CHAPTER 1—ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS, THEIR CAUSES, AND
SUSTAINABILITY
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Sustainability refers to .
a. the way in which the natural world works
b. how we interact with the environment
c. human methods of coping with environmental problems
d. refusing, reducing, reusing, and recycling
e. the capacity of the earth’s natural systems to survive, flourish, and adapt
ANS: E PTS: 1
TOP: Core Case Study: A vision of a more sustainable world in 2065
KEY: Bloom's: Remember NOT: New
2. Which discipline is most associated with environmental science?
a. botany
b. political science
c. sociology
d. ecology
e. psychology
ANS: D PTS: 1 TOP: 1-1 What Are Some Principles of Sustainability?
KEY: Bloom's: Remember NOT: Modified
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
ANS: A PTS: 1 TOP: 1-1 What Are Some Principles of Sustainability?
KEY: Bloom's: Understand NOT: New
4. Using normally renewable resources faster than nature can renew them is called .
a. nutrient cycling
b. nutrient deficit
c. sustainability
d. trade-offs
e. degrading natural capital
ANS: E PTS: 1 TOP: 1-1 What Are Some Principles of Sustainability?
KEY: Bloom's: Remember
5. Solar energy is known as a(n) .
a. renewable resource
b. recyclable resource
c. inexhaustible resource
d. reusable resource
e. nonrenewable resource
ANS: C PTS: 1 TOP: 1-1 What Are Some Principles of Sustainability?
, KEY: Bloom's: Remember
6. What is one of the three social science principles of sustainability?
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
ANS: D PTS: 1 TOP: 1-1 What Are Some Principles of Sustainability?
KEY: Bloom's: Remember NOT: New
7. Topsoil is an important component of .
a. biodiversity
b. ecosystems
c. natural resources
d. win-win solutions
e. nutrient cycling
ANS: E PTS: 1 TOP: 1-1 What Are Some Principles of Sustainability?
KEY: Bloom's: Remember NOT: New
8. According to a number of environmental scientists, we already know how to reuse or recycle at least
of the nonrenewable resources we use.
a. 80%
b. 65%
c. 50%
d. 40%
e. 25%
ANS: A PTS: 1 TOP: 1-1 What Are Some Principles of Sustainability?
KEY: Bloom's: Remember NOT: New
9. What are the priorities for more sustainable use of renewable resources, in order?
a. refuse, renew, reduce, and recycle
b. recycle, renew, reuse, and reduce
c. resource, recycle, renew, and reduce
d. refuse, reduce, reuse, and recycle
e. refuse, reduce, recycle, and renew
ANS: D PTS: 1 TOP: 1-1 What Are Some Principles of Sustainability?
KEY: Bloom's: Remember NOT: New
10. More-developed countries .
a. have a lower 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
ANS: D PTS: 1 TOP: 1-1 What Are Some Principles of Sustainability?
KEY: Bloom's: Remember NOT: New
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
ANS: C PTS: 1 TOP: 1-1 What Are Some Principles of Sustainability?
KEY: Bloom's: Understand NOT: Modified
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
ANS: B PTS: 1 TOP: 1-1 What Are Some Principles of Sustainability?
KEY: Bloom's: Remember
13. Which substance would be considered a renewable resource?
a. copper
b. oil
c. fresh air
d. salt
e. sand
ANS: C PTS: 1 TOP: 1-1 What Are Some Principles of Sustainability?
KEY: Bloom's: Understand NOT: Modified
14. Which substance would be considered a nonrenewable resource?
a. groundwater
b. trees in a forest
c. fertile soil
d. oil
e. crops
ANS: D PTS: 1 TOP: 1-1 What Are Some Principles of Sustainability?
KEY: Bloom's: Understand NOT: Modified
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
ANS: C PTS: 1 TOP: 1-1 What Are Some Principles of Sustainability?
KEY: Bloom's: Understand
16. Which action is is an example of reuse?
a. re-melting aluminum cans
b. making compost out of kitchen scraps
c. using plastic butter tubs to store leftovers
d. using waste heat to warm a room
e. making paper goods from previously used paper
, ANS: C PTS: 1 TOP: 1-1 What Are Some Principles of Sustainability?
KEY: Bloom's: Apply
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
ANS: B PTS: 1 TOP: 1-1 What Are Some Principles of Sustainability?
KEY: Bloom's: Understand
18. Having tall smokestacks is a form of .
a. pollution prevention
b. pollution cleanup
c. natural capital degradation
d. ecological restoration
e. tragedy of the commons
ANS: B PTS: 1
TOP: 1-2 How Are Our Ecological Footprints Affecting the Earth?
KEY: Bloom's: Understand NOT: New
19. Which of the following illustrates natural capital degradation?
a. use of wind power
b. saving endangered species
c. cleaning up pollution
d. aquifer depletion
e. water runoff
ANS: D PTS: 1
TOP: 1-2 How Are Our Ecological Footprints Affecting the Earth?
KEY: Bloom's: Understand NOT: New
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
ANS: B PTS: 1
TOP: 1-2 How Are Our Ecological Footprints Affecting the Earth?
KEY: Bloom's: Remember NOT: New
21. An average ecological footprint of an individual in a given country or area is known as .
a. per capita gross GNP
b. ecological footprint
c. per capita GDP
d. sustainable yield
e. per capita ecological footprint
ANS: E PTS: 1
TOP: 1-2 How Are Our Ecological Footprints Affecting the Earth?
SUSTAINABILITY
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Sustainability refers to .
a. the way in which the natural world works
b. how we interact with the environment
c. human methods of coping with environmental problems
d. refusing, reducing, reusing, and recycling
e. the capacity of the earth’s natural systems to survive, flourish, and adapt
ANS: E PTS: 1
TOP: Core Case Study: A vision of a more sustainable world in 2065
KEY: Bloom's: Remember NOT: New
2. Which discipline is most associated with environmental science?
a. botany
b. political science
c. sociology
d. ecology
e. psychology
ANS: D PTS: 1 TOP: 1-1 What Are Some Principles of Sustainability?
KEY: Bloom's: Remember NOT: Modified
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
ANS: A PTS: 1 TOP: 1-1 What Are Some Principles of Sustainability?
KEY: Bloom's: Understand NOT: New
4. Using normally renewable resources faster than nature can renew them is called .
a. nutrient cycling
b. nutrient deficit
c. sustainability
d. trade-offs
e. degrading natural capital
ANS: E PTS: 1 TOP: 1-1 What Are Some Principles of Sustainability?
KEY: Bloom's: Remember
5. Solar energy is known as a(n) .
a. renewable resource
b. recyclable resource
c. inexhaustible resource
d. reusable resource
e. nonrenewable resource
ANS: C PTS: 1 TOP: 1-1 What Are Some Principles of Sustainability?
, KEY: Bloom's: Remember
6. What is one of the three social science principles of sustainability?
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
ANS: D PTS: 1 TOP: 1-1 What Are Some Principles of Sustainability?
KEY: Bloom's: Remember NOT: New
7. Topsoil is an important component of .
a. biodiversity
b. ecosystems
c. natural resources
d. win-win solutions
e. nutrient cycling
ANS: E PTS: 1 TOP: 1-1 What Are Some Principles of Sustainability?
KEY: Bloom's: Remember NOT: New
8. According to a number of environmental scientists, we already know how to reuse or recycle at least
of the nonrenewable resources we use.
a. 80%
b. 65%
c. 50%
d. 40%
e. 25%
ANS: A PTS: 1 TOP: 1-1 What Are Some Principles of Sustainability?
KEY: Bloom's: Remember NOT: New
9. What are the priorities for more sustainable use of renewable resources, in order?
a. refuse, renew, reduce, and recycle
b. recycle, renew, reuse, and reduce
c. resource, recycle, renew, and reduce
d. refuse, reduce, reuse, and recycle
e. refuse, reduce, recycle, and renew
ANS: D PTS: 1 TOP: 1-1 What Are Some Principles of Sustainability?
KEY: Bloom's: Remember NOT: New
10. More-developed countries .
a. have a lower 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
ANS: D PTS: 1 TOP: 1-1 What Are Some Principles of Sustainability?
KEY: Bloom's: Remember NOT: New
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
ANS: C PTS: 1 TOP: 1-1 What Are Some Principles of Sustainability?
KEY: Bloom's: Understand NOT: Modified
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
ANS: B PTS: 1 TOP: 1-1 What Are Some Principles of Sustainability?
KEY: Bloom's: Remember
13. Which substance would be considered a renewable resource?
a. copper
b. oil
c. fresh air
d. salt
e. sand
ANS: C PTS: 1 TOP: 1-1 What Are Some Principles of Sustainability?
KEY: Bloom's: Understand NOT: Modified
14. Which substance would be considered a nonrenewable resource?
a. groundwater
b. trees in a forest
c. fertile soil
d. oil
e. crops
ANS: D PTS: 1 TOP: 1-1 What Are Some Principles of Sustainability?
KEY: Bloom's: Understand NOT: Modified
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
ANS: C PTS: 1 TOP: 1-1 What Are Some Principles of Sustainability?
KEY: Bloom's: Understand
16. Which action is is an example of reuse?
a. re-melting aluminum cans
b. making compost out of kitchen scraps
c. using plastic butter tubs to store leftovers
d. using waste heat to warm a room
e. making paper goods from previously used paper
, ANS: C PTS: 1 TOP: 1-1 What Are Some Principles of Sustainability?
KEY: Bloom's: Apply
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
ANS: B PTS: 1 TOP: 1-1 What Are Some Principles of Sustainability?
KEY: Bloom's: Understand
18. Having tall smokestacks is a form of .
a. pollution prevention
b. pollution cleanup
c. natural capital degradation
d. ecological restoration
e. tragedy of the commons
ANS: B PTS: 1
TOP: 1-2 How Are Our Ecological Footprints Affecting the Earth?
KEY: Bloom's: Understand NOT: New
19. Which of the following illustrates natural capital degradation?
a. use of wind power
b. saving endangered species
c. cleaning up pollution
d. aquifer depletion
e. water runoff
ANS: D PTS: 1
TOP: 1-2 How Are Our Ecological Footprints Affecting the Earth?
KEY: Bloom's: Understand NOT: New
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
ANS: B PTS: 1
TOP: 1-2 How Are Our Ecological Footprints Affecting the Earth?
KEY: Bloom's: Remember NOT: New
21. An average ecological footprint of an individual in a given country or area is known as .
a. per capita gross GNP
b. ecological footprint
c. per capita GDP
d. sustainable yield
e. per capita ecological footprint
ANS: E PTS: 1
TOP: 1-2 How Are Our Ecological Footprints Affecting the Earth?
