ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE 101
This field studies interactions between humans and the natural world.
What is environmental science?
Humans depend on the environment for food, water, oxygen, energy, and materials. Collectively, these are often called this.
What are natural resources?
A resource that can not naturally replenish within a relatively short period of time is called this.
What is a nonrenewable resource?
A testable explanation for an observation or scientific question is called this.
What is a hypothesis?
Laws, regulations, and government decisions designed to address environmental issues collectively make up this.
What is environmental policy?
Environmental science is called an interdisciplinary field because it combines knowledge from several different areas of study. Name two.
Any two, such as:
Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Geology, Ecology, Economics, Political science, Sociology
A resource used by many people but owned by no single individual, such as the open ocean or atmosphere, can be described as this type of resource.
What is a common resource / common-pool resource?
Coal, oil, and natural gas belong to this resource category because they form much more slowly than humans consume them.
What are nonrenewable resources?
In an experiment, the factor deliberately changed by the researcher is called this.
What is the independent variable?
A government charges companies a fee for every ton of pollution they release.
This is an example of using this type of tool to influence environmental behavior.
What is an economic incentive / economic policy tool? (Pollution tax or environmental tax also accepted)
The living parts of an environment, such as plants, animals, fungi, and bacteria, are called these.
What are biotic factors?
This concept describes what can happen when individuals acting in their own self-interest overuse a shared resource.
What is the tragedy of the commons?
Solar energy, wind energy, and sustainably harvested forests are examples of resources that can be classified this way.
What are renewable resources?
This environmental worldview places human needs and interests at the center of environmental decision-making.
What is anthropocentrism?
A factory makes a product cheaply but releases pollution that causes health problems for people nearby.
The pollution cost is not included in the price of the product.
Economists call this type of hidden cost an:
What is a negative externality?
Temperature, rainfall, soil, sunlight, and water are examples of these environmental factors.
What are abiotic factors?
Several fishing companies share the same ocean fishing grounds. Each company catches as many fish as possible because it worries other companies will catch them first. Eventually, the fish population collapses.
What environmental concept does this demonstrate?
What is the tragedy of the commons?
This concept means meeting the needs of people today without preventing future generations from meeting their own needs.
What is sustainability?
Match the worldview to the statement:
“Animals and other living organisms have value even when they provide no direct benefit to humans."
What is biocentrism?
A government offers companies tax reductions when they install renewable-energy equipment.
Is this a penalty or an incentive, and what behavior is the policy trying to encourage?
What is an incentive?
A scientist studying declining fish populations examines water chemistry, fishing practices, government regulations, and the economic importance of fishing.
Explain why this is a good example of environmental science rather than simply biology.
Environmental science examines both natural systems and human systems. The scientist is combining biology/ecology with chemistry, economics, human behavior, and government policy.
A town has a shared underground water supply. Every farmer wants to pump as much groundwater as possible for crops.
Give two strategies that could help prevent a tragedy of the commons.
Possible answers include:
Limit how much water each farmer may withdraw.
Require permits.
Charge fees for excessive use.
Monitor groundwater levels.
Create shared management agreements.
Establish conservation rules.
Provide incentives for water-saving irrigation.
A forest grows approximately 10,000 new trees each year.
A logging company removes 15,000 trees each year.
Even though trees are considered renewable, explain why this harvesting practice is not sustainable.
The trees are being removed faster than they can naturally regenerate.
A resource can be renewable but still used unsustainably if the rate of use exceeds its rate of replenishment.
A government is deciding whether to protect an entire wetland.
One person argues:
“Protect it because humans need clean water and flood protection.”
Another argues:
“Protect it because every plant and animal has value.”
A third argues:
“Protect the entire ecosystem, including organisms, water, soil, and ecological processes.”
Identify all three environmental worldviews.
Humans benefit → Anthropocentrism
All living organisms have value → Biocentrism
Entire ecosystem has value → Ecocentrism
A company proposes building a new resort near a sensitive coastal ecosystem. The project could provide jobs and tax revenue but could also damage wetlands and wildlife habitat.
Name three factors government officials should consider before approving the project.
The following and similar accepted:
Environmental impact
Economic benefits
Jobs
Tourism revenue
Loss of habitat
Biodiversity
Pollution
Water use
Long-term sustainability
Local community concerns
Restoration costs
Ecosystem services