Question 1

The socialist countries of Eastern Europe have
A)fewer environmental problems than capitalist countries.
B)improved their environment more than the capitalist countries.
C)worse environmental problems than capitalist countries.
D)worsened since the collapse of communism there.

Accepted Answer

Socialist countries in Eastern Europe had a history of prioritizing industrial development over environmental protection, leading to severe pollution and environmental degradation. The collapse of communism also resulted in a decline in environmental regulations and enforcement, exacerbating the problems. Capitalist countries have also faced significant environmental challenges, but they have generally been more proactive in addressing them through regulations and technological innovations. Therefore, socialist countries in Eastern Europe have worse environmental problems than capitalist countries.

Question 2

There has been a downward trend in the United States since 1980 in the ambient concentrations of
A)sulfur dioxide.
B)carbon monoxide.
C)lead.
D)all of the above.

Accepted Answer

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), there has been a downward trend in the ambient concentrations of sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and lead in the United States since 1980. This is due to various regulations and interventions implemented by the government to reduce air pollution. Therefore, the best choice is D - all of the above.

Question 3

Which of the following is an example of detrimental externality?
A)A trailer's entry onto an overcrowded road that delays the movement of other vehicles.
B)Fall in demand for gasoline in the US softens the price of gasoline in the global market.
C)Government investment in energy generation from non-conventional sources.
D)Society devotes huge quantity of its scarce resources for vital innovative activity.

Accepted Answer

The trailer's entry onto an overcrowded road causes delays for other vehicles, which is a negative impact on those affected by the delay. This is an example of a detrimental externality.

Question 4

China, the last large communist society,
A)has proved that a command economy has far less pollution problems than capitalist economies.
B)has urban smog levels higher than Los Angeles.
C)has the world's most sophisticated pollution-control devices.
D)has lowered its level of pollution dramatically since 1980.

Accepted Answer

China has urban smog levels higher than Los Angeles, indicating that it still has significant pollution problems despite being a communist society.

Question 5

The environmental problems of China:
A)were caused by a lack of central planning in the economy.
B)were caused by the burning of low-quality, high-sulfur coal.
C)were caused by a lack of pollution controls.
D)All of the above are correct.

Accepted Answer

All three factors mentioned in the answer choices have contributed to the environmental problems in China. The lack of central planning in the economy led to unregulated growth of industries, which exacerbated pollution. The burning of low-quality, high-sulfur coal is a major contributor to air pollution in China. The lack of pollution controls has allowed industries to freely dump waste and pollutants into the environment.

Question 6

Air quality in most U.S.cities has ____ since World War II.
A)worsened
B)improved
C)remained unchanged
D)improved slightly before a recent deterioration

Accepted Answer

With the implementation of the Clean Air Act in 1970 and subsequent environmental regulations, air quality in most U.S. cities has improved since World War II. While there have been some localized areas where air quality has deteriorated in recent years, overall the trend has been towards improvement.

Question 7

In Eastern Europe and the countries of the former Soviet Union,
A)grave environmental problems plague Eastern Europe.
B)the area suffers from widespread illness and countless premature deaths.
C)the Aral Sea, once the world's fourth-largest inland sea, is now half its previous size.
D)All of the above are correct.

Accepted Answer

All of the statements are true. Eastern Europe and the countries of the former Soviet Union have been plagued with grave environmental problems, including air and water pollution, deforestation, and soil degradation. This has resulted in widespread illness and countless premature deaths. Additionally, the Aral Sea, once the world's fourth-largest inland sea, has been dramatically reduced in size due to unsustainable irrigation practices, causing numerous environmental and socio-economic problems in the region.

Question 8

Serious environmental problems are
A)unique to industrial economies.
B)unique to Western economies.
C)unique to civilized economies (i.e., those in which people live mainly in cities).
D)None of the above is correct.

Accepted Answer

Environmental problems are not unique to any particular type of economy or society. They can be found in both industrialized and developing countries, as well as in urban and rural areas. Human activities such as pollution, deforestation, and climate change affect the environment regardless of where they occur.

Question 9

Since World War II,
A)air pollution has worsened in most U.S.cities.
B)many new pollutants have been introduced or identified.
C)the federal government has reduced its reliance on economic incentives as a means of reducing pollution.
D)All of the above are correct.

Accepted Answer

Many new pollutants have been introduced or identified since World War II, which has contributed to the worsening of air pollution in most U.S. cities. The federal government has actually increased its reliance on economic incentives, such as tax credits for clean energy, to reduce pollution.

Question 10

Some of the newer pollutants that have appeared
A)are far more visible to the eye than older pollution.
B)cause damage that is easily reversible.
C)pose no significant long-term hazards.
D)are far more dangerous than older forms of pollution.

Accepted Answer

Newer pollutants can be far more dangerous than older forms of pollution due to their chemical complexity and ability to accumulate in the environment and living organisms. Examples of such pollutants include microplastics, perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and endocrine disruptors.

Question 11

Between 1980 and 2008 recycling in the United States has
A)decreased by less than 2%.
B)increased by less than 2%.
C)doubled.
D)tripled.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Between 1980 and 2008 recycling in the...

Question 12

Recycling in the United States in recent years
A)has decreased in spite of increased rates for common recycling materials.
B)has remained unchanged, and increased raes for recycling may help.
C)has increased with increased rates for recycling mterials.
D)has increased with no help from increased fees for recycling materials.

Accepted Answer

According to a report by the Environmental Protection Agency, recycling in the United States has increased with increased rates for recycling materials. This suggests that financial incentives can be effective in encouraging recycling.

Question 13

Interest in environmental problems has intensified, perhaps because
A)for the first time in history in the 1970s people began to die from pollution-related diseases.
B)rising incomes have caused people to be more concerned with the quality of their lives.
C)the centrally planned economies are polluted.
D)All of the above are true.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Interest in environmental problems has intensified, perhaps...

Question 14

Environmentalists, politicians, and economists have different perspectives on what constitutes appropriate environmental policy.Which of the following statements was probably made by an economist?
A)"We take the position that there are rights involved here, rights to be protected from threats to your health, regardless of the costs involved."
B)"Protecting the environment is so important that standards cannot be too high, and continuing improvements must be made regardless of cost."
C)"Pollution is a moral issue that cannot be reduced to dollars and cents."
D)"Clean air and water are things we can buy-if the price is right."

Accepted Answer

An economist is likely to focus on the idea that environmental quality is a commodity that can be bought and sold, and that policies should focus on finding the most cost-effective ways to achieve desired levels of environmental protection. This is reflected in the statement "Clean air and water are things we can buy - if the price is right."

Question 15

The British economist A.C.Pigou
A)wrote The Economics of Welfare in 1911.
B)offered an explanation of the market economy's poor environmental performance.
C)outlined an approach to environmental policy still in favor with economists today.
D)All of the above are correct.

Accepted Answer

A.C. Pigou wrote The Economics of Welfare in 1911, in which he introduced the concept of externalities and offered an explanation of the market economy's poor environmental performance. He also outlined an approach to environmental policy, known as Pigouvian taxation, which is still in favor with economists today.

Question 16

Many of the new pollutants to which the world has been subjected are
A)less visible.
B)less malodorous.
C)far more dangerous.
D)All of the above are correct.

Accepted Answer

All of the above options are correct. New pollutants can be less visible (such as microplastics), less malodorous (such as carbon monoxide), and far more dangerous (such as endocrine disruptors) compared to traditional pollutants.

Question 17

Water quality in the United States has ____ in the past 25 years.
A)improved
B)worsened
C)remained unchanged
D)improved slightly before a recent deterioration

Accepted Answer

Water quality in the United States has improved in the past 25 years due to increased regulations and efforts to reduce pollution.

Question 18

Global warming of the past century, and especially in the past decade, is at least partly a consequence of human activities that have increased ____ in the atmosphere.
A)smog
B)PCBs
C)ozone
D)"greenhouse gases"

Accepted Answer

The term "greenhouse gases" refers to gases like carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide that trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere and contribute to global warming. Human activities like burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrial processes have significantly increased the concentration of these gases in the atmosphere, leading to the observed warming trend. Smog and ozone can also contribute to air pollution and negative impacts on human health, but they are not the primary drivers of global warming. PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls, are toxic chemicals that were widely used in industry but are now banned due to their harmful effects on the environment and human health. However, PCBs are not greenhouse gases and do not directly contribute to global warming.

Question 19

Pollution problems
A)have existed for many centuries.
B)are attributable to modern industrialization.
C)can be blamed on the profit system.
D)have worsened in every respect in the past forty years.

Accepted Answer

Pollution problems have been present throughout human history. From early industrialization to the present day, pollution has been caused by both human activity and natural causes. While modern industrialization has contributed to the worsening of pollution problems, it is not solely to blame. Additionally, the profit system cannot be blamed for pollution as it is caused by a variety of factors including human behavior, technological limitations, and natural disasters. While pollution problems have certainly worsened in certain respects in the past forty years, it is not accurate to say that they have worsened in every respect.

Question 20

What is new about environmental problems today is
A)that for the first time in history we have environmental problems.
B)the increased rate at which air and water pollution is occurring in the United States.
C)the amount of attention the community now gives them.
D)that environmental problems with pollution and garbage disposal have almost completely disappeared.

Accepted Answer

Environmental problems have always existed, but what is new is the amount of attention and awareness that is being brought to them. With increased media coverage and the rise of environmental activism, these problems are being addressed more seriously than ever before.

Quiz 16: Externalities the Environment and Natural Resources

The socialist countries of Eastern Europe have

There has been a downward trend in the United States since 1980 in the ambient concentrations of

Which of the following is an example of detrimental externality?

China, the last large communist society,

The environmental problems of China:

Air quality in most U.S.cities has ____ since World War II.

In Eastern Europe and the countries of the former Soviet Union,

Serious environmental problems are

Since World War II,

Some of the newer pollutants that have appeared

Between 1980 and 2008 recycling in the United States has

Recycling in the United States in recent years

Interest in environmental problems has intensified, perhaps because

Environmentalists, politicians, and economists have different perspectives on what constitutes appropriate environmental policy.Which of the following statements was probably made by an economist?

The British economist A.C.Pigou

Many of the new pollutants to which the world has been subjected are

Water quality in the United States has ____ in the past 25 years.

Global warming of the past century, and especially in the past decade, is at least partly a consequence of human activities that have increased ____ in the atmosphere.

Pollution problems

What is new about environmental problems today is