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Essential Environment The Science Behind the Stories, 7th edition Jay H Withgott
Matthew Laposata
Chapter 1-18
Chapter 1 Science and Sustainability: An Introduction to Environmental Science
1.1 Multiple Choice Questions
Use the figure above to answer the following question(s).
1) How many citizens of Mexico does it take to equal the ecological footprint of the
average citizen of the United States?
A) They are essentially equal.
B) It takes just over two Mexican citizens to equal the ecological footprint of the average
U.S. citizen.
C) It takes just over three Mexican citizens to equal the ecological footprint of the average
U.S. citizen.
D) It takes just over eight Mexican citizens to equal the ecological footprint of the average
U.S. citizen.
E) It takes about 12 Mexican citizens to equal the ecological footprint of the average U.S.
citizen.
,Answer: C
Diff: 1
Topic/Section: 1.5 Sustainability And Our Future
Learning Outcome: 1.4
2) If everyone on the planet had an ecological footprint the size of the average citizen of
the United States, then .
A) we would have 50% more food to go around
B) we would be able to provide for everyone without much difficulty by using the 50% of
the land currently not being used for agriculture
C) we would need at least two more planet Earths to feed and support everyone
D) we could support 50% more people on our planet
E) about 50% of the people would starve
Answer: C
Diff: 2
Topic/Section: 1.5 Sustainability And Our Future
Learning Outcome: 1.4
3) The U.S. average footprint is about times larger than the average world
footprint.
A) 2
B) 2.5
C) 3
D) 5
E) 6.7
Answer: C
Diff: 3
Topic/Section: 1.5 Sustainability And Our Future
Learning Outcome: 1.4
4) The average footprint per person has increased from 2.2 to 2.6 since 2008, and the
footprints of many developing nations, such as India and China, have also increased.
This means that .
A) our collective lifestyle is even more unsustainable than before
B) our collective lifestyle is slightly more sustainable than before
C) the ability of the planet to sustain human beings has increased
D) some nations no longer have a measurable footprint
E) the populations of both India and China have decreased since 2008
Answer: A
Diff: 2
Topic/Section: 1.5 Sustainability And Our Future
Learning Outcome: 1.4
5) Geothermal energy, wind, and solar radiation are all examples of .
A) nonrenewable natural resources
B) inexhaustible renewable natural resources
,C) biotic environmental factors
D) exhaustible renewable natural resources
E) biodegradable materials
Answer: B
Diff: 2
Topic/Section: 1.1 Our Island, Earth
Learning Outcome: 1.2
6) Nonrenewable natural resources include all of the following EXCEPT:
A) coal.
B) crude oil.
C) minerals.
D) wind.
E) natural gas.
Answer: D
Diff: 1
Topic/Section: 1.1 Our Island, Earth
Learning Outcome: 1.2
7) Ecosystem services .
A) contribute to keeping ecosystems productive
B) are not necessary to sustainable systems
C) are economically valuable services provided by natural systems
D) are valuable to natural systems but not to human-created systems
E) are required to rebalance natural systems that we have disturbed
Answer: C
Diff: 1
Topic/Section: 1.1 Our Island, Earth
Learning Outcome: 1.2
8) Today (2024), there are about .
A) 5.35 billion people on Earth, the same as for the past 6 years
B) 9 billion people on Earth
C) 10 billion people on Earth
D) 8 billion people on Earth
E) 2% fewer people on Earth than in 2010
Answer: D
Diff: 1
Topic/Section: 1.1 Our Island, Earth
Learning Outcome: 1.3
9) Global population is projected to be nearly in 2050.
A) 7 billion
B) 8 billion
C) 9 billion
D) 10 billion
, E) 11 billion
Answer: D
Diff: 2
Topic/Section: 1.1 Our Island, Earth
Learning Outcome: 1.3
10) To determine your specific impacts on the environment, you can .
A) measure local air pollution and its impacts on your health
B) calculate the biodiversity of your local community
C) determine your current water pollution impact
D) calculate your ecological footprint
E) measure the volume and type of all the wastes you contribute to the municipal waste
stream
Answer: D
Diff: 1
Topic/Section: 1.1 Our Island, Earth
Learning Outcome: 1.4
11) By studying ancient civilizations, such as the Greek and Roman empires and the
Angkor civilization of Southeast Asia, historians have concluded that these
civilizations declined partly because of .
A) sustainable practices
B) overabundance of resources
C) floods
D) environmental degradation due to unsustainable use of resources
E) fires
Answer: D
Diff: 2
Topic/Section: 1.1 Our Island, Earth
Learning Outcome: 1.3
12) Solutions to environmental problems .
A) can be implemented only by scientists
B) must be designed with sustainable goals
C) must be on a local scale
D) must be short term
E) are best designed and discussed in the political arena
Answer: B
Diff: 1
Topic/Section: 1.1 Our Island, Earth
Learning Outcome: 1.10a
13) Imagine a scenario where a small island nation, heavily reliant on tourism for its
economy, faces a dilemma. The government wants to promote economic growth by
attracting more tourists, but environmentalists argue that increased tourism will
exacerbate resource consumption and ecological degradation. The government must
balance economic development with environmental sustainability. In the given
Essential Environment The Science Behind the Stories, 7th edition Jay H Withgott
Matthew Laposata
Chapter 1-18
Chapter 1 Science and Sustainability: An Introduction to Environmental Science
1.1 Multiple Choice Questions
Use the figure above to answer the following question(s).
1) How many citizens of Mexico does it take to equal the ecological footprint of the
average citizen of the United States?
A) They are essentially equal.
B) It takes just over two Mexican citizens to equal the ecological footprint of the average
U.S. citizen.
C) It takes just over three Mexican citizens to equal the ecological footprint of the average
U.S. citizen.
D) It takes just over eight Mexican citizens to equal the ecological footprint of the average
U.S. citizen.
E) It takes about 12 Mexican citizens to equal the ecological footprint of the average U.S.
citizen.
,Answer: C
Diff: 1
Topic/Section: 1.5 Sustainability And Our Future
Learning Outcome: 1.4
2) If everyone on the planet had an ecological footprint the size of the average citizen of
the United States, then .
A) we would have 50% more food to go around
B) we would be able to provide for everyone without much difficulty by using the 50% of
the land currently not being used for agriculture
C) we would need at least two more planet Earths to feed and support everyone
D) we could support 50% more people on our planet
E) about 50% of the people would starve
Answer: C
Diff: 2
Topic/Section: 1.5 Sustainability And Our Future
Learning Outcome: 1.4
3) The U.S. average footprint is about times larger than the average world
footprint.
A) 2
B) 2.5
C) 3
D) 5
E) 6.7
Answer: C
Diff: 3
Topic/Section: 1.5 Sustainability And Our Future
Learning Outcome: 1.4
4) The average footprint per person has increased from 2.2 to 2.6 since 2008, and the
footprints of many developing nations, such as India and China, have also increased.
This means that .
A) our collective lifestyle is even more unsustainable than before
B) our collective lifestyle is slightly more sustainable than before
C) the ability of the planet to sustain human beings has increased
D) some nations no longer have a measurable footprint
E) the populations of both India and China have decreased since 2008
Answer: A
Diff: 2
Topic/Section: 1.5 Sustainability And Our Future
Learning Outcome: 1.4
5) Geothermal energy, wind, and solar radiation are all examples of .
A) nonrenewable natural resources
B) inexhaustible renewable natural resources
,C) biotic environmental factors
D) exhaustible renewable natural resources
E) biodegradable materials
Answer: B
Diff: 2
Topic/Section: 1.1 Our Island, Earth
Learning Outcome: 1.2
6) Nonrenewable natural resources include all of the following EXCEPT:
A) coal.
B) crude oil.
C) minerals.
D) wind.
E) natural gas.
Answer: D
Diff: 1
Topic/Section: 1.1 Our Island, Earth
Learning Outcome: 1.2
7) Ecosystem services .
A) contribute to keeping ecosystems productive
B) are not necessary to sustainable systems
C) are economically valuable services provided by natural systems
D) are valuable to natural systems but not to human-created systems
E) are required to rebalance natural systems that we have disturbed
Answer: C
Diff: 1
Topic/Section: 1.1 Our Island, Earth
Learning Outcome: 1.2
8) Today (2024), there are about .
A) 5.35 billion people on Earth, the same as for the past 6 years
B) 9 billion people on Earth
C) 10 billion people on Earth
D) 8 billion people on Earth
E) 2% fewer people on Earth than in 2010
Answer: D
Diff: 1
Topic/Section: 1.1 Our Island, Earth
Learning Outcome: 1.3
9) Global population is projected to be nearly in 2050.
A) 7 billion
B) 8 billion
C) 9 billion
D) 10 billion
, E) 11 billion
Answer: D
Diff: 2
Topic/Section: 1.1 Our Island, Earth
Learning Outcome: 1.3
10) To determine your specific impacts on the environment, you can .
A) measure local air pollution and its impacts on your health
B) calculate the biodiversity of your local community
C) determine your current water pollution impact
D) calculate your ecological footprint
E) measure the volume and type of all the wastes you contribute to the municipal waste
stream
Answer: D
Diff: 1
Topic/Section: 1.1 Our Island, Earth
Learning Outcome: 1.4
11) By studying ancient civilizations, such as the Greek and Roman empires and the
Angkor civilization of Southeast Asia, historians have concluded that these
civilizations declined partly because of .
A) sustainable practices
B) overabundance of resources
C) floods
D) environmental degradation due to unsustainable use of resources
E) fires
Answer: D
Diff: 2
Topic/Section: 1.1 Our Island, Earth
Learning Outcome: 1.3
12) Solutions to environmental problems .
A) can be implemented only by scientists
B) must be designed with sustainable goals
C) must be on a local scale
D) must be short term
E) are best designed and discussed in the political arena
Answer: B
Diff: 1
Topic/Section: 1.1 Our Island, Earth
Learning Outcome: 1.10a
13) Imagine a scenario where a small island nation, heavily reliant on tourism for its
economy, faces a dilemma. The government wants to promote economic growth by
attracting more tourists, but environmentalists argue that increased tourism will
exacerbate resource consumption and ecological degradation. The government must
balance economic development with environmental sustainability. In the given
