Chapter 1-Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability

Chapter 1—Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The goal of environmental science includes

a. learning how nature works.
b. understanding how we interact with the environment.
c. finding ways to deal with environmental problems.
d. finding ways to live more sustainably.
e. all of the above.
ANS: E PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
TOP: 1-1 What are three principles of sustainability?
2. The three principles of sustainability are

a. reliance on solar energy, biological diversity and nutrient cycling
b. environmentalism, ecosystems, and solar energy.
c. natural resources, natural services and water resources.
d. nutrient cycling, water resources, and environmentalism.
e. solar energy, ecosystems, and natural capital.
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
3. Meeting current and future basic resource needs without compromising future generation's basic needs
is considered a(n)
a. natural income.
b. trade-offs.
c. scientific solutions.
d. environmentally sustainable society.
e. natural capital degradation.
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
4. Which of the following does not describe a sustainable society?

a. lives off of income without depleting its natural capital
b. meets the needs of its people without jeopardizing the needs of future generations
c. manages its economy and population size without exceeding the carrying capacity of the
environment
d. utilizes nonrenewable resources for maximum benefit of the current generation
e. protects the prospects of future generations of humans and other species
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Difficult
Chapter 1—Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability 1

5. Use of a natural resource based on sustainable yield applies to
a. renewable resources.
b. nonrenewable resources.
c. perpetual resources.
d. amenity resources.
e. all of these answers
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Difficult
6. On the outskirts of a municipality lies a forest on public property. A person applying sustainable
resource-use principles might suggest
a. clear-cutting the forest to provide taxes for the town.
b. converting the natural woods to tree farms.
c. harvesting trees at their estimated sustainable yield.
d. harvesting trees below their estimated sustainable yield.
e. none of these answers
7. All of the following are potentially renewable resources except

a. groundwater.
b. trees in a forest.
c. fertile soil.
d. crude oil.
e. animals.
8. Resources that are called nonrenewable are

a. also called perpetual resources.
b. the only resources that are alive.
c. capable of depletion.
d. derived from solar capital.
e. none of these answers
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
9. Which is the least effective way to extend the use of nonrenewable resources?
a. reducing direct consumption of the resource
b. reusing the same form of a particular resource many times
c. recycling a resource into new products
d. reducing the efficiency of resource use
e. finding substitutes for a resource

10. Which of the following is an example of recycling?
a. collecting and remelting aluminum beer cans
b. cleaning and refilling soft-drink bottles
c. selling used clothing at a garage sale
d. saving leftovers in a peanut butter jar
e. donating furniture to a charity
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
11. As part of the path to sustainability, tradeoffs most specifically refer to

a. trading environmental quality for economic growth.
b. trading quality of life issues for ecological enhancements.
c. resolving conflicts through compromise.
d. solving environmental conflicts.
e. recognizing that human activities degrade natural capital.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
12. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) measures

a. death rates.
b. economic growth.
c. economic development.
d. wealth of developing countries.
e. wealth of developed countries.
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
13. Which of the following statements about developing countries is true?

a. They are highly industrialized.
b. They have high average GNPs per person.
c. The United States, Canada, and Japan are developing countries.
d. Most of the projected increase in the world's population is expected to take place there.
e. Their populations are projected to dwindling.
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
14. Point sources of pollution include all of the following except

a. an automobile tailpipe.
b. a factory smokestack.
c. a drainpipe from a power plant.
d. runoff from cropland.
e. an oil leak from a home furnace.
TOP: 1-2 How Are Our Ecological Footprints Affecting the Earth?

15. Nonpoint sources of pollution include all of the following except
a. pesticides dispersed by airplane and wind onto a crop.
b. beach litter from fishing boats.
c. a smokestack from a power plant.
d. fertilizer runoff from neighborhood lawns.
e. runoff from cropland.
16. The effects of pollutants include all of the following except

a. disruption of the health, survival or activities of humans and other organisms.
b. degradation of life support systems for humans and other organisms.
c. creation of unpleasant noise and scents.
d. damage to property.
e. increasing forests and agricultural land.
ANS: E PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
TOP: 1-2 How are our ecological footprints affecting the earth?
17. Examples of the effects of pollution might include

a. inability to see the top of skyscrapers because of the smog.
b. acid rain-induced destruction of a statue in your city park.
c. spread of disease from an open dump.
d. fish kills in lakes and streams.
18. Which of the following is not associated with the pollution cleanup approach?
a. It may be overwhelmed by continuing population growth.
b. It often transfers pollutants between different parts of the ecosystem.
c. It may be very costly once pollutants are dispersed in the environment.
d. It is the most economical in the long run.
19. Which of the following statements best illustrates the "tragedy of the commons?"
a. A factory pollutes a river as much as the law allows.
b. Some levels of pollution are life threatening.
c. Some activities harm the environment, but others do not.
d. Irrigated cropland can be ruined by salinization.
e. Cropland can decrease biodiversity.

20. New efforts to prevent the "tragedy of the commons" could include
a. using common-property resources at or above their sustainable yields.
b. using shared resources at rates below their estimated sustainable yields.
c. moving from a users pay approach to a taxpayers pay approach.
d. deregulating industries that use common-property resources.
e. increasing public availability to resources.
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Difficult
21. An ecological footprint may best be defined as the

a. amount of land and water needed to supply people in a particular area with an indefinite
supply of renewable resources.
b. amount of land and water needed to absorb and recycle the waste and pollution produced
by resource use.
c. the environmental impact of people in less developed countries.
d. a and b
e. none of the above
22. An ecological deficit is created when

a. a country’s ecological footprint is smaller than its biological capacity to replenish its
renewable resources and absorb the resulting wastes.
b. a country overestimates its spending in the current fiscal year.
c. a country depletes its annual budget faster than its biological capacity to replenish its
renewable resources.
d. a country depletes its natural capital slower than its biological capacity to replenish its
e. a country depletes its natural capital faster than its biological capacity to replenish its
ANS: E PTS: 1 DIF: Difficult
23. The country with the largest per capita ecological footprint is
a. USA.
b. India.
c. Mexico.
d. Australia.
e. United Arab Emirates.
24. The country with the second largest per capita ecological footprint is
a. USA.
b. India.
c. Mexico.
d. Australia.

25. The country with the world’s largest population is
a. USA.
b. India.
c. Mexico.
d. China.
26. Time delays in the harmful effects of living unsustainably often cause environmental degradation to
build slowly until it reaches a(n)
a. sustainable yield.
b. ecological tipping point.
c. exponential growth.
d. ecological footprint.
e. environmental worldview.
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
27. Ecological tipping point(s), which could result in an irreversible shift in natural systems include(s)
a. collapse of fish populations due to overfishing.
b. accelerated species extinction due to overhunting.
c. pre-mature species extinction due to habitat loss.
d. climate disruption due to burning of fossil fuels.
e. all of the above.
28. Which of the following characterizes cultural revolutions?

a. decreased food supplies
b. increased resource consumption and pollution
c. worsening living standards
d. shorter life spans
e. lower average per capita GNP
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
TOP: 1-4 Why Do We Have Environmental Problems?
29. Which of the following characterizes sustainability revolutions?

a. decreased food supplies
b. increased resource consumption and pollution
c. worsening living standards
d. reducing our ecological footprint
e. rejecting the principles of sustainability

30. Which of the following major cultural changes to Homo sapiens has not intensified environmental
degradation?
a. Hunter-gatherer civilization
b. Agricultural revolution
c. Industrial-medical revolution
d. Information-globalization revolution
e. All of these cultural changes have led us to intensify environmental degradation.
31. The human population currently totals

a. 87 million.
b. 3.8 billion.
c. 4 billion.
d. 6.9 billion.
e. 10 billion.
TOP: 1-3 Why do we have environmental problems?
32. According to a number of environmental and social scientists, four basic causes of environmental
degradation are
a. non-existent.
b. poverty, population decline, unsustainable resource use, failure to include environmental
costs in market prices.
c. poverty, population growth, unsustainable resource use, failure to include environmental
costs in market prices.
d. poverty, population growth, unsustainable resource use, including environmental costs in
market prices.
e. poverty, population decline, unsustainable resource use, including environmental costs in
market prices.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Difficult
33. Underlying root causes of unsustainable resource use include all of the following except
a. poverty.
b. overpopulation.
c. over reliance on renewable energy resources.
d. prices that do not include environmental and social costs of products.
e. wastefulness.
34. We can face the challenge of slowing population growth through

a. promoting family planning and elevating the status of women.
b. slowing economic development.
c. legislation that applies only in less developed countries.
d. overexploiting shared resources.
e. decreasing the educational status of women.

35. Which of the following is not a result of being an affluent country?
a. They can lead to people to become more concerned about environmental quality.
b. They provide financial incentives to develop technologies that reduce pollution.
c. The ecological health in the country usually degrades as wealth increases.
d. It allows for better education about topics concerning environmental quality.
e. It allows the affluent to obtain resources they need and want from almost anywhere in the
world without seeing the negative impacts of their consumptive lifestyles.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Difficult
36. Poverty is defined as

a. the inability to live a healthy and productive life.
b. a life focused on gathering enough food and water for survival.
c. affluence.
d. the inability to meet basic survival needs.
e. the inability to meet one's basic survival and education needs.
37. According to World Bank estimates, how many people live on less than US $1.25 per day?
a. 6.9 billion
b. 1.4 billion
c. 9.3 billion
d. 0.25 billion
e. 2.0 million
38. Your environmental worldview describes

a. your environmental ethic.
b. whether you are a creationist or evolutionist.
c. your perception of the role of Homo sapiens in the universe.
d. your assumptions and values about how the world works and what one's role in the world
should be.
e. your political ideology that defines one's perception of the health of the planet.
39. An environmental worldview that holds that we can and should manage the Earth for our benefit, but
that we have an ethical responsibility to be caring and responsible managers of the Earth, is
a. planetary management.
b. stewardship.
c. environmental wisdom.
d. national origin.
e. technological.

40. An environmental worldview that holds that we are dependent on nature and our success is dependent
on learning how the earth sustains itself and integrating this knowledge into the way we think and act,
is
a. planetary management.
b. stewardship.
c. environmental wisdom.
d. national origin.
e. technological.
41. Which worldview is most consistent with the status quo in the United States?
a. Planetary Management
b. Biocentric
c. Stewardship
d. Humility
e. Environmental Wisdom
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
42. Of the following behaviors, the one that runs counter to the three principles of sustainability is
a. recycling of materials.
b. reusing materials.
c. producing and consuming anything people are willing to buy.
d. initiating a tree planting drive in your community.
e. relying more on renewable sources of energy.
TOP: 1-4 What is an Environmentally Sustainable Society?
43. Of the following actions, the one that does the least to sustain the Earth is
a. protecting Earth's biodiversity.
b. controlling human population growth.
c. utilizing renewable resources wherever possible.
d. increasing our dependence on nonrenewable resources.
e. decreasing our dependence on nonrenewable resources.
TOP: 1-4 What is an Environmentally Sustainable Society?
TRUE/FALSE
1. Environmental science is an interdisciplinary study that integrates the humanities and natural sciences.
ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
2. Environmental science is the same as environmentalism.
ANS: F PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate

3. Life on earth has sustained itself over billions of years even during long periods of cooling and
warming of the earth’s surface.
4. Natural capital = Natural resources + Natural services
ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
5. Natural capital degradation is a by-product of economic development.
6. When a nonrenewable resource is completely exhausted, it is referred to as economically depleted.
7. Reusing involves collecting waste materials and processing them into new materials.
8. Sustainability begins at a personal level.
9. Forests, aluminum deposits and natural gas are all examples of renewable resources.
10. Pollution cleanup is considered a short-term solution if population and consumption levels grow
without corresponding improvement in pollution control technology.
11. The per capita ecological footprint is the availability of productive land and usable water to support the
population with no consideration for environmental impact.
ANS: F PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
12. The world’s more developed countries contain relatively small populations, use large proportions of
resources and produce the largest proportions of waste.
13. Rapid population growth and poverty are reflective of developing countries and have little impact on
pollution.
14. Population growth has declined since the 1960’s.

15. Decreasing population growth in developed countries will decrease resource consumption.
16. 83 million people were added to the earth in the year 2010. This is an average of 1.6 million new
people on earth each month.
ANS: F PTS: 1 DIF: Difficult
17. An environmentally sustainable society must be based on policies which provide for economic growth
and development.
18. Developing countries have a significant negative effect on the environment because of the
consumption per person and technological impact per unit of consumption.
19. Developed countries have a significant negative effect on the environment because of the consumption
per person and technological impact per unit of consumption.
20. Economic growth provides more goods and services whereas economic development uses economic
growth to improve living standards.
21. The "tragedy of the commons" refers to lack of agricultural sustenance available for the common
(poor) people in a country.
22. An environmentally sustainable society will require most middle income American workers to
decrease their consumption of products.
23. In the United States the air quality is poorer and drinking water more polluted today than in the 1970s.
24. When a country's GDP decreases, the per capita GDP must also decrease.
ANS: F PTS: 1 DIF: Difficult
25. There are a number of strategies and tools available to conserve rather than degrade or destroy the
planet’s capital

COMPLETION
1. The three principles of sustainability are ____________________, ____________________ and

____________________.
ANS: relying on solar energy, biodiversity, nutrient cycling (in any order)
PTS: 3 DIF: Moderate
2. Dealing with conflicts between scientific solutions and political solutions usually involves
___________________.
ANS: making trade-offs
PTS: 1 DIF: Difficult
3. A social movement dedicated to protecting Earth's life support system for all living things is called
____________________.
ANS: environmentalism
4. The highest rate at which we can use a renewable resource indefinitely without reducing its available
supply is called its ____________________.
ANS: sustainable yield
5. A resource such as water that is renewed continuously is called a(n) ____________________.
ANS: renewable resource
PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
6. Non-renewable resources include ____________________ sources such as oil and natural gas that
cannot be recycled.
ANS: energy
7. A chemical dumpsite would be an example of a ____________________ pollutant.
ANS: point source

8. The consequences of volcanic eruptions and burning coal are ____________________ and
____________________.
ANS:
air pollution; global warming
global warming; air pollution
9. Installing runoff curtains in a construction site is an example of ____________________ pollution

control.
ANS: output
10. Reducing the packaging on manufactured goods is an example of ____________________.
ANS: pollution prevention
11. The action of processing plastic or aluminum cans into another usable product is called
____________________.
ANS: recycling
PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
12. Old soda bottles that are collected, washed, and refilled are an example of ____________________.
ANS: reuse
PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
13. ____________________ are not owned by a single person or organization, but are degraded by many
people.
ANS:
Common-property resources
Free-access resources
14. ____________________ is a possible solution to the problem of people exploiting a free-access

resource, but it may not be practical for global common resources.
ANS: Private ownership

15. One way to deal with degradation of common property is to use shared renewable resources at or
below its estimated ____________________.
ANS: sustainable yield
16. Some analysts refer to an eventually unsustainable addiction to buying more and more stuff as
____________________ .
ANS: affluenza
PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
17. The United States, Canada, and Japan are examples of ____________________ with a high average
per capita GDP.
ANS: developed countries
PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
18. Developing countries have a low ____________________, which poses a threat to their ability to
become environmentally sustainable.
ANS: GDP
19. Your ____________________ refers to the set of assumptions and values a person holds with regard
to his or her role in the world.
ANS: environmental worldview
20. ____________________ is the ability of the environment to function indefinitely in an optimally

healthy state.
ANS: Environmental sustainability

OTHER
Critical Thinking
1. What does this graph say about the world's percentage of resource-use in developed countries?
ANS:
Developed countries' populations use about 88% of the world's resources.
PTS: 1 DIF: Easy OBJ: Critical Thinking

Critical Thinking
2. Do you think that the numbers overlap in the graph of the percentage of the world’s population who
lack access to basic amenities? Why?
ANS:
Often times the effects of poverty are not isolated. Also, the total percentage of the world’s population
without access to these amenities is greater than 100%.
PTS: 1 DIF: Difficult OBJ: Critical Thinking

Critical Thinking
3. How many Earths are we currently using compared to Earth's ecological capacity?
ANS:
1.25
4. What will happen if humanity's ecological footprint continues to be greater than Earth's ecological
capacity?
ANS:
Humans will destroy their environment, more and more animal and plant species will be lost, poverty
and disease will increase, etc.
PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate OBJ: Critical Thinking
5. Is China's total ecological footprint greater than that of India's?
ANS:
yes
6. What does the difference in ecological footprint between China and India mean?
ANS:
China's overall effect on the environment is more severe than that of India's.
PTS: 1 DIF: Difficult OBJ: Critical Thinking

SHORT ANSWER
1. What are the four (4) basic causes of environmental problems?
ANS:
population growth, wasteful and unsustainable resource use, poverty, and failure to include the
environmental costs of goods and services in their market prices
PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
2. Describe the environmental wisdom worldview and provide an example.
ANS:
"we are part of and totally dependent upon nature and that nature exists for all species, not just us. It
also calls for encouraging environmentally friendly forms of economic growth and development and
discouraging Earth-degrading forms. Our success depends on learning how life on Earth sustains itself
and on integrating environmental wisdom into the ways we think and act." Examples will vary.
PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
3. List the three scientific principles of sustainability and give an example of each.
ANS:
Reliance on solar energy, biodiversity and nutrient cycling. Examples will vary.
PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
4. How does environmentalism differ from environmental science or ecology?
ANS:
Environmentalism is a social movement toward protecting earth’s life systems that is practiced more in
the political and ethical arenas whereas environmental science practiced in the science arena.
5. Why does the search for scientific solutions to sustainability problems often involve conflicts?
ANS:
Scientific solutions most times do not involve political solutions. Trade-offs or compromises become
necessary in order to implement scientific solutions through political processes.
6. Make an argument supporting the statement that individuals matter in making the shift toward
environmental sustainability?
ANS:
Sustainability begins with our daily choices. It only takes 5-10% of the population in a community to
bring about major change in a relatively short time frame.

7. Although the poor have limited access to resources, they still have an overall high environmental
impact. Explain why this statement is true.
ANS:
The large number of poor that are preoccupied with daily sustenance do not focus on long term
environmental issues, which leads to environmental degradation.
8. Poverty can increase environmental degradation; however, environmental degradation can increase
poverty. Why is this so?
ANS:
Poor people may be less concerned about environmental issues since they are preoccupied with daily
existence. However, the poor are severely impacted by environmental degradation since they have less
access to adequate sanitation and health care facilities.

Sustaining the Earth 11th Edition Miller Test Bank
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Chapter 1 - Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability

1. Water is an example of
a. a renewable resource.
b. a nonrenewable resource.
c. an ecosystem service.
d. an ecological footprint.
e. nutrient recycling.
ANSWER: a
2. As part of the path to sustainability, tradeoffs most specifically refer to

a. trading environmental quality for economic growth.
b. trading quality of life issues for ecological enhancements.
c. resolving conflicts through compromise.
d. solving environmental conflicts.
e. recognizing that human activities degrade natural capital.
ANSWER: c
3. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) measures

a. death rates.
b. economic growth.
c. population growth.
d. the wealth of developing countries.
e. the wealth of developed countries.
ANSWER: b
4. A renewable resource can be

a. used indefinitely.
b. replenished by natural processes within hours to centuries.
c. replenished by natural processes in millions of years.
d. consumed completely if it is managed within its sustainable yield.
e. found and used easily.
ANSWER: b
5. The more-developed countries

a. include the United States, India, and Canada.
b. include many African and Latin American countries.
c. have most of the world’s population.
d. use disproportionately more of the world’s resources compared to their populations.
e. use the appropriate amount of resources for their populations.
ANSWER: d
6. Life has been sustained on the earth

a. for approximately six billion years.
b. since the time of the last impact of the meteorite.
c. through millions of years of ice ages and long warming periods.
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d. since the human species has been around.

e. because of renewable resources.
ANSWER: c
7. A sustainable yield is
a. the average rate at which a renewable resource can be used without reducing its available supply.
b. the lowest rate at which a nonrenewable resource can be used without reducing its available supply.
c. the highest rate at which a nonrenewable resource can be used without reducing its available supply.
d. the highest rate at which a renewable resource can be used without reducing its available supply.
e. the lowest rate at which a renewable resource can be used without reducing its available supply.
ANSWER: d
8. The three principles of sustainability are

a. reliance on solar energy, biological diversity and nutrient cycling.
b. environmentalism, ecosystems, and solar energy.
c. natural resources, natural services and water resources.
d. nutrient cycling, water resources, and environmentalism.
e. solar energy, ecosystems, and natural capital.
ANSWER: a
9. What are the three social science principles of sustainability?

a. win-win solutions, a responsibility to future generations, and equality
b. full-cost pricing, subsidies, and win-win solutions
c. environmentalism, a responsibility to future generations, and subsidies
d. win-win solutions, full-cost pricing, and environmentalism
e. full-cost pricing, win-win solutions, and a responsibility to future generations
ANSWER: e
10. Resources that are called nonrenewable are

a. also called perpetual resources.
b. the only resources that are alive.
c. a fixed quantity in the earth’s crust.
d. derived from solar capital.
e. found almost everywhere on the earth.
ANSWER: c
11. Which of the following is an example of recycling?

a. collecting and remelting aluminum beer cans
b. cleaning and refilling soft-drink bottles
c. using fewer paper products
d. saving leftovers in a peanut butter jar
e. donating furniture to a charity
ANSWER: a

Name: Class: Date:

12. Examples of potentially renewable resources include
a. groundwater, trees in a forest, and fertile soil.
b. trees in a forest, animals, and oil.
c. fertile soil, air, and fossil fuels.
d. coal, groundwater, and plants.
e. trees in a forest, fossil fuels, and air.
ANSWER: a
13. The most effective new effort to prevent the "tragedy of the commons" might include
a. using common-property resources at or above their sustainable yields.
b. using shared resources at rates below their estimated sustainable yields.
c. moving from a users pay approach to a taxpayers pay approach.
d. deregulating industries that use common-property resources.
e. increasing public availability to resources.
ANSWER: b
14. An ecological deficit is created when

a. a country’s ecological footprint is smaller than its biological capacity to replenish its renewable resources and
absorb the resulting wastes.
b. a country overestimates its spending in the current fiscal year.
c. a country depletes its annual budget faster than its biological capacity to replenish its renewable resources.
d. a country depletes its natural capital slower than its biological capacity to replenish its renewable resources
and absorb the resulting wastes.
e. a country depletes its natural capital faster than its biological capacity to replenish its renewable resources and
absorb the resulting wastes.
ANSWER: e
15. Reducing packaging on manufactured goods in an example of

a. pollution cleanup
b. pollution prevention.
c. the tragedy of the commons.
d. a tradeoff
e. an end-of-the-pipe solution.
ANSWER: b
16. Currently, the country with the world’s largest population is

a. USA.
b. India.
c. Mexico.
d. China.
ANSWER: d
17. An example of point source pollution is

Name: Class: Date:
a. runoff from cropland.

b. fertilizer runoff from lawns.
c. litter from fishing boats.
d. runoff from cropland.
e. a drainpipe from a factory.
ANSWER: e
18. An example of nonpoint source pollution is

a. pesticides blown from the land into the air.
b. an automobile tailpipe.
c. a smokestack from a power plant.
d. an oil leak from a home furnace.
e. a pipe discharging into a river.
ANSWER: a
19. What is the best way to deal with pollution?

a. Pollution cleanup only
b. Pollution prevention only
c. A combination of pollution cleanup and prevention
d. The most popular way at the current time
e. The cheapest way
ANSWER: c
20. A sustainability revolution is best characterized by

a. learning to live more sustainably with smaller ecological footprints.
b. learning how to grow and breed plants and animals for food.
c. inventing machines for large-scale production of goods in factories.
d. medical advances to allow a growing number of people to live longer and healthier lives.
e. controlling the human population.
ANSWER: a
21. Which statement best illustrates the "tragedy of the commons?"

a. A factory pollutes a river as much as the law allows.
b. Some levels of pollution are life threatening.
c. Some activities harm the environment, but others do not.
d. Irrigated cropland can be ruined by salinization.
e. Cropland can decrease biodiversity.
ANSWER: a
22. Which worldview is most consistent with the current situation in the United States?
a. planetary Management
b. biocentric
c. stewardship

Name: Class: Date:
d. humility
e. environmental wisdom
ANSWER: a
23. Which of the following statements about less-developed countries is true?

a. They are highly industrialized.
b. They usually have enough food, water, and shelter.
c. The United States, Canada, and Japan are developing countries.
d. Their populations continue to grow at high rates.
e. Their populations are projected to decrease.
ANSWER: d
24. Affluent countries

a. have low levels of resource use.
b. include China and India.
c. are usually poor.
d. are most responsible for environmental degradation, wastes, and pollution.
e. use local resources.
ANSWER: d
25. The human population currently totals

a. 87 million.
b. 2 billion.
c. 4 billion.
d. 7.1 billion.
e. 10 billion.
ANSWER: d
26. According to a number of environmental and social scientists, four basic causes of environmental degradation are
a. poverty, population growth, unmanageable growth of resources, and government corruption.
b. poverty, population decline, unsustainable resource use, and failure to include environmental costs in market
prices.
c. poverty, population growth, unsustainable resource use, and failure to include environmental costs in market
prices.
d. poverty, population growth, unsustainable resource use, and government corruption.
e. poverty, population decline, unsustainable resource use, and including environmental costs in market prices.
ANSWER: c
27. We can best face the challenge of slowing population growth through
a. promoting family planning and elevating the status of women.
b. slowing economic development.
c. legislation that applies only in less developed countries.
d. overexploiting shared resources.
e. decreasing the educational status of women.
Name: Class: Date:
ANSWER: a
28. Poverty is defined as

a. the inability to live a healthy and productive life.
b. a life focused on gathering enough food and water for survival.
c. the gap between the affluent and poor in underdeveloped countries
d. the inability to live a sustainable life.
e. a condition in which people are unable to fulfill their basic needs for food, water, shelter, health, and
education.
ANSWER: e
29. Decreasing population growth in more-developed countries will

a. decrease resource consumption.
b. increase resource consumption.
c. decrease poverty.
d. increase the ecological footprint.
e. decrease education.
ANSWER: a
30. Companies using resources to provide goods for consumers

a. are not generally required to pay for the harmful environmental costs of supplying the goods.
b. are usually required to pay for the harmful environmental costs of supplying the goods.
c. almost always clean up any pollution from their business operations.
d. pass on the cost of environmental degradation to consumers.
e. must report their environmental degradation.
ANSWER: a
31. According to World Bank estimates, how many people live on less than US $1.25 per day?
a. 200 million
b. 400 million
c. 900 million
d. 2.4 billion
e. 3.9 billion
ANSWER: c
32. Your environmental worldview describes

a. your environmental ethic.
b. whether you are a creationist or evolutionist.
c. your perception of the role of Homo sapiens in the universe.
d. your assumptions and values that reflect how you think the world works and what you think your role in the
world should be.
e. your political ideology that defines one's perception of the health of the planet.
ANSWER: d

Name: Class: Date:

33. What environmental worldview proposes that we can and should manage the earth for our benefit, but that we have an
ethical responsibility to be caring and responsible managers of the earth?
a. planetary management
b. stewardship
c. environmental wisdom
d. national origin
e. technological
ANSWER: b
34. What environmental worldview proposes that we are part of and dependent on nature and that the earth’s life-support
systems exists for all species, and not merely for us?
a. planetary management
b. stewardship
c. environmental wisdom
d. national origin
e. technological
ANSWER: c
35. A reasonable goal is to reduce global population growth by year ____ to level off around ____ billion.
a. 2040; 8 billion
b. 2020; 8 billion
c. 2040; 13 billion
d. 2020; 6 billion
e. 2060; 5 billion
ANSWER: a
36. Government subsidies to companies are most likely to cause problems because
a. not all companies can qualify for them.
b. they stimulate the “wrong” kind of job growth.
c. they may encourage depletion of natural capital.
d. they cannot control consumption habits.
e. they take the place of tradeoffs.
ANSWER: c
37. Of the following behaviors, the one that runs counter to the three principles of sustainability is
a. recycling of materials.
b. reusing materials.
c. producing and consuming anything people are willing to buy.
d. initiating a tree planting drive in your community.
e. relying more on renewable sources of energy.
ANSWER: c
38. The earth’s natural income includes

a. the human population.
Name: Class: Date:
b. the renewable resources provided by Earth’s natural capital.

c. plants.
d. fossil fuels.
e. the nonrenewable resources.
ANSWER: b
39. Meeting current and future basic resource needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their
basic needs is considered a(n)
a. natural income.
b. trade-offs.
c. scientific solutions.
d. environmentally sustainable society.
e. natural capital degradation.
ANSWER: d
40. An environmentally sustainable society

a. depletes the natural capital while also using renewable resources.
b. is based on policies that favor economic growth and development.
c. lives on the income the natural capital provides.
d. uses nonrenewable resources.
e. compromises the ability of future generations to meet their basic needs.
ANSWER: c
41. Reusing involves collecting waste materials and processing them into new materials.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
42. Environmental science is an interdisciplinary study that integrates the humanities and natural sciences.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
43. Environmental science is the same as environmentalism.

a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
44. When a nonrenewable resource is completely exhausted, humans can rarely find a substitute.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
45. Forests, aluminum deposits and natural gas are all examples of renewable resources.

Name: Class: Date:
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
46. Economic growth provides more goods and services whereas economic development uses economic growth to
improve living standards.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
47. When a country's GDP decreases, the per capita GDP must also decrease.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
48. Scientists recommend pollution prevention over pollution cleanup because it is cheaper than cleanup.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
49. The per capita ecological footprint is the availability of productive land and usable water to support the population
with no consideration for environmental impact.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
50. Developing countries have a significant negative effect on the environment because of the consumption per person.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
51. Developed countries have a significant negative effect on the environment because of the consumption per person.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
52. In the United States the air quality is poorer and drinking water more polluted today than in the 1970s.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
53. Rapid population growth and poverty are reflective of developing countries and have little impact on pollution.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
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54. The exponential rate of global population growth has declined since the 1960s.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
55. Individuals can contribute to sustainability.

a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
56. Dealing with conflicts between scientific solutions and political solutions usually involves making
____________________.
ANSWER: trade-offs
tradeoffs
57. A social movement dedicated to protecting the earth's life support system for all forms of life is called
____________________.
ANSWER: environmentalism
58. Non-renewable resources include ____________________ sources such as oil and natural gas that cannot be recycled.
ANSWER: energy
59. Old soda bottles that are collected, washed, and refilled are an example of ____________________.
ANSWER: reuse
60. The United States, Canada, and Japan are examples of ____________________ with a high average per capita GDP.
ANSWER: more-developed countries
61. A(n) ____________________ is a set of organisms within a defined area or volume that interact with one another and
with nonliving matter in their environment.
ANSWER: ecosystem
62. A chemical dumpsite would be an example of a(n) ____________________ pollutant.

ANSWER: point source
63. ____________________ is a possible solution to the problem of people exploiting a free-access resource, but it may
not be practical for global common resources.
ANSWER: Private ownership
64. The presence within the environment of a chemical or other agent at a level that is harmful to humans or other
organisms is ____________________.
ANSWER: pollution
65. Your ____________________ refers to the set of assumptions and values you hold with regard to your role in the
world.
ANSWER: environmental worldview

Name: Class: Date:
Critical Thinking
66. How many Earths are we currently using compared to the earth's ecological capacity?
ANSWER: We are currently using 1.5 Earths.
67. What will happen if humanity's ecological footprint continues to be greater than the earth's ecological capacity?
ANSWER: Humans will destroy their environment, more and more animal and plant species will be lost, poverty and
disease will increase, etc.
Critical Thinking
68. Do you think that the numbers overlap in the accompanying graph, which illustrates the percentage of the world’s
population who lack access to basic amenities? Why or why not?
ANSWER: Often times the effects of poverty are not isolated. Also, the total percentage of the world’s population without
access to these amenities is greater than 100%.
69. Why does the search for scientific solutions to sustainability problems often involve conflicts?
Sustaining the Earth 11th Edition Miller Test Bank
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Name: Class: Date:
ANSWER: Scientific solutions most times do not involve political solutions. Trade-offs or compromises become
necessary in order to implement scientific solutions through political processes.
70. List the three scientific principles of sustainability and give an example of each.
ANSWER: The three principles are the reliance on solar energy, biodiversity, and nutrient cycling. Examples will vary.
71. How does environmentalism differ from environmental science or ecology?

ANSWER: Environmentalism is a social movement dedicated to protecting the earth’s life-support systems that is
practiced more in the political and ethical arenas whereas environmental science practiced in the science arena.
72. Describe the environmental wisdom worldview and provide an example.

ANSWER: "we are part of and dependent on nature and that nature exists for all species, not just us. It also calls for
encouraging environmentally friendly forms of economic growth and development and discouraging Earth-
degrading forms. Our success depends on learning how life on Earth sustains itself and on integrating
environmental wisdom into the ways we think and act." Examples will vary.
73. Although the poor have limited access to resources, they still have an overall high environmental impact. Explain why
this statement is true.
ANSWER: The large number of poor that are preoccupied with daily survival do not focus on long term environmental
issues, which leads to environmental degradation. They often use more nonrenewable resources (as opposed to
renewable).
74. Poverty can increase environmental degradation; however, environmental degradation can increase poverty. Why is
this so?
ANSWER: Poor people may be less concerned about environmental issues since they are preoccupied with daily survival.
However, the poor are severely impacted by environmental degradation since they have less access to
adequate sanitation and health care facilities.
75. Make an argument supporting the statement that individuals matter in making the shift toward environmental
sustainability?
ANSWER: Sustainability begins with our daily choices. It only takes 5-10% of the population in a community to bring
about major change in a relatively short time frame.
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Name: Class: Date:
1. Sustainability refers to ____.
a. the way in which the natural world works
b. how we interact with the environment
c. human methods and proven solutions of coping with and eliminating environmental problems
d. refusing, reducing, reusing, and recycling
e. the capacity of the earth’s natural systems to survive or adapt to changing environmental conditions indefinitely
ANSWER: e
2. Which discipline is most associated with environmental science?
a. botany
b. political science
c. sociology
d. ecology
e. psychology
ANSWER: d
3. A forest with plants, animals, and various other organisms is an example of a(n) ____.
a. ecosystem
b. species
c. ecology
d. life-support system
e. nutrient
ANSWER: a
4. Using normally renewable resources faster than nature can restore them is called ____.
a. nutrient cycling
b. nutrient deficit
c. sustainability
d. trade-offs
e. degrading natural capital
ANSWER: e
5. Solar energy is known as a(n) ____.
a. renewable resource
b. recyclable resource
c. inexhaustible resource
d. reusable resource
e. nonrenewable resource
ANSWER: c

Name: Class: Date:
6. What is one of the three principles of sustainability provided by economics, politics, and ethics?
a. a dependence on solar energy
b. a focus on chemical cycling
c. the degradation of natural capital
d. a responsibility to future generations
e. the ability to retain biodiversity
ANSWER: d
7. Topsoil plays an important role in the ecosystem service of ____.
a. biodiversity
b. ecosystems
c. natural resources
d. win—win solutions
e. nutrient cycling
ANSWER: e
8. Environmental science should not be confused with ____, which is a social movement dedicated to protecting the
earth’s life and its resources.
a. environmentalism
b. ecology
c. the conservationist view
d. environmental ethics
e. planetary management
ANSWER: a
9. Political scientists often look for ____ based on cooperation and compromise that will benefit the largest number of
people as well as the environment.
a. natural capital
b. inexhaustible resources
c. biodiversity
d. win–win solutions
e. chemical cycling
ANSWER: d

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10. More-developed countries ____.
a. have a lower than average income
b. use mostly renewable resources
c. rely entirely on nonrenewable resources
d. comprise 17% of the world’s population
e. provide fewer recycling services
ANSWER: d
11. The primary difference between renewable resources and nonrenewable resources is ____.
a. how easily each can be discovered
b. the available amount of each resource
c. the length of time it takes for each to be replenished
d. how fast each is being consumed
e. how quickly each can produce electricity
ANSWER: c
12. What term describes the highest rate at which a renewable resource can be used indefinitely without reducing its
available supply?
a. conservation
b. sustainable yield
c. preservation
d. perpetual resource
e. degradation
ANSWER: b
13. Which substance would be considered a renewable resource?
a. copper
b. oil
c. clean air
d. salt
e. sand
ANSWER: c

Name: Class: Date:
14. Which substance would be considered a nonrenewable resource?
a. groundwater
b. trees in a forest
c. fertile soil
d. oil
e. crops
ANSWER: d
15. All nonrenewable resources can theoretically be ____.
a. converted to nonmetallic minerals
b. converted to renewable ones
c. exhausted or depleted
d. recycled or reused
e. alive
ANSWER: c
16. To be sustainable, the total ecological footprint of an area’s population must be smaller than the ____.
a. per capita ecological footprint
b. environmental degradation
c. biocapacity
d. natural capital
e. population growth
ANSWER: c
17. Use of a natural resource based on sustainable yields is most applicable to the idea of ____.
a. nonrenewable resources
b. renewable resources
c. shared resources
d. amenable resources
e. recycling
ANSWER: b
18. Which revolution occurred first?
a. industrial–medical revolution
b. agricultural revolution
c. sustainability revolution
d. information–globalization revolution
e. ecological revolution
ANSWER: b

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19. Which activity or event illustrates natural capital degradation?
a. use of wind power
b. saving endangered species
c. cleaning up pollution
d. aquifer depletion
e. water runoff
ANSWER: d
20. Each of the three major cultural revolutions has allowed ____.
a. ecological restoration
b. expansion of the human population
c. greater worldwide sustainability
d. pollution prevention
e. decreased consumption
ANSWER: b
21. Which term refers to an average ecological footprint of an individual in a given country or area?
a. per capita gross GNP
b. ecological footprint
c. per capita GDP
d. sustainable yield
e. per capita ecological footprint
ANSWER: e
22. The U.N. Millennium Ecosystem Assessment reports that human activities have overused ____ percent of the
earth’s natural services, and mostly since 1950.
a. 5
b. 10
c. 30
d. 60
e. 95
ANSWER: d

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23. The current global population is about ____ billion people.
a. 3.1
b. 4.5
c. 6.0
d. 7.3
e. 8.7
ANSWER: d
24. The degradation of commonly shared renewable resources is known as ____.
a. the tragedy of the commons
b. open-access degradation
c. sustainable yield
d. the pollution factor
e. government overregulation
ANSWER: a
25. What is the best description of an ecological deficit?
a. The total ecological footprint is larger than the biological capacity to replenish renewable resources.
b. The total ecological footprint is smaller than the biological capacity to replenish renewable resources.
c. All nonrenewable resources have been exhausted and there are no renewable resources available.
d. The total ecological footprint is equal to the sustainable yield of renewable resources.
e. The total ecological footprint only involves the use of nonrenewable resources.
ANSWER: a
26. In the IPAT equation, the "P" stands for ____.
a. poverty
b. pollution
c. per capita ecological footprint
d. percent
e. population size
ANSWER: e
27. An estimated ____ middle-class consumers live in China.
a. 14 million
b. 50 million
c. 109 million
d. 320 million
e. 1 billion
ANSWER: c

Name: Class: Date:
28. The first major cultural change that occurred in the human population was the ____.
a. information–globalization revolution
b. agricultural revolution
c. industrial–medical revolution
d. technological revolution
e. sustainability revolution
ANSWER: b
29. Living sustainably on natural income can be compared to ____.
a. winning the lottery every year
b. saving your money rather than investing it
c. spending more money than your income provides
d. spending all your money on lottery tickets
e. living on the interest generated by an investment of capital
ANSWER: e
30. One major cause of environmental problems is ____.
a. an increasing isolation from nature
b. a reliance on ecosystem services
c. sustainable resource use
d. full-cost pricing
e. chemical cycling
ANSWER: a
31. Most of the U.S. environmental laws now in place were enacted during the ____.
a. 1890s
b. 1930s
c. 1950s
d. 1970s
e. 1990s
ANSWER: d

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32. Which revolution began about 50 years ago and involved the development of technologies for gaining rapid access to
all kinds of information and resources on a global scale?
a. the technology revolution
b. the information—globalization revolution
c. the agricultural revolution
d. the industrial—medical revolution
e. the sustainability revolution
ANSWER: b
33. A planetary management worldview is a variation of which environmental worldview?
a. life-centered worldview
b. environmental ethics worldview
c. human-centered worldview
d. earth-centered worldview
e. preservationist worldview
ANSWER: c
34. At the world’s current average rate of use per person, how many planet Earths would we need in order to provide an
endless supply of renewable resources?
a. 0.5
b. 0.9
c. 1
d. 1.5
e. 2
ANSWER: d
35. The marketplace prices of goods and services do not include the ____.
a. overhead cost of raw materials
b. supply-side costs of manufacturing
c. environmental costs of resource use
d. manufacturer’s cost of distribution
e. cost of advertising a product
ANSWER: c

Name: Class: Date:
36. Subsidies and tax breaks to assist companies with using resources to run their businesses are ____.
a. helpful to the environment
b. not helpful to the economy
c. not actually helpful to these companies
d. not helpful to the environment
e. not helpful to individuals
ANSWER: d
37. What term refers to the set of assumptions and values concerning how you think the natural world works and how
you think you should interact with the environment?
a. environmental worldview
b. environmental justice
c. environmental ethics
d. environmental economics
e. environmental capital
ANSWER: a
38. What viewpoint embodies the idea that we should be caring and responsible managers of the earth?
a. the planetary management worldview
b. the stewardship worldview
c. the environmental wisdom worldview
d. the environmental justice movement
e. the renewable worldview
ANSWER: b
39. Which statement represents an earth-centered environmental worldview?
a. Continuous rapid economic growth improves environmental conditions.
b. Our success depends on learning how life sustains itself.
c. Maximizing research funding is the key to controlling the environment.
d. Human beings are the most important life forms on the earth.
e. There are always more resources.
ANSWER: b

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40. What is the primary cause of nature deficit disorder?
a. too much poverty
b. too much affluence
c. increased isolation from the natural world
d. poor sanitation
e. increased pollution
ANSWER: c
41. Growth that is ____ starts off slowly, but after only a few doublings, grows enormous numbers.
a. exponential
b. logarithmic
c. parallel
d. linear
e. quadratic
ANSWER: a
42. How many people can the earth support indefinitely?
a. No one knows.
b. 5 billion
c. 10 billion
d. 15 billion
e. 20 billion
ANSWER: a
43. According to the World Bank, about how many people worldwide live in extreme poverty?
a. 1 million
b. 9 million
c. 40 million
d. 100 million
e. 1 billion
ANSWER: e
44. What is one of the root causes of environmental problems?
a. rapid population growth
b. even global distribution of wealth
c. increasingly sustainable use of resources
d. absorption of environmental costs in goods and services
e. decreased use of nonrenewable resources in more-developed countries
ANSWER: a

Name: Class: Date:
45. What situation is most likely to occur as a result of poverty?
a. increased media attention on children’s health
b. access to clean drinking water
c. increased consumption in average
d. spread of disease from poor sanitation
e. heart disease and diabetes from obesity
ANSWER: d
46. Exponential growth occurs when a population increases at a(n) ____ per unit time.
a. fixed number
b. rate that decreases
c. fixed percentage
d. slow rate
e. unpredictable rate
ANSWER: c
47. Nature deficit disorder is most likely to contribute to ____.
a. natural capital
b. poverty
c. stress
d. poor sanitation
e. dependence
ANSWER: c
48. Affluence typically results in ____.
a. continually accelerating population growth
b. less educational attainment
c. increased poverty
d. reduced consumption
e. environmental degradation
ANSWER: e

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49. Research by social scientists suggests that it takes ____ percent of the population of a community, country, or the
world to bring about major social change.
a. 1−2
b. 5−10
c. 20−30
d. 40−50
e. 70−75
ANSWER: b
50. What is the best description of natural income?
a. renewable resources provided by the earth’s natural capital
b. nonrenewable resources created by humans
c. income based on government subsidies
d. excess resources remaining after our ecological footprint
e. new and alternative resources created by humans
ANSWER: a
51. While we are heavily dependent on the environment, we are not dependent on it for everything we need to stay alive
and healthy.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
52. Environmental science is a branch of environmentalism and has the aim of protecting the earth's life-support systems.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
53. Three scientific principles of sustainability of life on this planet are dependence on solar energy, biodiversity, and
chemical cycling.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
54. In environmental science, individuals tend to matter less because the issues are global in nature.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False

Name: Class: Date:
55. Take away solar energy and all natural capital would collapse.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
56. The responsibility to leave the planet’s life-support systems in a condition that is as good as or better than it is now for
future generations is a matter of ethics.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
57. The tragedy of the commons refers to a lack of agricultural resources available for the common (poor) people in a
country.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
58. An ecological footprint is the amount of biologically productive land and water required to supply a population in an
area with renewable resources and recycling of wastes and pollution.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
59. Pollutants are all human-made; in other words, they cannot enter the environment naturally.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
60. Developing a kind of tape that resembles the surface structure of gecko feet is an example of biomimicry.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
61. Species are currently becoming extinct at the same rate as during pre-human times.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False

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62. China has the world’s largest population and second-largest economy.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
63. A basic cause of environmental problems results from the fact that companies using resources have to pay for the
cost of the harmful environmental costs of supplying their products.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
64. Globally, life spans are decreasing, infant mortality is increasing, and the population growth rate is accelerating.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
65. Living sustainably means living on natural income.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
Consider the total and per capita ecological footprints of the selected countries below and then use the data to answer
the accompanying question.
Total Ecological Footprint
Country Share of Global Biological Capacity (%)
(hectares/person)
United States 2,810 (25%)
European Union 2,160 (19%)
China 2,050 (18%)
India 780 (7%)
Japan 540 (5%)
66. The total ecological footprint of China is relatively large. So why is the per capita ecological footprint of China so
small?
ANSWER: China has a large population.

Name: Class: Date:
N
arrative:
The IPAT model of environmental impact uses the following equation:
Impact (I) = Population (P) × Affluence (A) × Technology (T)
Use this equation to answer the following three questions.
67. What is the key factor in total environmental impact in most less-developed countries?
ANSWER: Population size
68. What is the key factor in total environmental impact in most more-developed countries?
ANSWER: Affluence
69. For two countries with the same population size and affluence, what would differentiate their total environmental
impacts?
ANSWER: The harmful environmental effects of technologies used in each country would be the differentiator.
70. What are two ways to deal with the degradation of a shared resource?
ANSWER: One is to use a shared or open-access renewable resource at a rate well below its estimated sustainable
yield by using less of the resource, regulating access to the resource, or doing both. The other way is to
convert shared renewable resources to private ownership.
71. Many scientists contend that the earth is the only real example of a sustainable system. What are the three major
natural factors have played the key roles in the long-term sustainability of life on this planet? How can you apply each
to your life?
ANSWER: The three scientific principles of sustainability are:
Dependence on solar energy
Biodiversity
Chemical cycling
Application answers will vary.
72. Describe what Garrett Hardin meant by the tragedy of the commons, and give an example.
ANSWER: Hardin uses the term to indicate a resource that no one owns individually, that is held “in common,” and
which is available for exploitation. Open range land, owned by the government but used by ranchers to
graze cattle, is an example.

Name: Class: Date:
73. The “biological capacity” is the ability of the natural world to replenish its renewable resources and absorb the
resulting waste products and pollution. Exceeding the biological capacity creates an “ecological deficit.” Discuss the
potential future implications for the earth resulting from the fact that we are currently exceeding the earth’s biological
capacity by about 50 percent.
ANSWER: Overuse of a resource will result in its degradation and ultimately its permanent loss. The pollution levels
resulting from the use of the resource will overcome the biological capacity to cleanse the earth and
societies will suffer from both results.
74. What is an environmental worldview? Discuss your environmental worldview and explain why you hold this
viewpoint.
ANSWER: An environmental worldview is a set of assumptions and values reflecting how one things the world works
and what they think their role in the world should be.
The remainder of the answer will depend on the student’s worldview.
75. Air pollution from industry is an example of a tragedy of the commons.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True

Name: Class: Date:

Figure 1.11 Exponential growth
76. In the accompanying figure, note that following the Black Death around 1350 A.D., the line representing the total
human population rose dramatically. This rise indicates a fundamental relationship between births, deaths, and growth
rates. Discuss this relationship, indicating why the steep rise occurred, and why an expected leveling off may occur
soon.
ANSWER: The death rate fell without a drop in birth rates. Leveling off will result when birth rate drops.
77. The per capita ecological footprint in the United States is lower than the global average.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
78. The shielding of UV radiation provided by the ozone layer is an example of an ecosystem service.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
79. In nature, waste = useful resources.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True

Name: Class: Date:
80. In the IPAT model of environmental impact, technology is always harmful.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
Match the term with the most appropriate description.
a. Teddy Roosevelt
b. John Muir
c. Rachel Carson
d. preservationist view
e. conservationist view
81. proponent of the preservationist view
ANSWER: b
82. belief that all public lands should be managed wisely and scientifically, primarily to provide resources for people
ANSWER: e
83. author of Silent Spring, which documented the pollution of air, water, and wildlife from the widespread use of
pesticides such as DDT
ANSWER: c
84. proponent of the conservationist view
ANSWER: a
85. belief that wilderness areas on some public lands should be left untouched so they could exist indefinitely
ANSWER: d

Name: Class: Date:
Match the term with the most appropriate description.
a. environmental ethics
b. environmental worldview
c. human-centered environmental worldview
d. life-centered environmental worldview
e. earth-centered environmental worldview
86. the belief that all species have value in fulfilling their particular role within the biosphere, regardless of their potential
or actual use to humans
ANSWER: d
87. a set of assumptions and values concerning how the natural world works and how you think you should interact with
the environment
ANSWER: b
88. the idea that we are part of, and dependent on, nature, and the earth’s natural capital exists for all species, not just for
humans
ANSWER: e
89. the study of varying beliefs about what is right and wrong with how we treat the environment
ANSWER: a
90. the idea that the natural world is a support system for human life
ANSWER: c

Chapter 1-Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability

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Chapter 1-Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability

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Chapter 1—Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability

1. The goal of environmental science includes

2. The three principles of sustainability are

4. Which of the following does not describe a sustainable society?

Chapter 1—Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability 1

7. All of the following are potentially renewable resources except

8. Resources that are called nonrenewable are

Chapter 1—Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability 2

11. As part of the path to sustainability, tradeoffs most specifically refer to

12. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) measures

13. Which of the following statements about developing countries is true?

14. Point sources of pollution include all of the following except

Chapter 1—Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability 3

16. The effects of pollutants include all of the following except

17. Examples of the effects of pollution might include

Chapter 1—Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability 4

21. An ecological footprint may best be defined as the

22. An ecological deficit is created when

Chapter 1—Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability 5

28. Which of the following characterizes cultural revolutions?

29. Which of the following characterizes sustainability revolutions?

Chapter 1—Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability 6

31. The human population currently totals

34. We can face the challenge of slowing population growth through

Chapter 1—Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability 7

36. Poverty is defined as

38. Your environmental worldview describes

Chapter 1—Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability 8

ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Easy

2. Environmental science is the same as environmentalism.

ANS: F PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate

Chapter 1—Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability 9

ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Easy

4. Natural capital = Natural resources + Natural services

ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate

5. Natural capital degradation is a by-product of economic development.

ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate

6. When a nonrenewable resource is completely exhausted, it is referred to as economically depleted.

ANS: F PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate

ANS: F PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate

8. Sustainability begins at a personal level.

ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Easy

ANS: F PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate

ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Easy

ANS: F PTS: 1 DIF: Easy

ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate

ANS: F PTS: 1 DIF: Easy

14. Population growth has declined since the 1960’s.

ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate

Chapter 1—Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability 10

ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate

ANS: F PTS: 1 DIF: Difficult

ANS: F PTS: 1 DIF: Easy

ANS: F PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate

ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate

ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate

ANS: F PTS: 1 DIF: Easy

ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Easy

ANS: F PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate

ANS: F PTS: 1 DIF: Difficult

ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Easy

Chapter 1—Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability 11

1. The three principles of sustainability are ____________________, ____________________ and

1. The three principles of sustainability are , and