Deck 1: environmental Literacy and Sustainability Lessons From a Vanished Society

Question 1

Which statement is TRUE of environmental science?

A)It relies only on natural sciences such as ecology and geology.
B)It examines only the workings of the natural world.
C)It examines the natural world and our relationship to it.
D)It is focused on areas without human impact.
E)It focuses on the future of the Earth.

Answer 1

It examines the natural world and our relationship to it.

Question 2

What is environmental science,and what fields of study does it rely on?

Answer 2

Environmental science is an interdisciplinary field of research that draws on the natural (for example,ecology)and social sciences (for example,anthropology)as well as the humanities (for example,literature)in order to understand the natural world and our relationship to it.

Question 3

Which statement is NOT an example of self-inflicted environmental damage done by the Greenland Vikings?

A)They overgrazed.
B)They used grassland to insulate their houses.
C)They chopped down forests for fuel and home construction.
D)They grew to a few thousand individuals.
E)The climate cooled.

Answer 3

The climate cooled.

Question 4

What is environmental literacy? Why is it important for individuals to have a strong understanding of environmental literacy when discussing environmental problems caused by humans?

Question 5

What did mud cores from lake beds around Viking settlements tell scientists?

A)The temperature was unusually higher than average over the past 1,000 years.
B)The Vikings vanished during the Little Ice Age.
C)There were not enough people in the Viking settlements.
D)Soil erosion was a significant problem for the Vikings.
E)Vikings ate sheep,seal,and walrus.

Question 6

What does it mean when an environmental issue is a "wicked problem"?

A)It is created by people who care only about themselves.
B)It is global in nature.
C)It involves trade-offs that not everyone will be happy with.
D)It is a problem that cannot be solved.
E)It involves the destruction of a specific habitat.

Question 7

An example of applied science is:

A)designing a solar panel for increased efficiency.
B)observing chimpanzee behavior in a rainforest.
C)collecting ice core samples to determine carbon dioxide levels 100,000 years ago.
D)determining the diet of Greenland Vikings based on analysis of their garbage.
E)counting the number of geese on a pond.

Question 8

What is empirical science?

A)a scientific approach using observation and experimentation
B)research findings that help solve practical problems
C)a scientific approach to predict climate problems in the future
D)a method to examine the nonliving components of the world
E)a field of research including humanities and social sciences

Question 9

Which example does NOT describe an environment?

A)fish living in a stream
B)bacteria living in a human's intestinal tract
C)mold growing on a wood stump in a forest
D)a cat living in a house
E)All of these choices describe an environment.

Question 10

What does an environment include?

Question 11

Which example illustrates an empirical study?

A)developing more efficient photovoltaic cells for electricity production
B)producing models of the impact of various greenhouse gas concentrations on global temperature
C)developing ultrafast passenger trains
D)improving the efficiency of electricity transmission
E)developing pest control methods that do not include pesticides

Question 12

Why are nonliving things included in the definition of an environment?

Question 13

Potential trade-offs to reforestation efforts do NOT include:

A)high cost.
B)water shortages.
C)fragmentation of habitats.
D)less land for agriculture.
E)All of these answers are potential trade-offs to reforestation efforts.

Question 14

What evidence did scientists use in Greenland to study atmospheric conditions at the time of the Viking settlements?

A)air bubbles trapped in ice cores
B)mud core samples
C)animal bones collected from middens
D)insect fossils
E)the law of superposition

Question 15

Which example illustrates a consequence of climate change?

A)deforestation
B)sea level rise
C)overconsumption
D)irrigation
E)burning fossil fuels

Question 16

Which would likely come first when studying an environmental issue: an applied science study or an empirical science study? Why?

Question 17

Due to their complexity,any given response to an environmental problem involves significant _____,and no one response is likely to present the ultimate solution.

A)sliding reinforcers
B)trade-offs
C)wicked problems
D)anthropogenics
E)tragedies

Question 18

Which factors make up the triple bottom line?

A)human,natural,and solar
B)international,national,and local
C)social,economic,and environmental
D)agricultural,financial,and environmental
E)solar energy,water,and air

Question 19

Environmental science does NOT rely or draw on:

A)natural sciences such as ecology.
B)applied sciences such as engineering.
C)social sciences such as anthropology.
D)humanities such as literature.
E)All of these choices are related to environmental science.

Question 20

Which phrase BEST describes the term environment?

A)the climate where an organism lives
B)the living surroundings in which an organism exists
C)the living and nonliving surroundings in which an organism exists
D)the nonliving surroundings where an organism lives
E)the domination of nonliving systems by living systems

Question 21

Is our modern society acting sustainably? What are some areas of concern? Refer Infographic 6 and compare and contrast a sustainable ecosystem to our current human ecosystem.

Question 22

Coal,natural gas,and oil are examples of:

A)renewable resources.
B)nonrenewable resources.
C)alternative forms of energy.
D)infinite resources.
E)unlimited resources.

Question 23

What is biomimicry?

A)cloning technologies and equipment that allow scientists to re-create photosynthetic bacteria in laboratory settings
B)re-creating natural ecosystems in areas where severe deforestation has occurred
C)turning natural ecosystems into scientific experiment sites to help scientists better understand their functioning
D)the process of collecting data from various ecosystems
E)the use of nature as a model for our own systems

Question 24

Solar,wind,geothermal,and biomass energy sources are examples of:

A)nonrenewable energy.
B)finite energy.
C)renewable energy.
D)fossil fuels.
E)nonsustainable energy.

Question 25

Infographic 3
Refer to Infographic 3.The Green Revolution brought modern industrialized agricultural techniques to developing countries so that they could better feed their growing populations.The idea is to achieve higher yields by taking advantage of better seed types,irrigation,chemical fertilizers,and pesticides.By doing this,less land,such as rainforest,would need to be converted to agriculture.Use the infographic to describe the pros and cons of the Green Revolution on the environment,thus illustrating why climate change is a wicked problem.

Question 26

What was the conclusion of the UN Millennium Ecosystem Assessment?

A)Human actions have no impact on the planet's ecosystems.
B)Human actions will impact the planet's ecosystems only in the far future.
C)Human actions are straining the ability of the planet's ecosystems to sustain the current generation.
D)The damage of human actions on the planet's ecosystems cannot be reversed.
E)Human actions are straining the ability of the planet's ecosystems to sustain future generations.

Question 27

Which statement is NOT characteristic of a sustainable ecosystem?

A)It makes the most of renewable energy.
B)It uses matter conservatively.(It recycles or reuses so nothing is wasted.)
C)It keeps populations in check.
D)It depends on local biodiversity.
E)It is able to support an ever-increasing number of species.

Question 28

Some of the most revealing clues to the demise of the Greenland Vikings come from:

A)ice cores.
B)mud samples.
C)animal bones.
D)the Inuit.
E)the climate.

Question 29

How is anthropogenic climate change different from the climate change experienced by the Greenland Vikings?

A)It involves new chemical compounds.
B)It is caused by human actions.
C)It is a natural cycle Earth goes through.
D)It causes average atmospheric temperature to decrease.
E)It is caused by increased tectonic activity.

Question 30

Why do scientists suggest that we have entered the Anthropocene,a new geologic time interval?

A)We have been in the Holocene so long,it is time for a new interval on the Geological Time Scale.
B)The human population will be 11 billion in 2100.
C)Geologic evidence from humans is accumulating and will be found after we are gone.
D)Climate change from greenhouse gas-emitting fossil fuels is melting too much polar ice.
E)The previous natural climate cycle is ending.

Question 31

In biomimicry,scientists use nature as a model,_____,and measure.

A)map
B)method
C)control
D)mentor
E)mean

Question 32

Infographic 3
Refer to Infographic 3.What is the triple bottom line of climate change?

Question 33

Unlike the Icelandic Vikings or Inuit,the Greenland Viking society was not sustainable.Describe what we know about their collapse.

Question 34

Which example illustrates a disconnect between our actions and their environmental consequences?

A)buying sustainably raised fish
B)leaving lights on and the air conditioning running when no one is home
C)driving an electric car
D)using sustainable farming practices
E)learning seasonal cycles of the area to respond accordingly

Question 35

Which factor does NOT provide population control in sustainable ecosystems?

A)disease
B)predators
C)competition
D)abundant food and water

Question 36

What food source was absent from the animal bones found in the Greenland middens?

A)seal
B)caribou
C)walrus
D)cattle
E)fish

Question 37

Which statement is NOT a goal of the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda?

A)Develop more uses for fossil fuels.
B)End hunger and all forms of malnutrition.
C)Increase efficient use of water to reduce waste.
D)Prevent or significantly reduce ocean pollution.
E)Eliminate poverty.

Question 38

What does it mean for sustainable ecosystems to rely on renewable energy?

A)Population size is kept in check.
B)Energy is replenished daily by new inputs.
C)Energy can be recycled.
D)No new energy arrives on Earth.
E)Waste form one organism can be used by another.

Question 39

What does it mean to be sustainable,and what are four characteristics of a sustainable ecosystem?

Question 40

Which statement is NOT characteristic of a sustainable ecosystem?

A)It uses renewable energy.
B)It eliminates waste by reusing matter.
C)It contains species that all depend on the same limited resource.
D)It recycles matter.
E)Local biodiversity is present to perform essential ecosystem processes.

Question 41

Which of the following choices is NOT an example of an anthropocentric worldview?

A)clear-cutting a forest to sell timber
B)testing a nuclear bomb
C)large commercial fishing ships processing tons of fish per day
D)purchasing a rice product stored in a recycled cardboard container instead of one stored in a plastic container
E)clearing land to build shopping malls

Question 42

The worldview that considers interactions between organisms and between living and nonliving components of a system is called:

A)ecocentric.
B)anthropocentric.
C)biocentric.
D)geocentric.

Question 43

Which statement about environmental ethics is TRUE?

A)All people with environmental ethics recycle.
B)Environmental ethics have no control over how people resolve problems in the environment.
C)People with environmental ethics tend to have an anthropogenic worldview rather than a biocentric worldview.
D)Each person has a philosophy surrounding environmental ethics that influences his or her interactions with the natural environment.
E)Worldviews do not tend to influence people's environmental ethics.

Question 44

A good example of sustainability is:

A)limiting commercial fishing to amounts that allow the fish population to repopulate.
B)using solar panels to generate electricity.
C)riding a bicycle to work.
D)purchasing products in packaging that can be recycled.
E)All of the above choices are good examples of sustainability.

Question 45

Which personal attitude will lead to the GREATEST long-term sustainability?

A)The forest is there for us to use.
B)The lake will be able to handle the raw sewage because it always has.
C)It doesn't matter what we do because we don't have the power to change anything.
D)I wonder how using this product will affect the environment; maybe there's a better choice available.
E)Scientists will figure out a way to reduce the effects of pollution.

Question 46

If the Vikings had a _____ worldview,they would protect the forests and grasslands not just for the resources provided but also for the natural processes in those areas.

A)anthropocentric
B)biocentric
C)ecocentric
D)intrinsic

Question 47

Which situation BEST describes the tragedy of the commons?

A)A fisherman uses his net to catch a large quantity of fish.
B)Increasing amounts of pesticides need to be used over time to maintain the same effect on pests.
C)An oil pipeline leaks.
D)Sustainable forestry practices are applied to a plot of land in the rainforest.
E)Herders put too many sheep in a public field because they think,"If I don't use this available resource,someone else will."

Question 48

If antibiotics are used frequently over a short period of time,bacteria can become resistant to those antibiotics and harder to treat.This scenario is an example of:

A)tragedy of the commons.
B)time delay.
C)sliding reinforcer.
D)extinction.

Question 49

Infographic 7

Refer to Infographic 7 and describe ways that you could live more sustainably.

Question 50

How can the tragedy of the commons be applied to anthropogenic climate change?

Question 51

Which of the following is an example of a biocentric worldview?

A)catching a spider in your house and releasing it outside
B)exterminating all insects
C)viewing nature as existing only for us to use its resources
D)thinking the nitrogen and water cycles are as important as humans
E)believing animals exist to provide food for humans

Question 52

What type of worldview did the Vikings have?

A)anthropocentric
B)biocentric
C)ecocentric
D)intrinsic
E)geologic

Question 53

Infographic 8

Refer to Infographic 8.Ethanol is often produced in locations where farmers also grow corn.Underground water reservoirs are used to grow the corn and process the ethanol.These reservoirs are being depleted in some areas of the Midwest.Which social traps apply to the water depletion?

Question 54

You have been given the task of making the fishing industry more sustainable.How will you accomplish this task?

Question 55

Infographic 8

Refer to Infographic 8.Antibiotics are routinely given to animals in confinement facilities to avoid the spread of disease through dense populations.The antibiotics get into the surrounding environment (water and soil)and allow antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria to flourish and become the majority strain in the population.When infected by such a strain,an animal or human will not respond to treatment with the antibiotic.Which social trap is in effect here? What should be done about this?

Question 56

Which statement is FALSE?

A)In a biocentric worldview,all life is valued.
B)An ecocentric worldview values the ecosystem as an intact whole.
C)An ecocentric worldview includes all of the organisms and nonliving processes that occur in an ecosystem.
D)In an anthropogenic worldview,human beings have an instrumental value.
E)An anthropogenic worldview places human lives and interests as the most important.

Question 57

Modern fishing techniques use giant nets to harvest large numbers of fish in the short term.This may result in severely reduced populations of fish in the future.Which term BEST describes this scenario?

A)time delay
B)tragedy of the commons
C)sliding reinforcer
D)extinction

Question 58

What is the difference between an anthropocentric worldview,a biocentric worldview,and an ecocentric worldview?

Question 59

The window through which we view our world and existence is called our:

A)ethic.
B)value.
C)worldview.
D)ecoview.

Question 60

How would you go about convincing a company to switch to renewable sources of energy?

Question 61

Data were collected on the power generated by wind and solar installations worldwide since 1996.Look at the following graph of these data and answer the questions that follow.
Based on this graph and what you know about how best to pursue sustainability,which of these two renewable energy sources should we pursue most vigorously in the future?

A)Wind: It is more popular than solar,so it is probably more useful or profitable.
B)Solar: It appears to be increasing at a faster rate in recent years.
C)Wind: It has shown the steadiest rise since 2002.
D)Both should be pursued to diversify our energy options.

Question 62

A final speaker acknowledges that wind turbines have problems but suggests that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.The area suffers from acid rain and particulate air pollution that is linked to a nearby coal-fired power plant.These wind turbines will decrease the amount of coal that must be burned,and this will reduce air pollution.Though some animals may unfortunately be killed,the wind instillation will help the ecosystem as a whole,he argues,making it healthier for the plants and animals that live there.His argument addresses concerns of those with _____ point of view.

A)an anthropocentric
B)an ecocentric
C)a biocentric
D)both an anthropocentric and ecocentric
E)both an anthropocentric and biocentric

Question 63

One developer who recently bought land in the area near the proposed site and who has plans to develop a new subdivision complains that the wind turbines will be a noisy eyesore,and he does not want the project approved.He worries that the installation will drive down property values and make prospective buyers wary about buying his subdivision lots.What worldview do his comments suggest he has?

A)antropocentric
B)biocentric
C)ecocentric

Question 64

Data were collected on the power generated by wind and solar installations worldwide since 1996.Look at the following graph of these data and answer the questions that follow.
How much wind capacity did the world have in 2012?

A)280 GW
B)380 GW
C)100 GW
D)250 GW

Question 65

Match each term in the left-hand column to the statement that it best exemplifies.

Question 66

The wind project developer replies that similar projects in other areas have actually increased property values because they attract residents who have a strong desire to protect the environment.She explains that the closest home to the proposed wind turbines would be more than 5 miles away,far enough so that they would not be heard by residents.Thus,the subdivision developer could make a larger profit than he had anticipated.With these comments,the wind developer is pointing out:

A)the intrinsic value of wind turbines.
B)the trade-offs of environmental projects.
C)the instrumental value of the project.
D)that environmental ethics don't need to be considered here.

Question 67

Data were collected on the power generated by wind and solar installations worldwide since 1996.Look at the following graph of these data and answer the questions that follow.
What type of scientific study do the data in this graph represent?

A)applied science
B)empirical study