ENSCI99 - Chapter 16: Environmental Policy & Sustainability

A plan or statement of intentions and rules that outlines acceptable behaviors or accomplishes some end is known as a(n) ______.

policy

Environmental ________ involves practices and rules designed to protect natural resources and public health.

policy

The creation of _______ in a democratic system include many influences: negotiation, compromise, citizen action, power, money, and open debate.

policy

In the United States, the executive branch is headed by the _______

president

Enforcement of international agreements frequently depends on how much a country cares about its ______ with other countries.

reputation

While students may press their universities to following green building principles, administration may ultimately follow through because the buildings will ______.

save money

The precautionary principle states that we ______. (Mark all that apply.)

should take action on potential threats to human health or the environment, even if we don't fully understand the problems and risks shouldn't mass-market new chemicals, cars, or toys until they are assured to be safe

Corporations are eager to ______ but ______.

avoid taxes; depend on the government for roads and communication infrastructure

A person who is environmentally literate is more likely to ______. (Mark all that apply.)

be involved in activities to improve and restore environmental quality understand the scientific concepts and facts that underlie environmental issues understand how human society is influencing the environment

What are some common air quality concerns that the Clean Air Act protects against? (Mark all that apply.)

Coal smoke Airborne sulfuric acid Airborne metal such as mercury

Federal laws are created by first being proposed and enacted by ______ and then being signed by ______.

Congress; the president

Colleges and universities are following _______ building principles because of student pressure, money savings, and support of innovative initiatives.

green

A person who has environmental literacy ______.

has fluency in the principles of ecology that gives them working knowledge of the basic grammar and underlying syntax of environmental wisdom

The first goals of the Clean Water Act were to ______. (Mark all that apply.)

identify and control point-source pollutants identify and control discharges from sewage treatment plants identify and control end-of-the-pipe discharges from factories

Established environmental groups likely have more ______ than newer groups because they have professional staff, lobbyists, and a longer history.

influence

Established environmental groups such as the Sierra Club have the ______ that newer, smaller groups might not have. (Choose all that apply.)

influence professional staff money

Many environmental policies were established in the ______ in response to unregulated environmental degradation, strong bipartisan action in politics, and the relatively weak influence (legally) of corporate monies.

1970s

Which of the following goals are included in the Superfund Act? (Mark all that apply.)

Address the remediation of orphaned sites Allow the Environmental Protection Agency to try to establish liability Address emergency spills

Match the organization with the environmental cause associated with its creation.

Audubon Society - To protect birds which were being killed for their feathers Sierra Club - To protect the giant redwoods in California Wilderness Society - To protect wild land from development

Match the international agreement with the correct description.

Basel Convention - Restricts shipment of hazardous waste across boundaries UN Framework Convention on Climate Change - Directs governments to share data on climate change and to develop plans for controlling greenhouse gases Montreal Protocol - Protect stratospheric ozone Kyoto Protocol - Set targets for greenhouse gas emissions

Which of the following tenets align with the precautionary principle? (Mark all that apply.)

Before using a technology, process, or chemical, proponents have an obligation to examine alternatives, including the alternative of not using it. People have a duty to take steps to prevent harm. Decisions should be open and democratic and must include the affected parties.

The ______ is probably the most widespread and longest-lasting citizen science project in the world, having been initiated in 1900.

Christmas Bird Count

How can sustainable development be accomplished? (Mark all that apply.)

By having a growing reliance on renewable energy resources;By growing through resource management, education, and the arts

How does the judicial branch of government establish environmental law?

By ruling on the constitutionality of statutes and interpreting their meaning

Identify some of the major "criteria pollutants" that are regulated under the Clean Air Act. (Mark all that apply.)

Carbon monoxide Metals Lead Sulfur oxides

The ______ allows a species to be listed for varying levels of protection, and provides rules for protection.

Endangered Species Act

People who are likely to develop technologies and products to clean up pollution and prevent its production in the first place are from which field of study?

Engineering

Which cabinet-level department has the primary responsibility for protecting environmental quality in the United States?

Environmental Protection Agency

The U.S. ______ and ______ Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are the two agencies primarily responsible for the studying and restoration of threatened and endangered species populations.

Fish; Wildlife

What is the first step in the policy cycle?

Identifying a problem

What does NEPA do? (Mark all that apply.)

It directs federal agencies to take environmental consequences into account in decision making;It authorizes the Council on Environmental Quality;It requires an environmental impact statement to be published for every major federal project likely to have an impact on environmental quality

______ are needed to develop government and industry policy, laws, and regulations to protect the environment.

Lawyers

In 1990, Congress recognized the importance of environmental understanding by passing the ______.

National Environmental Education Act

Which of the following agencies are responsible for studying and attempting to restore threatened and endangered species? (Mark all that apply.)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fish and Wildlife Service

Match the following groups to the correct department.

National Park Service - Department of the Interior U.S. Forest Service - Department of Agriculture

What factors are involved in the establishment of a policy? (Choose all that apply.)

Power and money Public interest Negotiations and compromise

What are some of the primary aims of the Millennium Development Goals? (Mark all that apply.)

Providing safe water Ending extreme hunger and poverty Preserving biodiversity

Which of the following is an example of a citizen science project?

Students from a high school team up with a state park biologist to study the park's bald eagle population. Farmers gather data on pasture and stream health on their property that they then share with their local agricultural extension agency.

These are the ______ _______ ______ promoted by the United Nations in 2016. Listen to the complete question

Sustainable Development Goals

______ is a term used to describe ways of living more lightly on earth by using less and sharing more.

Sustainable development

Which three entities are involved in the process of passing statutory laws? (Select all that apply.)

The House of Representatives The Senate The president

What is NEPA?

The National Environmental Policy Act

What does the Endangered Species Act do? (Mark all that apply.)

The act provides rules for protecting endangered species and their habitat. The act provides a structure for identifying and listing species that are vulnerable, threatened, or endangered.

Why were many environmental policies established in the 1970s? (Choose all that apply.)

There was strong bipartisan action in politics. The lobbying industry was still small. Environmental degradation was very apparent.

What frequently motivates a country to participate in an international agreement? (Select all that apply.)

To avoid public embarrassment Maintaining a strong international reputation

What are the two goals of the National Environmental Education Act?

To encourage postsecondary students to pursue careers related to the environment To improve public understanding of the natural environment

What is the goal of the Superfund Act?

To generate a large pool of money to help remediate abandoned toxic sites

What is the purpose of the Clean Air Act? (Mark all that apply.)

To identify, monitor, and reduce air contaminants; To provide the first nationally standardized rules in the United States for air pollutants; To identify and regulate seven major air contaminants

Which of the following suggestions help to reduce your environmental impact? (Mark all that apply.)

Walk, bicycle, or use public transportation. Wash dishes and clothes only when loads are full. Use cloth napkins instead of paper towels.

Which of the following examples doesn't help reduce your impact by saving water?

Water gardens during the afternoon.

Sulfur oxides, lead, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxides are a few of the "______ pollutants" regulated under the Clean Air Act.

criteria

Environmental ______ are needed to help train an environmentally literate populace.

educators

One way to help improve the environmental literacy of the general populace is to ______.

encourage people to spend time outdoors so they become more environmentally aware

To establish environmental ___________, the judicial branch examines the body of legal opinions built up by many court cases and reviews legislative records from hearings to determine congressional intent. Listen to the complete question

law

The Clean Water Act (CWA) of 1972 aimed to ______.

make U.S. waters "fishable and swimmable"

Countries have begun to recognize the interconnections of protecting our global environment, leading them to sign on to international _______

policies

Many new environmental groups are also concerned with ______ and environmental causes.

social

The general public benefits from governmental assistance via ______.

social security payments public schooling police and fire protection

The Montreal Protocol protects ______.

stratospheric ozone

The executive branch in the United States includes administrative agencies such as ______.

the Environmental Protection Agency

Nations have become increasingly interested in signing on to international agreements because ______. (Select all that apply.)

they recognize that they cannot protect their resources on their own they recognize the interconnections of our global environment many issues cross international boundaries

The World Fund _______ and the Natural _______ Defense Council are two groups involved with environmental challenges.

wildlife; resources

The poorest people in the world will suffer the most from climate change, so groups such as 350.org ______.

work toward environmental and social causes