in Michigan.In Michigan,all beverage containers require a small deposit that is returned to the consumer when the cans or bottles are recycled.Recent research in Michigan indicates that their bottle laws have dramatically decreased glass and aluminum beverage containers in municipal solid waste.Terrance is convinced that a bottle law in Illinois is the responsible thing to do.He begins to collect signatures on a petition to his state representatives.Weeks later,as Terrance presents the petitions to his state senator,he finds a sincere representative who will talk with other legislators to consider action.
Bottle bills that help to recycle glass and aluminum illustrate

A)sound science.
B)stewardship.
C)sustainability.
D)sound science,stewardship,and sustainability.

Question 70

The lessons of the people of Easter Island best reveal the need for

A)sustainable development.
B)sound science.
C)social justice.
D)political action.

Question 71

This weekend is the big dorm event,with many outdoor activities on campus.Student life and the sponsoring student organizations have much to plan.One group is assigned the job of picking up all litter after the event and collecting up all the waste aluminum beverage cans.Then the cans are to be taken to the local recycling center.These responsibilities are a practical example that best illustrates

A)political action and stewardship.
B)stewardship and sound science.
C)political action and sound science.
D)stewardship and sustainability.