Environmental Sustainability Final Exam

Loss averse

A bias where people prefer avoiding the loss of something they already have than they prefer acquiring an equivalent amount of the same thing

Social group

A collection of people who regularly interact with one another

Prompt

A conspicuous reminder that targets behaviors at the moment people are deciding how to act

Consumer culture

A culture in which personal worth and identity are tied to material items, and there is immense pressure to consume goods

Pacific Gyre

A current in the Pacific Ocean that concentrates garbage. It is 10 million square miles and a major environmental hazard for ocean life

Resignation

A feeling of helplessness that leaves a person feeling like they cannot change the situation

Leachate

A liquid that is produced when rainwater mixes with decomposing waste at the dump. It can carry toxins, acids, and harmful microorganisms into the surrounding soil

Hierarchy of needs

A model in which people prioritize some needs over others

Redlining

A process by which banks draw lines on a map and refuse to lend money to purchase or improve property within the boundaries.

Gentrification

A process of converting an urban neighborhood from a predominantly low-income renter-occupied area to a predominantly middle-class owner-occupied area. Affects POC and minority groups the most, as they are forced to move out of long established communities as prices rise

Social network

A system of people and their connections which allows things like money, information, influence etc. to flow

Triple bottom line

Accounting method for business operations that values social and environmental concerns as well as profit

Social norms

An expectation or standard for behavior that is widely shared within a group

Automatic thinking

An instantaneous cognitive system distinct from our slower and more reflective conscious

Explain how human societies came to rely on cultivated plants and domesticated animals for food.

As the human population grew, instead of relying on hunter/gather methods, we expanded to use agriculture and farming practices to increase the amount of food we could produce and the amount of people we could support. Humans also selectively chose crops with traits that were advantageous for farming

Polluting gas

As waste breaks down, the two major polluting gases created are carbon dioxide and methane gas. Both of these greenhouse gases contribute to climate change

Recognize how attitudes and automatic thought processes drive decisions.

Automatic thought processes drive decisions because they are reactionary and we rarely ever stop to consider their effects if we don't directly notice them. Different attitudes on certain issues can cause people to react differently to certain situations

Discuss several ways that individuals prioritize their needs and desires

Because there is a stigma that public transportation is dangerous, many people will refuse to take it for their own safety, even though it is the more environmentally conscious choice. Some people will buy from fast fashion websites in order to fit with trends even though it is damaging to the environment and also to the workers who make the clothes.

Green Revolution and its critiques

Began in the Midwest in the 1930's. Invention of high-yield grains (like rice) with the goal of reducing hunger. Inputs included seeds, water, fertilizer, pesticides...and significant capital investment. Reduced hunger and increased yield, but also caused vulnerability to pests, water shortages, loss of seed control, GMOs, start of industrialization of food

Identify environmental and human health effects associated with urbanization and the opportunities cities provide for more sustainable and resilient living.

Cities can cause the destruction of natural habitats, have very high carbon footprints, and air and water pollution. They can also cause the spread of disease, congestion, and poor sanitary conditions for the people living there

Describe how combustion, isolation, and conversion processes are used as modern waste management strategies and environmental effects of each (Incineration)

Combustion is the process of burning waste. It can range from small fires to large, contained incineration plants. Large scale systems often involve emission control devices. However, many emissions are still produced from incineration, and they can release harmful metals and toxins

Divesting

Companies get rid of a product, service, or business.

CAFO

Concentrated animal feeding operation: Animals are raised in confinement and fed grains from a different location. Industrial method centered around efficiency and monetary gain

Describe how combustion, isolation, and conversion processes are used as modern waste management strategies and environmental effects of each (Conversion)

Conversion is a process where waste is changed to something else, most often by harnessing energy for electricity. This can be an efficient way of creating energy, but can still have emissions and waste

Livestock feed

Crops specifically grown as food for livestock. Includes different types of grains

Domestication

Domestication is the process of selectively choosing traits in plants and animals to cultivate for human use

Summarize how our individual food choices can link to sustainable food production.

Eating lower on the food chain can be a more energy efficient diet. Switching to plant based options or local options is also better. Reducing food waste and supporting sustainable fishing is another good option.

Delegation

Emotional defense mechanism where individuals resolve themselves of responsibility by blaming others or deeming it someone else's responsibility

Denial

Emotional defense mechanism where people refuse to acknowledge a problem's existence

Emotional distancing

Emotional defense mechanism where people refuse to let themselves feel emotions associated with a problem

Identify how an organization's purpose can influence its environmental impacts.

For profit organizations will typically value profit over the environment, though with social efforts they can change their practices and bring about change. Nonprofits can be dedicated entirely to the environment. Benefit corporations will create a mission that is not related to profits and will donate proceeds to it.

Urban penalty

Human health problems associated with urban living (congestion, pollution, disease)

Light pollution

Human-made light from cities that blocks out the natural light from the stars at night. Can have different effects on wildlife

First agricultural revolution

Humans first started cultivating their own crops and livestock instead of using hunter/gather methods (10,000 BC)

Describe how recent and rapid demographic trends have made us a predominantly urban species.

In recent years, urban population has began to exceed rural population for the first time in human history. Urban areas offer higher paying jobs because agricultural jobs are becoming more and more automated. There are more opportunities for education and social networks as well

Identify the environmental impacts associated with modern methods of crop production.

Intensely cultivated land can lead to problems like erosion, leaching, salinization, soil degradation, and desertification. It can also harm the air wand water by causing displaced sediment and nitrogen which can block out sunlight in bodies of water. The accumulation of pesticides can also have effects that carry up through food chains.

Describe how combustion, isolation, and conversion processes are used as modern waste management strategies and environmental effects of each (Isolation)

Isolation is where waste is separated from contact with humans, usually in an underground location. This kind of disposal can sometimes cause leachate into the surrounding area. It is also inevitable that this waste will escape somehow, as we run out of space, and can cause pollution

Organization

Larger, more formal group with specific objectives

Describe modern changes in the way livestock and seafood are produced, and identify the associated environmental impacts.

Many different types of livestock are now raised in concentrated animal feeding operations instead of open range farms. Developments in technology have made fishing much easier and has increased hauls. Decreased biodiversity in farms and increased antibiotic use has made farm animals less healthy and soil less rich. Increased fishing has also hurt the biodiversity of ocean ecosystems

Mass transit

Mass transit can move large numbers of people efficiently and reduce traffic. It also reduces GHG emissions and can make cities easier to navigate for many

Describe some of the environmental and socioeconomic impacts of different forms of dumping (ocean dumping)

Ocean dumping is when solid waste and other kinds of waste are dumped directly into the ocean. This can create ocean dead zones through eutrophication and disruption of natural food chains

Benefit corporation

Official legal status for organizations that want to pursue more socially or environmentally driven objectives

Describe some of the environmental and socioeconomic impacts of different forms of dumping (open dumping)

Open dumping is when waste is discarded onto a plot of land with no regulations or containment. It can cause horrible environmental effects, like litter, disease, vermin, water/air pollutants, methane gas emissions, leachate,

Explain how organic and sustainable agricultural practices differ from conventional agriculture.

Organic agricultural practices do not include pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, or GMOs. They also use strategies like crop rotation and animal and plant waste. Creating richer soil with more microbes help the overall biodiversity of an area and can help the animals as well.

Understand the role that social networks play in influencing individuals and groups

People are part of many formal and informal groups that have rules or unspoken social values that can influence the way someone behaves

Describe research on how experiences, beliefs, and group dynamics influence decisions

People will prioritize their safety and well-being over many things. Also, actions can be made out of habit and on impulse. Decisions are also made to fit the status quo and to blend with society. Personal values can sway people towards one decision or another

Bright lights syndrome

Perception that urban areas are places with more opportunity, excitement, and freedom to pursue all aspects of life

Infrastructure

Physical structures like roads, buildings, and parking lots

Discuss how planning, participation, and design can develop more livable, sustainable, and resilient cities.

Planning can create more community-oriented cities that foster green infrastructure. When all members of a community participate in the planning process, more voices are heard and the community becomes better for everyone. Voices need to be heard so that long-term plans don't fail.

Nature-based solutions

Pollution from cities is targeted by using natural landscapes like wetlands to filter out waste and restore rivers to their natural state

Understand how positive and negative incentives motivate decisions.

Positive incentives encourage people to participate in better choices for their own benefit through a reward, and negative decisions encourage better habits through the possibility of a fine or other downside for a bad habit

Incentives

Positive or negative signal that pulls us toward or pushes us away from a certain behavior

Give historical examples of ways consumers reduced waste and of new strategies developed by consumer groups, businesses, governments, and communities.

Prior to the 1950s, households tried to reduce waste as much as possible (food scraps for animals, worn bedsheets were refurbished, leftover ashes for plants). Now, consumer groups put pressure on businesses to adopt zero waste strategies, corporations encourage manufacturers to redesign packaging, and governments have passed laws that put responsibility for waste disposal on manufacturers.

Explain how effective strategies work to influence behaviors.

Prompts are reminders to act in favorable ways at the time you are making a decision, so you actively think about your choice. Feedback gives you information on how you are doing so you are inclined to change your habits if you realize the damage they are doing. Commitments are obligations that you promise to take responsibility for.

Discuss the ways an organization can adjust its strategy, structure, and culture to match its mission

Protests, missions, and commitments are ways that corporations can enact change. Initiating task forces or collaboration at all levels of a corporation can help

Emotional defense mechanisms

Quick and automatic thought process that relieves us of bad feelings associated with a distressing situation

Compare and contrast the advantages and limitations of recycling.

Recycling can save a lot of energy and emissions, but also can sometimes require more energy and materials (in the case of down cycling). Closed loop recycling however can save a lot of energy, like in the case of aluminum cans. Recycling can save a lot of space form landfills, can lower consumption of raw materials, and can save energy, but it can also produce new hazardous materials

Explain the advantages of reducing consumption to the waste stream and aspects of culture that make this strategy challenging.

Reducing consumption is directly linked to reducing solid waste production and GHG emissions. However, because humans are social beings, consumption can be related to status and perception by others, which are things that we value very closely.

Explain the characteristics, causes, and challenges of slums and suburban sprawl (Slums)

Slums are urban areas characterized by substandard housing, informal property ownership, and inadequate urban services. They can be created by refugees, natural disaster victims, and famine victims who are searching to build a better life. They can be challenging because of sanitary conditions and opportunities, but can also create a diverse social network and support system

Informal economy

Small entrepreneurial ventures that operate beyond the reach of government regulation and taxation

Species diversity

Species diversity creates more health in an ecosystem. In agriculture today, we have greatly reduced the amount of species of plants and animals that we farm.

Second agricultural revoluton

Started in the 17th and 18th centuries in Europe and the American colonies. Characterized by enclosure, machinery, crop rotation, animal husbandry

Explain the characteristics, causes, and challenges of slums and suburban sprawl (Suburban sprawl)

Suburban sprawl is the spread of urban areas away from the central city to lower density areas on the outskirts. This happens when people depend on the city for employment but also desire an area away from the urban center. Sprawl is environmentally damaging because it is car-oriented and creates large, impermeable surfaces

Yield

The amount of crops or food produced from an area

Social context

The collection of people and groups you have contact with in you daily life

Status Quo

The current situation or existing state of affairs. Has an influence on how we want to be perceived/ how we make decisions

Life cycle assessment

The environmental impacts of all the steps in making and disposing of a material

Waste trade

The process of countries discarding their waste in other places

Urbanization

The process of increase influx of people into an urban area for a multitude of reasons, like greater opportunity

Discuss important trends with food systems such as the scale of farming, the diversity of food resources, and the components of our diet.

The scale of farming has significantly increased and has become more industrial. The number of crops produced has significantly decreased, as well as the number of varieties per crop. The amount of processed foods and meat we eat has gone up drastically, and we now consume it in bigger portions.

Waste stream

The steady flow of materials from their creation to their disposal

Explain what the waste stream is and what the concepts upstream and downstream mean.

The waste stream is where different materials go after they are thrown out or distributed. Upstream processes are processes that happen before the material reaches you (extraction, production, distribution) and downstream processes are processes that happen after you throw the item away

Cognitive dissonance

Unpleasant action we feel when it is made apparent that our actions and attitudes do not match

Confirmation bias

When people tend to select information that confirms their existing set of beliefs and "fit" information into these beliefs

Understand the ways in which words and images are used to communicate about environmental issues and influence attitudes and behaviors.

Words and images portraying the environment as peaceful, beneficial, and green can help people support environmental issues, whereas portraying the environment with words that could have negative connotations may steer people away from environmental activism (wetlands vs swamp)

White flight

Working and middle class white people leaving urban areas, while POC and minority groups have no choice but to stay

Non-profit organization

a corporation or organization that conducts business for the benefit of the general public without shareholders and without a profit motive.