CEE 181 Final Review ASU
The 12 principles of Green Chemistry all assume that:
Chemical engineering is bench scale
Any sufficiently powerful technology
destabilizes existing cultural, institutional, economic, environmental, and technological systems in unpredictable ways
Wicked problems cannot be solved
instead, they must be managed.
When performing environmental assessments, the "services" dimension associated with a particular product or process:
Are relevant because "services" encompass facets of a particular product or process that may have significant environmental impacts
Oxymorons like "sustainable manufacturing" point out that:
As a normative concept, sustainability is subjective and means many different things
When you are first asked to analyze an unfamiliar system, you should:
Break it down by considering its impacts across all levels from "immediate utility" to "earth system"
When rated in terms of green chemistry, Chlorofluorocarbons:
Exhibit a very high score, but they pose significant environmental concerns
The financial worth of most people is built on:
Faith in computer transactions and legal constructs
"Sustainable engineering" is the same as "green engineering".
False
As a responsible sustainability initiative, banning nanotechnology is feasible.
False
Ethical theories like Utilitarianism and Virtue ethics make it very clear that capitalism is the right economic approach for the world.
False
Mass-migration to urban centers in developing countries tends to simplify the political, social, economic, and engineering challenges.
False
Now that the internet is established, the information growth in the world is slowing down.
False
Questions surrounding the ethical implications of new military and security technologies are relatively easily answered because Western values are universal.
False
Systems designed with a single-minded approach and developed with one strong stakeholder in mind are generally the most politically and socially stable.
False
What level of technological impact is frequently impossible to predict?
Level 3
LCA stands for:
Lifecycle assessment
Ethics can be considered in many different contexts. A basic framework for sustainable ethics might consider the following:
Macroethical, Institutional, Professional, and Personal ethics
Which of the following ordered lists correctly shows the terms ordered from the smallest amount to the largest amount
Proven Reserves, Reserve Base, Resources, Resource Base
The US SEC demands that companies publish only proven reserves (of minerals and other natural resources) to their investors because:
Proven reserves are a conservative estimate of what is available given the current state of technology
The term 'adaptive management' is defined as:
Providing ways for active adaptation and learning in dealing with uncertainty in the management of complex regional ecosystems
Military human enhancement:
Raises serious ethical issues about what military commanders can order their troops to do
The Everglades restoration project is:
Rejected by some environmentalists, because of its lack of focus on improving water quality
As humanity progresses into the future, the virtualization of work will:
Require an integrated evolution of practice, technology, culture, and institutional structures
The peak of the idealized technology lifecycle s-curve is defined as:
Saturation
The term "Environmental impact per unit of resource use" in the Environmental Master Equation is most significantly affected by:
Technology
Technological determinism is an intellectual mistake that believes that:
Technology alone determines the shape of cultural, social, economic, religious, and all other human systems.
Since both have significant influence in the way human culture evolves, it is useful to distinguish "hard power" (military might) from "soft power" (trade, market, economy, institutions, technology, cultural attractiveness).
True
The idea of money demonstrates that modern economies are based on faith.
True
Understanding and adapting to evolving technologies will be critical to the careers of many people in the future.
True
Which of the following ethical frameworks is most prevalent in the West and basically aims to deliver the greatest good for the greatest number of people?
Utilitarian ethics
Your education
is your responsibility
Humans faced with increasing complexity and increasing rates of change in their world frequently respond by
retreating into ideological simplicity and fundamentalisms of all kinds (including, for example, environmental and religious).
The nation-state is a technology which evolved to: Ensure recognition of sovereignty within artificial geo-political borders Manage the complexity of merged people groups as a unit Become the primary source of authority in global affairs All of the above
All of the above
The opening scene of "2001: A Space Odyssey" is: A profound example of how your sense of time has been changed by "internet time." All of the above A profound example of how technology changes everything (a bone can be a bone, or it can be a weapon). Incredibly boring.
All of the above
The term technology includes: Artifacts, machines, and physical products Information systems Institutional frameworks All of the above
All of the above
Which of the following are examples of technology system waves? Airplanes All of the above Automobiles None of the above the credit industry Railroads
All of the above
Most agree that when defining "sustainability" we are attempting to sustain
the premise is false. there is no general agreement. every definition is based on different values.
Questions about birthing Neanderthals are not a silly waste of time because
the technology is nearly ready, but the moral and ethical implications are only starting to be discussed
Communicating well in written form: Is hard, but still among the easiest ways to progress in my career Is easier than communicating well through opera and mime Is a great way to add credibility to my views and invest in my future Is a skill that is frequently requested and highly regarded by future employers All of the above
All of the above
Goal-ranking criteria are vital because while iteration on proposed solutions is vital, it can also be costly, so with schedules and budget in mind, there must be demonstrable progress toward goals there must be empirical ways to measure the success or failure of the system sometimes the ranking criteria helps to clarify the differences of opinion between stakeholders All of the above
All of the above
Green chemistry takes into account which of the following factors: Environmental Economic All of the above None of the above Social
All of the above
Hybrid (or Fourth Generation) Warfare: Has its roots in Marxist theory Was used by the Russians in the Crimea campaign All of the above Limits the use of conventional military force
All of the above
Military activities lead to: Impacts that have significant effects on subsequent history All of the above Dominance of particular cultures over other cultures Technological evolution
All of the above
Selecting "system boundaries" for an environmental assessment is among the hardest tasks in an analysis because: Certain boundaries can skew results and hide important impacts There is no "right" definition of a boundary Choosing boundaries for analysis is an art, not just a matter of following simple rules Boundary selection is frequently driven by how the results will be used All of the above
All of the above
What qualities are likely to help you weather the future job market? The ability to tackle complex problems Good communication skills The ability to work across disciplines All of the above
All of the above
When ranking alternative solutions, the systems engineer must consider which of the following? Effects of piecemeal or incremental implementation Coupling to existing systems Ratification procedures None of the choices All of the choices Effects on nonusers or minor stakeholders
All of the choices
When adjusting chemical engineering processes in an effort to make them sustainable, it is vital to remember that:
Bench scale differs greatly from that of industrial scale
What "success story" reminded us that (1) products which appear "green" at the present, may have unexpected long-term impacts, (2) scales of impacts must be carefully considered and monitored, (3) option spaces sometimes drive decision processes, and (4) a little luck never hurts?
CFCs and the Montreal Protocol
The Ozone hole was caused by
Chlorofluorocarbons used as refrigerants, propellants, and in other industrial processes
How has Information and Communication Technology (ICT) changed the nature of our intelligence?
Computers easily substitute for portions of our cognitive processes (memory, spatial sense, etc)
Which of these is not an emergent Fifth Wave Technology? The Infosphere Engineered Earth Systems Biotechnology Digital Networks
Digital Networks
Government regulation is always the best way to protect people's rights and ensure technological progress
False
In general, we can expect technological development to remain fairly uninvasive with respect to culture, environment and economics.
False
In regards to systems engineering, iterative dialog with the system is contraindicated, as complex systems must be able to function with little human oversight.
False
It is always safe to assume that the "renewable" solution is the sustainable solution.
False
Methane hydrate is a fuel source that is abundant and has the potential to alleviate global environmental concerns (i.e., global warming, ozone depletion, water pollution).
False
The principles associated with high modernism and the principles associated with Earth Systems Engineering and Management (ESEM) are well-aligned with one another.
False
The most important step to perform when conducting an LCA (Life Cycle Analysis)
Goal and scope definition
Green chemistry is the same as:
Good chemistry
Cyborg insects, consisting of electronic elements integrated into a live insect, are:
In the early experimental stages of development
Which of the following is NOT a Level 1 advantage of a helmet that gives a soldier telepathy? Increased solider performance Increased national security Reduced collateral (i.e., civilian) damage Reduced unnecessary mortality
Increased national security
Urbanization is rapidly ________ worldwide, where most of the change is occurring in the ________ world.
Increasing, Developing
Select all the adaptive practices that can be used to help someone maintain employment in the future: Invest in social capital Be entrepreneurial Master one skill and don't focus on too many different areas of expertise Prepare for exodus of boomers Keep upgrading and adapting skills
Invest in social capital Be entrepreneurial Prepare for exodus of boomers Keep upgrading and adapting skills
The presence of pharmaceuticals in ground water systems:
Is a reminder that manufacturers must think beyond the bench scale to earth system scales
RTTPA (real time technology and policy assessment)
Is the most effective current option for addressing the complex interactions between the coupled human/natural/built systems the sustainable engineer deals with.
As reported by the journal Science, we can change some human responses to ethical dilemmas with transcranial brain stimulation. How does this impact society?
It calls into question whether "ethics" is really something that matters. It impacts how we feel about whether or not we have free will. It impacts the legal system since we may no longer be responsible for our behavior.
Technology system waves are also known as:
Kondratiev waves
The two domains where human enhancement seems to be most prevalent are:
Military and sports
US employment (on a percent basis) in the manufacturing and agricultural sectors has decreased over the last 150 years because:
Most economic growth has occurred in the service sector
Human enhancement is an ethical issue "only in degree" because:
Most people in developed countries are already enhanced by vaccines.
What is industrial ecology?
Multidisciplinary study of economic and industrial systems and their linkages to natural systems
The emerging technology "five horsemen" are:
NBRIC: Nanotech, biotech, robotics, information and communication, applied cognitive science
What is the primary reason that suggests Phoenix does not have to worry about its water supply for the foreseeable future?
Phoenix has water rights associated with its agricultural activities.
What sector in the United States consumes the most water?
The Agricultural WS
Models are best used
To demonstrate possible outcomes of scenarios based on certain assumptions.
What is the purpose of a life cycle assessment?
To identify and quantify the material and energy flows involved in the lifecycle of a product or process, and to identify and quantify the resultant environmental impacts.
As a human-designed construct, "Nature" has meant different things to different people at different times, hence it must be understood as a concept whose meaning and use is dependent on specific worldviews.
True
Believing the output of sophisticated global climate models is a bad idea because the models simply reflect our best understanding of complex physical phenomena, and sometimes--despite our best efforts--demonstrate interpretational bias.
True
Ethical questions have no "right" answer when they involve trade-off between two (or more) transcendent values
True
It is the job of the sustainable engineer to be not just technically competent, but a recognized leader able to manage complex systems in the real world.
True
It might be possible at some future point to use military human enhancement as a recruiting tool.
True
Managing earth systems in the Anthropocene involves far more than climate change.
True
Most science historians are likely to agree that the most important "event" in human history is the Industrial Revolution.
True
Once technology exists that can control carbon levels in the atmosphere the true problem surfaces because now we must come to agreement on what kind of world we want.
True
The ability to identify problems and provide solutions to those problems will be a key trait that employers will look for in the future.
True
The rat-brained robot is a cyborg.
True
The way we define sustainability says more about our own values than it does about reality.
True
When we consider resources like fresh water and phosphorus, it's better to consider it a "price point" issue than it is to fear that we will "run out."
True
The book and videos discuss an industrial ecology conceptual model with three types of ecosystems used as an analogy for how industrial systems could be designed. In this model, which type of ecosystem is the most desirable from an industrial ecology perspective?
Type III (3) ecosystem
The Aral Sea is an example of:
What can happen when modern scientific and technological knowledge and skill is tied to the political and cultural power of a state with little or no questioning of social and environmental impacts and implications.
Changing from a traditional corporate structure to a virtual office environment is:
a more significant change than it first appears due to legal, information security, productivity measurement, time management, taxation and other challenges
Generally speaking, the precautionary principle suggests that
a technology should not be introduced until it can be proven that it is not harmful.
As categories like "human" and "machine" increasingly blur: moral value systems will be stretched causing cultural tension and conflict all of the above shared ethical systems will be renegotiated and evolve it will no longer be possible to make simplistic decisions about technologies involving human enhancement
all of the above
Unlike "sustainable chemistry", "green chemistry" sometimes prematurely declares a chemical "good" before taking into consideration: the entire system in which the chemical is used all of the above the potential social implication both good and bad the economic impacts of the chemical's use
all of the above
High frequency (computerized) stock trading demonstrates complexity by:
changing the way we think about corporations because buying stock no longer represents interest in owning part of a company because of its products or expected performance, but is instead about exploiting very small changes in stock value from millisecond to millisecond.
Jobs that are _____ will be the least susceptible to being replaced and/or mechanized.
cognitive
Why is it so hard to manage problems like those exhibited in the Florida Everglades?
complex problems must be approached with all ideologies in mind and somehow balanced and resolved in management plan.
What does an Industrial Ecology analysis lack that a Sustainable Engineering analysis might include?
consideration of social impacts
Geoengineering is a technological response to
increasing awareness of the failure of the Kyoto Protocol
Fundamentalisms (of all kinds including environmental, economic, religious, etc.) generally arise in response to:
increasing rates of change and increasing complexity in the world
Technology creates psychological structures, beliefs, and comfort zones
into which new technologies must fit in order to ensure adoption and uptake.
The fact that technology enables us to consider sending enhanced older people into war
is a good example of how technological advances change the questions that society must address
The idea that humans are a design space and, for example, are being wired up with robotic extensions, is important to discuss because
it forces us to consider what being human really means
When issues arise in complex systems
it is best to think of them as conditions to manage, instead of problems to solve
Social equity is a difficult goal for sustainability because
it is defined dramatically differently in different worldviews
Cultural reactions to technology are:
sometimes very different
What is likely the most important factor with regards to the biological structure of the Everglades?
sugar subsidies
The best way to get funding and be allowed to pursue controversial technology research is to
suggest that it has important medical outcomes
Cars and computers are
technologies of freedom
Money works because
we agree that it does
Since we are not running out of fossil fuel resources and can continue burning them for energy production for hundreds more years
we must focus on the real problem which is what we are doing with the combustion waste products like carbon dioxide
What is a Turing test?
A test in which a computer attempts to trick you into thinking it is human.
Why is food a good example of complexity? Everybody likes different foods Food economically impacts different groups in different ways There are many kinds of food and different systems involved in its production Food norms depend on culture There is no clear right answer to food problems All of the above
All of the above
Why does the question "what is human?" matter when discussing emerging technologies? Humans can and will be integrated with technology systems. Discriminatory choices will be made about who will be integrated with technology systems. All of the above. Some will argue that integrating humans with technology systems is wrong, evil, or distasteful.
All of the above.
The rise of the railroad led to the creation of industrial time because: All of the choices Railroad companies needed to coordinate use of public railways. Previously local times were isolated and poorly suited to dealing with the distances covered during rail travel It was necessary for safety to prevent crashes
All of the choices
Who is responsible for over 50% of the trades happening each day on the New York Stock Exchange?
Automated trading systems
What is valid reason why someone would birth a Neanderthal?
Because birthing a Neanderthal would generate instant notoriety and fame.
Adaptive management is a technique used for managing:
Complex systems that have significant human and social dimensions
Wicked complexity is:
Complexity that includes human and social dimensions
Select all the reasons why the diversion of water from the Aral Sea failed economically, environmentally, and/or socially? Managers of agricultural activities resulting from Aral Sea diversion used incorrect ratios of fertilizers. Cotton was not considered a valuable product for export. Cotton grown from Aral Sea water was not high in quality, and therefore, yielded low profits on exports. A significant quantity of water was lost in the water's transport.
Cotton grown from Aral Sea water was not high in quality, and therefore, yielded low profits on exports. A significant quantity of water was lost in the water's transport.
The logistic growth (S) curve: A. shows how technology develops at a snail's pace B. shows slow(ish) development of technology followed by rapid uptake and then market saturation C. shows the population trend of flour beetles in a bag of flour D. B and C
D. B and C
DFE stands for:
Design for Environment
The increased deployment of railroads in the 19th and 20th centuries had several effects. From the answers below, what was NOT an effect of the increased deployment of railroads? Increased use of coal Development of the light bulb Establishment of time zones Development of the telegraph Increased deforestation
Development of the light bulb
The Great Divergence occurred because:
Economic advancement came quickly to technology-enabled societies, whereas societies without technology did not advance at a similar rate.
Which of these has the greatest impact on birthrates? Education level of women Access to food Legal controls on the number of babies per family Social construction of family units
Education level of women
From the perspective of sustainable engineering, military experiences such as the Iraq conflict strongly warn against:
Focusing too much on technology, and not enough on cultural and social contexts within which that technology is deployed
The Apple advertisement introducing the Macintosh computer and the Dodge Challenger advertisement are both about:
Freedom
One of the biggest challenges in conducting a robust LCA is:
Gathering accurate and up to date data
Walmart is the world's leading retailer because of its:
ICT operation—which is better, on a global-scale, than any of its competitors
Burning biofuels seems like a great way to exploit carbon-based fuels while approaching net zero increase in atmospheric carbon until you remember:
Growing biomass for fuel implicates Nitrogen in fertilizer use (which comes through an energy intensive process). Phosphorus is used in fertilizers and must be mined. Even if the biofuel is from a non-food source, it usually requires fairly intensive care to optimize production.
In general, history has shown that as a country develops, the services sector ______ and the agriculture sector ______.
Grows, Shrinks
Attempting to halt human enhancement is problematic because (select all that apply):
Halting human enhancement represents an attempt to impose a particular belief system on people Too many people are interested in human enhancement for its potential benefits Human enhancements develop in military situations, which are difficult to stop
Which is not a type of LCA? Bottom-up Holistic LCA EIO-LCA Streamlined
Holistic LCA
Which of the following earth systems are independent of the carbon cycle? Nitrogen, Food and Agriculture, Water, None
None
Technology alone has the power to: Make cities more livable Raise the global poor from poverty None of the above End global conflicts All of the above
None of the above
What is a technology cluster not? The railroad, telegraph, industrial time, and other changes like human perception that accompanied them. None of the above Not just a technology itself, but the associated cultural, legal, and economic frameworks and other technologies that support and enable it. A geographical region, like Silicon Valley in California, where many high technology firms tend to gather because of a favorable regulatory environment.
None of the above
The electric car is an example of a level ___ technology? Level I - e-cars have clear immediate utility Level II - e-cars will change the way we burn fossil fuels Level III - the impacts of e-cars may not be known for sometime None. The levels outline how we can analyze impacts and policy for a given technology; they are not code words for the technologies themselves.
None. The levels outline how we can analyze impacts and policy for a given technology; they are not code words for the technologies themselves.
The Environmental Master Equation includes all of the following terms except: Percent of resource emitted into the atmosphere Resource use per person Environmental impact per unit of resource use Population
Percent of resource emitted into the atmosphere
Examples of the human as design space include (select all that apply): Automated stock trading Pharmaceutical enhancement of cognitive functions Lethal autonomous robots Integration of human cognition and computer technology Exoskeletons that extend strength and agility
Pharmaceutical enhancement of cognitive functions Integration of human cognition and computer technology Exoskeletons that extend strength and agility
Among the reasons the "climate change" debate is so fractious are:
Some oversimplify and view it as a problem to be solved instead of a condition to be managed Developed countries cannot simply tell developing countries to stop burning fossil fuels. There are still significant differences of opinion about how much climate change is natural, and how much is caused by human impacts.
What does the apparent sluggishness of the opening scene of "2001: A Space Odyssey" (Kubrick, 1968) demonstrate?
The film was made for a society that operated at a slower pace which hadn't been exposed to "internet time"
What important themes of the course are illustrated by the move "2001: A Space Odyssey"? Technology is the answer to global sustainability. Global sustainability must be achieved immediately. The human is now a design space. The world is design space.
The human is now a design space. The world is design space.
Wicked problems arise when an already complex system adds:
The human/social dimension
Non-lethal weapons are important because:
The mission of many militaries now includes policing civilian populations.
Which of these are true about societal development and economic growth:
The trade space involved in human development and economic growth is increasingly large and complicated. Developing societies need increasingly more energy to fuel their development. Now that humankind is aware of the negative effects of energy production using fossil fuels, developing countries find themselves in a quandary over their use.
Even in the 21st century engineering communication is almost entirely
Writing
"2001" suggests that after hugging the monolith, a monkey with a bone is like:
a man with a rifle
As discussed in this lecture, augmented cognition or "augcog" is
an integration of humans and information technology (e.g., computers and networks) that enables humans to function more effectively in the increasingly technology-enabled world in which we live
Sustainability is a normative concept:
because it involves a lot of subjective discussion about what is right and wrong, good and bad
Technology is frequently thought of as artifacts and gadgets
but frequently it is forgotten that government, law, and economies are also human-made technologies.
No matter what the enhancements, designer warriors may have significant "Level 1" immediate utility....
but may introduce significant Level 2 impacts when they return from war and rejoin the civilian population
Designing a "sustainable" mobile phone would be best helped by:
employing concepts like design for environment and lifecycle assessment
When tasked with a complex system design, it's generally best to start by
establishing the goals of the system
Which of these are approaches to solar radiation management?
high altitude reflective balloons and sulfur-seeded clouds to increase albedo
The future of humankind is shaped by evolving technology, but technology is not changing by itself. Importantly, so are:
human values and culture
Suggesting that engineering of nuclear weapons is unethical
makes the mistake of suggesting specific technologies (and their use) are inherently ethical or unethical
As a rule of thumb, the precautionary principle as stated in the UN charter for nature is
naive
The acronym, NGO, stands for:
non-governmental organization
Early environmentalism viewed firms as adversaries, but industrial ecology made an important step of progress by
recognizing that firms are part of the system and must be included in any analysis.
Based on Earth Systems Engineering and Management (ESEM) principles, iron fertilization of oceans (with the goal of reducing atmospheric CO2 levels):
should be tried in small quantities and continuously evaluated
Though regulatory controls on technology are sometimes a positive step, they are also sometimes bad because
the regulatory review cycle in developed countries is sometimes longer than the lifetime of a technological improvement for which manufacturers are seeking approval.
The efficiency of modern industrial agriculture is required
to feed the large and growing human population
Implanting organic mini-pumps in veins of the human body (to help people who have circulatory problems) is an example of:
treating the human body as a design space
In the environmental master equation: Environmental impact = (population) X (resource use per unit population) X (environmental impact per unit of resource use) which of the three parameters can we reasonably control?
(environmental impact per unit of resource use)
Sustainable chemistry takes into account which of the following factors? Economic Social All of the above Environmental
All of the above
Suggested differences between simple and complex systems are: 1) A complex system will have difficult to identify operational thresholds and tolerances, and may operate without a specifically identifiable equilibrium. 2) All of the above. 3) A complex system will frequently contain hidden feedback loops that make it difficult to identify relationships between causes and effects, while simple systems exhibit fairly obvious cause-effect relationships. 4) A complex system is characterized by non-linear interactions and responses while the behavior of simple systems is generally more easy to characterize.
2) All of the above.
Important trend(s) associated with technological evolution are: Evolution towards greater complexity Evolution towards increasing systems connectivity, and thus increasing system scale and scope Continuing substitution of physical labor with information technology systems All of the above
All of the above
Information technology changes faster than: Law Culture Ethical structures All of the above
All of the above
Particularly in the US, the railroads effectively created: National-scale economic markets All of the above The rise of agricultural in what would previously have been unreachable and unproductive areas New corporate management structures
All of the above
Selecting "system boundaries" for an environmental assessment is among the hardest tasks in an analysis because: There is no "right" definition of a boundary Choosing boundaries for analysis is an art, not just a matter of following simple rules Boundary selection is frequently driven by how the results will be used All of the above Certain boundaries can skew results and hide important impacts
All of the above
Despite the fact that humans are responsible for mobilizing under 10% of the carbon on earth (compared to 90% of the iron!), it is vital to remember that:
Almost all of the human-mobilized portion ends up in the atmosphere.
Why has sustainability had a difficult time catching hold as a strong concept in the United States?
Because sustainability embeds social values that tend to be based on egalitarian communitarianism
Which was NOT an effect of the rapid deployment of biofuel production (specifically corn-based ethanol) in the United States? Land use changes to grow more corn Political instability in the Philippines Food prices increased domestically and abroad Biofuel (i.e., ethanol, biodiesel) use in personal and commercial vehicles increased to levels that nearly exceeded gasoline use
Biofuel (i.e., ethanol, biodiesel) use in personal and commercial vehicles increased to levels that nearly exceeded gasoline use
The major branches of geoengineering include (select all that apply):
Carbon capture and sequestration Solar radiation management
Equality of outcome is associated with:
Egalitarianism
The "Navajo Bridge" story demonstrates that
Engineering problems are not entirely technical.
Recent nation-state employment of private military companies makes us all more aware of the tragedies of war.
False
Robots, automation, and AI expert systems are only a concern for low-skilled labor jobs
False
The Kyoto treaty is fair and should be ratified by the US because it's always clear which countries are "developed" and which are "developing."
False
The environmental impacts of the railroad are limited to damage done to the land on which the tracks, stations, and switching yards are built.
False
The polarization in public debate over topics like climate change helps to clarify the arguments and establish clear "sides".
False
There is very likely no connection between technology and the number of humans that can survive on planet earth.
False
To make a product sustainable is to ensure that there are no environmental impacts resulting from the product's manufacturing, use, and disposal.
False
Wicked problems are usually well-defined policy issues that may have multiple solutions
False
The inequalities which economists term "the Great Divergence":
Is indicative of a complex interaction of economics, technology, and culture
The _______ world was responsible for the most global trading about 1000 years ago.
Islamic
Since its inception, the dominance of the nation-state in world affairs has been obvious, but lately absolute nation-state control has been diluted by the rise of
Numerous NGOs, trans- and multi-national corporations, and (presumably) non-political global bodies like the UN
The group that published "Limits to Growth" in 1972 is known as
The Club of Rome
"Embedded water" is an idea that helps us assess environmental impact by estimating
The amount of water used to produce commonly used and traded items
Technological determinism is:
The idea that technology drives the development and progress of cultural, social, economic, religious, and other human systems
Among the more problematic issues with simplistic definitions of sustainable development is:
any assumption that we know what future generations will need is probably wrong, and any enforcement of such assumptions constitutes temporal imperialism.
Recall Brad's discussion of how "all models are wrong, but some are useful".... Why is that all models are wrong?
because they are not the real system
As classically defined, Sustainability has two "legs" by which it is defined. These are:
environmental quality and social equity
"Peak Oil" is a theory which suggests:
that humans will consume all the petroleum available on earth in our lifetimes
The rat brain robot reminds us
that the integration of biology and machine is closer than you may think and may have been here all along....
