Climate and Energy
Psych and Econ
Agriculture and Environmental Justice
Urban sustainability, power and risk
Case Studies
100

These absorb and redirect heat radiated by Earth, warming the planet

Greenhouse gases

100

Price paid by a polluter to a government regulatory agency for every unit of carbon emitted

Carbon tax

100

This type of farming emphasizes growing a single crop to maximize profit 

Monoculture

100

This determines whether mixed land uses are allowed in a community

zoning

100

This group of nations are responsible for most historic carbon emissions 

Developed countries 

200

Even when turned off, these still use energy

Vampire appliances

200

one agent's actions affect a bystander’s
well-being and these actions are not reflected through the price mechanism

Externality

200

This toxic metal's presence in drinking water launched environmental justice protests in Flint, Michigan? 

Lead

200

Despite the housing crisis nationally, Cleveland has an abundance of this

vacant lots and buildings

200

Individuals, acting in their own self interest, overexploit a shared resource

The tragedy of the commons

300

The biggest direct impact of climate change on Oberlin, Ohio

Heat

300

Our tendency to seek out evidence that primarily confirms our beliefs, rather than evidence that disconfirms them.


Confirmation bias

300

In Zimbabwe, this was a centerpiece of agricultural decolonization 

land redistribution

300

The US and Canada successfully used this to reduce sulfur dioxide and acid rain

An emissions trading program

300

A farming and ranching practice that aims to restore and improve the health of the soil, water, and biodiversity

Regenerative Agriculture

400

The two steps required to reduce total energy use

Reducing consumption and increasing efficiency

400

Core social motives (name at least 3)

Belonging, understanding, control, esteem, trust

400

$50 billion in US government subsidies was given to which agricultural industry between 1995 and 2021, versus $30 million for plant-based proteins? 

livestock 

400

A regulatory agency prioritizes the interests of the industry it regulates over the interest of the public

Regulatory capture

400

An organization intended to provide billions for developing countries to mitigate and adapt to climate change

The Green Climate Fund

500

The causes and impacts of this type of problem on human societies are distributed across the boundaries and jurisdictions of individual states

A global commons problem

500

Total economic value includes these market-and-non-market sources

Direct use value, indirect use value, option value, bequest value, existence value

500

Traditionally, the different types of environmental justice

Distributive, Procedural, Corrective, Decolonial, Reparative, Restorative

500

How chemical and food safety is governed in Europe, but not the US

The precautionary principle

500

Ways of eating responsibly, per Wendell Berry

Participate in food production, prepare your own food, learn where it comes from, learn what is involved in industrial food production, learn about sustainable food production, learn about the history of food, know your local farmers