ENVS 1500 Introduction to Environmental Studies
Study Guide, Final Exam, Fall 2023
The final exam will comprise multiple choice and short answer questions. It will be worth 100
pts. Approximately 75% of the exam will be on new material (since the last exam) and 25% will
be on material covered over the course of the semester, predominantly as repeated themes,
principles, and synthesis.You should be able to respond to each of these questions/prompts and
understand them as embedded concepts in a multiple-choice question. Consult your notes, posted
Brightspace lecture slides, and the texts/readings. We have grouped concepts by module.
Plastics and Consumption- SATURDAY
What is waste colonialism, and how does it relate to plastics?
- Waste colonialism is when waste from major developed countries, such as the U.S., ship
their waste to other, developing countries. This relates to plastics because they assume
the land of these developing countries and pollute without permission, staying in the
environment for hundreds of years.
- (l)and is a sink for pollution
What is a scalar mismatch according to Liboiron?
- According to Liboiron, a scalar mismatch relates to theories of change, and demonstrates
that humans often change their individual behavior, overestimating the scale of its impact
in comparison to infrastructural changes.
When were the only 2 times in global history that the production of new plastics decreased?
- The 2008 recession and the 1970 energy crisis.
How does plastic pollution relate to new plastic creation?
- To decrease plastic pollution, we must stop new plastic creation.
How is the UN trying to deal with plastic pollution, and what are the critiques and benefits of
this approach?
- The UN is trying to deal with plastic pollution by developing an international treaty to
present to member states by the end of 2024. They are using overlapping theories of
change with legislative policies to change infrastructures. A critique of this approach is
that the countries most affected by plastic waste were not involved in the conversation
, regarding fossil fuel subsidies and solutions. Some benefits are that since it is
international, it will have a more widespread effect than a national policy.
What are 4 types of environmental justice, and how do they relate to plastics?
- Distributive: unfair distribution of the consequences and effects of plastics, unfair
contributions to the issue of plastic pollution
- Procedural: This relates to plastics because it asks the question of whether or not
countries who have received the most plastic waste were involved in the conversations
about fossil fuel subsidies. To instigate procedural justice, countries the most
disproportionately affected by plastic pollution have veto rights on the agreement before
it is passed.
- Recognition: for this justice, countries with the largest fossil fuel subsidies must pay to
send emissaries to travel to where plastic pollution affects human health and devise
specific solutions that take into account the needs of communities.
- Restorative: The UN will shut down plastic plants in countries with them and force them
to decontaminate and restore 45% of those plants. ?????
Climate Crisis and Energy Transition- SATURDAY & SUNDAY
Explain S.J. Ray’s spheres of influence as well as the concepts of personal efficacy, agency, and
resilience.
- S.J. Ray’s spheres of influence explain the idea that we, as humans, can only do so much.
We can start by making changes in our own lives, our own sphere, then continue to
branch out into others such as our school or community. Personal efficacy is the power to
produce a desired result. Personal agency is one’s ability to act or intervene in a time of
crisis. Personal resilience is an individual’s capacity to withstand or recover from
difficulty.
Why is climate change inextricably tied to social justice?
- Climate change is inextricably tied to social justice because it impacts different groups of
people in different ways, mostly negatively impacting minority groups. Also, because of
its roots in colonialism and capitalism.
Who is Naomi Klein? What is her argument about climate change and capitalism?
- Naomi Klein is an author and activist. She wrote the article “Disaster Capitalism”,
arguing that we are in a current state of capitalism vs the planet. Despite progress being
Study Guide, Final Exam, Fall 2023
The final exam will comprise multiple choice and short answer questions. It will be worth 100
pts. Approximately 75% of the exam will be on new material (since the last exam) and 25% will
be on material covered over the course of the semester, predominantly as repeated themes,
principles, and synthesis.You should be able to respond to each of these questions/prompts and
understand them as embedded concepts in a multiple-choice question. Consult your notes, posted
Brightspace lecture slides, and the texts/readings. We have grouped concepts by module.
Plastics and Consumption- SATURDAY
What is waste colonialism, and how does it relate to plastics?
- Waste colonialism is when waste from major developed countries, such as the U.S., ship
their waste to other, developing countries. This relates to plastics because they assume
the land of these developing countries and pollute without permission, staying in the
environment for hundreds of years.
- (l)and is a sink for pollution
What is a scalar mismatch according to Liboiron?
- According to Liboiron, a scalar mismatch relates to theories of change, and demonstrates
that humans often change their individual behavior, overestimating the scale of its impact
in comparison to infrastructural changes.
When were the only 2 times in global history that the production of new plastics decreased?
- The 2008 recession and the 1970 energy crisis.
How does plastic pollution relate to new plastic creation?
- To decrease plastic pollution, we must stop new plastic creation.
How is the UN trying to deal with plastic pollution, and what are the critiques and benefits of
this approach?
- The UN is trying to deal with plastic pollution by developing an international treaty to
present to member states by the end of 2024. They are using overlapping theories of
change with legislative policies to change infrastructures. A critique of this approach is
that the countries most affected by plastic waste were not involved in the conversation
, regarding fossil fuel subsidies and solutions. Some benefits are that since it is
international, it will have a more widespread effect than a national policy.
What are 4 types of environmental justice, and how do they relate to plastics?
- Distributive: unfair distribution of the consequences and effects of plastics, unfair
contributions to the issue of plastic pollution
- Procedural: This relates to plastics because it asks the question of whether or not
countries who have received the most plastic waste were involved in the conversations
about fossil fuel subsidies. To instigate procedural justice, countries the most
disproportionately affected by plastic pollution have veto rights on the agreement before
it is passed.
- Recognition: for this justice, countries with the largest fossil fuel subsidies must pay to
send emissaries to travel to where plastic pollution affects human health and devise
specific solutions that take into account the needs of communities.
- Restorative: The UN will shut down plastic plants in countries with them and force them
to decontaminate and restore 45% of those plants. ?????
Climate Crisis and Energy Transition- SATURDAY & SUNDAY
Explain S.J. Ray’s spheres of influence as well as the concepts of personal efficacy, agency, and
resilience.
- S.J. Ray’s spheres of influence explain the idea that we, as humans, can only do so much.
We can start by making changes in our own lives, our own sphere, then continue to
branch out into others such as our school or community. Personal efficacy is the power to
produce a desired result. Personal agency is one’s ability to act or intervene in a time of
crisis. Personal resilience is an individual’s capacity to withstand or recover from
difficulty.
Why is climate change inextricably tied to social justice?
- Climate change is inextricably tied to social justice because it impacts different groups of
people in different ways, mostly negatively impacting minority groups. Also, because of
its roots in colonialism and capitalism.
Who is Naomi Klein? What is her argument about climate change and capitalism?
- Naomi Klein is an author and activist. She wrote the article “Disaster Capitalism”,
arguing that we are in a current state of capitalism vs the planet. Despite progress being
