LA 480 FINAL EXAM 2026/2027 – STUDY GUIDE, PRACTICE QUESTIONS, EXAM
REVIEW & TEST PREP
M3: In 1996, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency joined with several non-profit and government
organizations to form the Smart Growth Network (SGN) in response to increasing community concerns
about: - correct answer ✔✔C: the need for new ways to grow that boost the economy, protect the
environment, and enhance community vitality
M3: The Baby Boomer generation is aging, retiring, and deciding to move to downtown urban areas as
some of the benefits are: - correct answer ✔✔Performing arts venues, cultural diversity, a vibrant social
atmosphere, close proximity to retail/entertainment amenities
M3: Smart growth recognizes that: - correct answer ✔✔housing is a critical part of the way communities
grow, as it is constitutes a significant share of new construction and development, though supportive of
growth, communities are questioning the economic costs of abandoning infrastucture in the city, only to
rebuild it further out, in general, communities should invest time, attention and resources in restoring
community and vitality to center cities and older suburbs
M3: New urbanism is a town planning rinciple that: - correct answer ✔✔Recognizes that traditional
neighborhoods are more compact communities designed to encourage bicycling and walking for short
trips by providing destinations close to home and work, and by providing sidewalks and a pleasant
environment for walking and biking.
M3: According to American Farmland Trust: - correct answer ✔✔more than a million acres of U.S.
farmland are lost to development every year. That's two acres every minute.
M3: One of the goals of the Sierra Club's Sprawl Campaign is to: - correct answer ✔✔Fight poorly
planned development and promote smart growth communities that increase transportation choices,
reduce air and water pollution, and protect natural places, Highlight the significant body of scientific
evidence that is emerging that links pollution from motor vehicles to a range of human health problems
including asthma, lung cancer and premature death.
M3: Green Developments include the basic elements of: - correct answer ✔✔Environmental
responsiveness, Resource efficiency, community and cultural sensitivity
M3: The Advocates of Green Development realize that: - correct answer ✔✔in well-executed green
development projects, costs can be reduced, buyers or renters will spend less to operate green buildings,
and developers can differentiate themselves from the crowdgetting a big marketing boost
M3: Some main features of our land use practices over the past several decades have converged to
generate haphazard, inefficient, and unsustainable urban sprawl, including which of the following: -
correct answer ✔✔zoning ordinances that isolate employment locations, shopping and services, and
housing locations from each other; low-density growth planning aimed at creating automobile access to
increasing expanses of land.
, M3: One of the main causes of sprawl has been: - correct answer ✔✔Public infrastructure in roads,
public buildings, water, sewer and other infrastructure in peripheral areas, disinvestment in existing city
centers
M4: Some of the primary benefits of landscaping are: - correct answer ✔✔Recreation and fire protection
M4: The following tips should be considered for indoor water conservation - correct answer ✔✔repair
leaks, increase water pressure, install water conserving appliances
M4: Grey water is comprised of - correct answer ✔✔dish, shower, sink and laundry water
M4: Information and education promoting conservation do not appear to be effective by themselves.
Consumers need to be made aware of: - correct answer ✔✔A.How water is delivered to themB.The costs
of water service
D.How they can participate in conservation efforts
M4: Some of the threats to Source Water are: - correct answer ✔✔A.Microbial contaminants, such as
viruses and bacteriaB.Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metalsC.Pesticides and herbicides
M4: Despite the potential for water, energy, and money savings, barriers that reduce or prevent the
widespread implementation of water efficient technologies include: - correct answer ✔✔B.insufficient
knowledge about the cost-effectiveness of water conservation projectsC.lack of funding to carry out
projectsD.misconceptions about the use and benefits of water-efficient technologies
M4: Estimates of water use during 2000 in the United States were: - correct answer ✔✔C.about 408
billion gallons per day
M4: Land subsidence is a gradual settling or sudden sinking of the Earth's surface owing to subsurface
movement of earth materials. Some of the principal causes are: - correct answer ✔✔A.aquifer-system
compactionB.drainage of organic soilsD.hydro-compaction
M4: With efficient irrigation schemes, water use can be reduced significantly with a few simple steps,
such as: - correct answer ✔✔A.use of moisture sensors in the soil to help prevent over-watering of
plantsB.water should only fall on landscaped areas
D.adjust water pressure to produce droplets of water rather than a fog or fine mist
M4: Acid deposition is comprised of: - correct answer ✔✔A.Sulfuric acidB.Nitric acidC.Ammonium
M5: Monitoring the energy and water use of a building is an activity that can provide assurance that the
building is working: - correct answer ✔✔A.according to its energy plan
B.at its optimal level of efficiency
M5: While wind power is a desirable renewable energy solution, it does have some drawbacks, such as: -
correct answer ✔✔A. wind towers are not always aesthetically pleasing
B.it sometimes causes added noise pollution
C.they are thought to cause the death of airborne wildlife that fly into the turbine blades
D.good harvesting sites often are found in remote locations
REVIEW & TEST PREP
M3: In 1996, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency joined with several non-profit and government
organizations to form the Smart Growth Network (SGN) in response to increasing community concerns
about: - correct answer ✔✔C: the need for new ways to grow that boost the economy, protect the
environment, and enhance community vitality
M3: The Baby Boomer generation is aging, retiring, and deciding to move to downtown urban areas as
some of the benefits are: - correct answer ✔✔Performing arts venues, cultural diversity, a vibrant social
atmosphere, close proximity to retail/entertainment amenities
M3: Smart growth recognizes that: - correct answer ✔✔housing is a critical part of the way communities
grow, as it is constitutes a significant share of new construction and development, though supportive of
growth, communities are questioning the economic costs of abandoning infrastucture in the city, only to
rebuild it further out, in general, communities should invest time, attention and resources in restoring
community and vitality to center cities and older suburbs
M3: New urbanism is a town planning rinciple that: - correct answer ✔✔Recognizes that traditional
neighborhoods are more compact communities designed to encourage bicycling and walking for short
trips by providing destinations close to home and work, and by providing sidewalks and a pleasant
environment for walking and biking.
M3: According to American Farmland Trust: - correct answer ✔✔more than a million acres of U.S.
farmland are lost to development every year. That's two acres every minute.
M3: One of the goals of the Sierra Club's Sprawl Campaign is to: - correct answer ✔✔Fight poorly
planned development and promote smart growth communities that increase transportation choices,
reduce air and water pollution, and protect natural places, Highlight the significant body of scientific
evidence that is emerging that links pollution from motor vehicles to a range of human health problems
including asthma, lung cancer and premature death.
M3: Green Developments include the basic elements of: - correct answer ✔✔Environmental
responsiveness, Resource efficiency, community and cultural sensitivity
M3: The Advocates of Green Development realize that: - correct answer ✔✔in well-executed green
development projects, costs can be reduced, buyers or renters will spend less to operate green buildings,
and developers can differentiate themselves from the crowdgetting a big marketing boost
M3: Some main features of our land use practices over the past several decades have converged to
generate haphazard, inefficient, and unsustainable urban sprawl, including which of the following: -
correct answer ✔✔zoning ordinances that isolate employment locations, shopping and services, and
housing locations from each other; low-density growth planning aimed at creating automobile access to
increasing expanses of land.
, M3: One of the main causes of sprawl has been: - correct answer ✔✔Public infrastructure in roads,
public buildings, water, sewer and other infrastructure in peripheral areas, disinvestment in existing city
centers
M4: Some of the primary benefits of landscaping are: - correct answer ✔✔Recreation and fire protection
M4: The following tips should be considered for indoor water conservation - correct answer ✔✔repair
leaks, increase water pressure, install water conserving appliances
M4: Grey water is comprised of - correct answer ✔✔dish, shower, sink and laundry water
M4: Information and education promoting conservation do not appear to be effective by themselves.
Consumers need to be made aware of: - correct answer ✔✔A.How water is delivered to themB.The costs
of water service
D.How they can participate in conservation efforts
M4: Some of the threats to Source Water are: - correct answer ✔✔A.Microbial contaminants, such as
viruses and bacteriaB.Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metalsC.Pesticides and herbicides
M4: Despite the potential for water, energy, and money savings, barriers that reduce or prevent the
widespread implementation of water efficient technologies include: - correct answer ✔✔B.insufficient
knowledge about the cost-effectiveness of water conservation projectsC.lack of funding to carry out
projectsD.misconceptions about the use and benefits of water-efficient technologies
M4: Estimates of water use during 2000 in the United States were: - correct answer ✔✔C.about 408
billion gallons per day
M4: Land subsidence is a gradual settling or sudden sinking of the Earth's surface owing to subsurface
movement of earth materials. Some of the principal causes are: - correct answer ✔✔A.aquifer-system
compactionB.drainage of organic soilsD.hydro-compaction
M4: With efficient irrigation schemes, water use can be reduced significantly with a few simple steps,
such as: - correct answer ✔✔A.use of moisture sensors in the soil to help prevent over-watering of
plantsB.water should only fall on landscaped areas
D.adjust water pressure to produce droplets of water rather than a fog or fine mist
M4: Acid deposition is comprised of: - correct answer ✔✔A.Sulfuric acidB.Nitric acidC.Ammonium
M5: Monitoring the energy and water use of a building is an activity that can provide assurance that the
building is working: - correct answer ✔✔A.according to its energy plan
B.at its optimal level of efficiency
M5: While wind power is a desirable renewable energy solution, it does have some drawbacks, such as: -
correct answer ✔✔A. wind towers are not always aesthetically pleasing
B.it sometimes causes added noise pollution
C.they are thought to cause the death of airborne wildlife that fly into the turbine blades
D.good harvesting sites often are found in remote locations
