Deck 24: Politics, environment, and Sustainability

Question 1

In order have legal standing,____.

A) lawyers must prove they have not received any form of compensation from the companies being sued
B) plaintiffs must demonstrate that they have no reason to be biased against the entity they are suing
C) plaintiffs must demonstrate that they have tried nonjudicial methods of remedy
D) plaintiffs must show that they have suffered health or financial losses from some alleged environmental harm
E) lawyers must file exemption papers with the court,agreeing not to pursue other,concurrent actions

Answer 1

plaintiffs must show that they have suffered health or financial losses from some alleged environmental harm

Question 2

Future reliance on energy technologies such as tar sands,shale oil,and nuclear power,would be a violation of which of the following?

A) reversibility principle
B) net energy principle
C) precautionary principle
D) prevention principle
E) humility principle

Answer 2

net energy principle

Question 3

Development of public policy follows a four-stage policy life cycle.Which of the following is the first of those stages?

A) recognition
B) simplification
C) formulation
D) implementation
E) control

Answer 3

recognition

Question 4

Which branch of government is responsible for overseeing the agencies that carry out government policies?

A) judicial
B) executive
C) legislative
D) administrative
E) military

Question 5

What is the body of statements defining what is acceptable environmental behavior for individuals and groups,according to the larger community?

A) common law
B) administrative law
C) statutory law
D) environmental law
E) civil law

Question 6

Some environmental advocates are motivated by the observation that social change requires active support by what percentage of the population?

A) 1% to 2%
B) 5% to 10%
C) 10% to 15%
D) 15% to 20%
E) 20% to 25%

Question 7

In 2008,the first college level School of Sustainability was opened at ____.

A) Berea College
B) University of Wisconsin - Madison
C) Arizona State University
D) Northland College
E) Warren Wilson College

Question 8

Motor vehicle drivers paying for the full cost of the harmful effects of fossil fuel use is the application of the ____.

A) precautionary principle
B) public access principle
C) human rights principle
D) polluter-pays principle
E) environmental justice principle

Question 9

Which of the following is an important principle of inquiry and debate in science?

A) Scientists can never establish absolute proof about anything,but rather,a high degree of certainty.
B) Scientists use backroom deals and often-changing unwritten rules to exert influence.
C) Scientists find it essential to base their arguments on facts as well as intuition and preference.
D) Scientists often test rival theories by planting disinformation as a strategic approach.
E) Scientists pick and choose facts to support their own claims with little fear of repercussion.

Question 10

What is a civil suit filed by a group,often a public interest,consumer,or environmental group,on behalf of a larger number of citizens,all of whom claim to have experienced similar damages from a product or an action,but who need not be listed and represented individually?

A) massed suit
B) joint suit
C) class action suit
D) public interest suit
E) activist suit

Question 11

The intention of most SLAPPs is to ____.

A) intimidate and discourage individuals and groups.
B) win large amounts of money.
C) establish needed regulations.
D) make a public spectacle of those who file complaints.
E) identify resources that can be used for remedies.

Question 12

Committing civilization to storing deadly radioactive wastes for up to 240,000 years is a failure of the ____.

A) humility principle
B) reversibility principle
C) precautionary principle
D) prevention principle
E) human rights principle

Question 13

Environmental scientist Norman Myers contends that lobbying helps to create subsidies that lead to environmental harms.In support of this,he notes that lobbyists spend the equivalent of how much per member of Congress per day?

A) $180
B) $1,800
C) $18,000
D) $180,000
E) $1,800,000

Question 14

In the United States,the three branches of government aim to act collectively.What is their primary goal?

A) curb rapid and destabilizing change
B) establish future priorities
C) maintain oversight regulations
D) implement detailed budgets
E) encourage free enterprise

Question 15

Which of the following is true of compensation for lawyers involved in class action suits?

A) Lawyers for the corporations being sued can deduct their fees from any award made to the plaintiffs.
B) Public interest firms can only recover their fees if authorized by Congress.
C) Public interest firms can cover their fees by using them as tax deductions.
D) Lawyers for corporations must typically sue plaintiffs to recover their fees.
E) Both public interest and corporate lawyers are compensated by public monies.

Question 16

In the United States,local and national elections are held as often as every two years.An important implication of this is that ____.

A) solutions to complex problems are often rapidly implemented after election
B) development of policies are left in the hands of experts
C) politicians spend much of their time on re-election and deal only with simple,isolated problems
D) program administrators often must operate without direction or oversight during and after election
E) resolution of difficult,high impact problems are the typical focus during and after election

Question 17

What proportion of SLAPPs are thrown out by judges?

A) 10%
B) 30%
C) 50%
D) 70%
E) 90%

Question 18

The court hearing the case may order the defendant to stop whatever action is causing concern.This is called a(n)____.

A) injunction
B) subpoena
C) ruling
D) appeal
E) preliminary decision

Question 19

Most environmental lawsuits are ____.

A) administrative suits
B) regulatory suits
C) civil suits
D) statutory suits
E) criminal suits

Question 20

History shows that significant changes to environmental policy usually come from ____.

A) grassroots levels
B) regulated industries
C) elected officials
D) appointed officials
E) environmental scientists

Question 21

The primary aim of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act is to ____.

A) set standards for pollution levels
B) require screening of new products for safety and setting standards
C) encourage resource conservation
D) set aside or protect certain species,resources,and ecosystems
E) require evaluation of the environmental impact of an activity proposed by a federal agency

Question 22

When was the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)established?

A) 1950
B) 1960
C) 1970
D) 1980
E) 1990

Question 23

What percentage of the U.S.population strongly supports environmental laws and regulations,and does not want them weakened?

A) 25%
B) 33%
C) 50%
D) 66%
E) 80%

Question 24

In 2012,economist Gernot Wagner estimated that the benefits of the U.S.Clean Air Act exceeded the costs of complying with the law by

A) 2 to 1
B) 5 to 1
C) 10 to 1
D) 20 to 1
E) 30 to 1

Question 25

When was the federal ban on chlorofluorocarbons (ozone-depleting chemicals)enacted?

A) 1964
B) 1969
C) 1974
D) 1979
E) 1984

Question 26

Which environmental NGO helped U.S.citizens organize massive opposition to a proposed government policy that would have allowed sewer operators to routinely dump virtually untreated sewage into the nation's lakes,rivers,and streams?

A) Greenpeace
B) The Audubon Society
C) Friends of the Earth
D) The Environmental Defense Fund
E) Natural Resources Defense Council

Question 27

The primary aim of the National Environmental Policy Act is to ____.

A) set standards for pollution levels
B) require screening of new products for safety and setting standards
C) encourage resource conservation
D) set aside or protect certain species,resources,and ecosystems
E) require evaluation of the environmental impact of an activity proposed by a federal agency

Question 28

When did the Superfund law establish a fund for cleaning up hazardous waste dumps while holding polluters responsible?

A) 1965
B) 1970
C) 1975
D) 1980
E) 1985

Question 29

A lawsuit filed by a corporation or developer against citizens who publicly criticize a business for an activity is called a(n)____.

A) frivolous lawsuit
B) common law suit
C) criminal suit
D) regulatory suit
E) SLAPP

Question 30

Which environmental NGO worked with a German manufacturer to build a refrigerator that does not use the potent greenhouse gases called HFCs as coolants?

A) Greenpeace
B) The Audubon Society
C) Friends of the Earth
D) The Environmental Defense Fund
E) Natural Resources Defense Council

Question 31

The National Environmental Policy Act requires that ____.

A) an environmental impact statement (EIS)must be developed for every major federal project likely to have an effect on environmental quality
B) all companies with more than 50 employees must have an environmental impact minimization policy and demonstrate its effectiveness
C) federal projects cannot cause more than minimal harm to the environment
D) companies with stringent environmental protection policies will receive substantial tax breaks
E) state and local agencies can bar federal projects if they are believed to adversely impact the environment

Question 32

What percentage of the U.S.population considers the environment to be one of the most pressing issues facing the nation?

A) less than 10%
B) 20%
C) 30%
D) 40%
E) 50%

Question 33

Denis Hayes is known for his role in the development of ____.

A) the Environmental Defense Fund
B) the Environmental Protection Agency
C) the Clean Water Act
D) Earth Day
E) Superfund legislation

Question 34

When did the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act give EPA power to manage all toxic wastes?

A) 1962
B) 1967
C) 1972
D) 1977
E) 1982

Question 35

The primary aim of the Clean Air Acts is to ____.

A) set standards for pollution levels
B) require screening of new products for safety and setting standards
C) encourage resource conservation
D) set aside or protect certain species,resources,and ecosystems
E) require evaluation of the environmental impact of an activity proposed by a federal agency

Question 36

How much of the nation's land is under the control of the federal agencies?

A) less than 5%
B) about 10%
C) about one-quarter
D) about one-third
E) nearly half

Question 37

The primary aim of the Safe Drinking Water Act is to ____.

A) set standards for pollution levels
B) require screening of new products for safety and setting standards
C) encourage resource conservation
D) set aside or protect certain species,resources,and ecosystems
E) require evaluation of the environmental impact of an activity proposed by a federal agency

Question 38

The primary aim of the Endangered Species Act is to ____.

A) set standards for pollution levels
B) require screening of new products for safety and setting standards
C) encourage resource conservation
D) set aside or protect certain species,resources,and ecosystems
E) require evaluation of the environmental impact of an activity proposed by a federal agency

Question 39

When did Congress restrict the use of lead-based paint in homes?

A) 1956
B) 1961
C) 1966
D) 1971
E) 1976

Question 40

Which statement best describes the current state of environmental laws in the United States?

A) There has been a growing effort to weaken laws designed to protect the environment since 2000.
B) Environmental laws are well accepted by most of the corporations that are regulated by them.
C) Politicians are willing to work across party lines to protect the environment even when they will not do so to address other issues.
D) There is strong support for strengthening existing laws and implementing new ones.
E) Because they has failed so often,legislative attempts to halt environmental damage have been abandoned.

Question 41

Once a law has been passed and funded,the appropriate department or agency must first develop regulations and rules for implementing it.

Question 42

In conservation land trusts,property owners agree to protect their land from development or other harmful environmental activities,often in return for tax breaks on the land's value.

Question 43

Research by Thomas Homer-Dixon,director of Canada's Trudeau Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies,has revealed a strong correlation between growing scarcities of resources and ____.

A) economic growth
B) civil unrest and violence
C) demands for increased regulation
D) high immigration rates
E) investment by foreign companies

Question 44

Polls show that more than 80% of the U.S.public strongly supports environmental laws and regulations and do not want them weakened.

Question 45

In the United States,how many citizens belong to non-governmental organizations that address environmental issues?

A) 6 million
B) 8 million
C) 10 million
D) 12 million
E) 14 million

Question 46

The opportunity to lobby elected representatives is an important right for everyone in a democracy.

Question 47

There has been almost no well-organized movement opposition to the strong environmental laws passed in the 1970s.

Question 48

Most SLAPPs are not expected to be won.

Question 49

Policy expert Lester Brown argued that security goals can be most effectively achieved by

A) investing more money in education and healthcare
B) providing for effective defense forces
C) limiting immigration
D) making environmental security a major focus of diplomacy and government policy
E) encouraging investment by foreign companies

Question 50

The global agenda for sustainable development was developed by the ____.

A) U.N.Conference on Environment and Development
B) World Conservation Union
C) Global Environment Facility
D) World Bank
E) Food and Agriculture Organization

Question 51

Which environmental NGO worked with McDonald's to redesign its packaging system to eliminate its plastic hamburger containers?

A) Greenpeace
B) The Audubon Society
C) Friends of the Earth
D) The Environmental Defense Fund
E) Natural Resources Defense Council

Question 52

Businesses facing environmental regulations often try to have people from the business appointed to high positions in the agencies regulating the business.

Question 53

How much money would be required,on an annual basis,for the world to meet basic social and health goals and to provide environmental security?

A) $125 billion
B) $245 billion
C) $500 billion
D) $750 billion
E) $1 trillion

Question 54

At the 2011 United Nations Climate Change Conference,Anjali Appadurai referred to requirements for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and pointed out that the regulations ____.

A) would adversely impact impoverished nations and should not be allowed
B) had been remarkably effective
C) favored future generations at the expense of current generations
D) were widely accepted and reasonably effective
E) had been discussed for years but were slow to progress

Question 55

Environmental lawsuits are typically easy to win.

Question 56

According to Konrad von Moltke,"There isn't a government in the world that would have done anything for the environment if it weren't for the citizen groups."

Question 57

Applying the Environmental Justice Principle would mean no group of people would bear an unfair share of environmental pollution or degradation.

Question 58

Which of the following is considered to be a success?

A) 1992 Rio Earth Summit
B) 1992 Copenhagen Ozone Protocol
C) 2012 Rio+20 Earth Summit
D) many international environmental treaties
E) many climate change conferences

Question 59

Which environmental NGO helped forge an agreement among Canadian timber companies,environmentalists,native peoples,and the provincial government of British Columbia (Canada)to protect a vast area of the Great Bear Rainforest from destructive logging?

A) Greenpeace
B) The Audubon Society
C) Friends of the Earth
D) The Environmental Defense Fund
E) Natural Resources Defense Council

Question 60

Finding ways to create more economic value with less harmful health and environmental impacts is known as ____.

A) distributive efficiency
B) eco-efficiency
C) environmental justice
D) responsible production
E) economic ecology

Question 61

Environmental scientist __________ promotes the inclusion of corporate interests in solutions to environmental problems.

Question 62

Less than ____________________% of the U.S.public considers the environment to be one of the nation's most pressing problems.

Question 63

There are currently more than 500 multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs).

Question 64

Groups that advocate passing laws favorable to their causes and repealing laws unfavorable to their positions are called ____________________.

Question 65

The Rio120 Earth Summit led to agreements that were nonbinding.

Question 66

More than ____________________% of the U.S.public strongly supports environment laws and regulations and does not want them weakened.

Question 67

Many environmental groups on college campuses have made ____________________ of their campuses,gathering data on practices affecting the environment.

Question 68

At a fundamental level,all politics is ____________________.

Question 69

____________________ is an important process,in which individuals or groups use public pressure,personal contacts,and political action to persuade legislators to vote in their favor.

Question 70

Chief executive officers of corporations have learned there is a lot of money to be made providing environmentally friendly goods and services.

Question 71

The legal concept of ____________________ occurs when people use their property in a way that causes annoyance or injury to others.

Question 72

The exact role played by a government is determined by its ____________________.

Question 73

One of our greatest challenges in creating solutions for environmental challenges is to place more emphasis on ____________________ thinking.

Question 74

The world does not possess the technology,knowledge,or financial resources to make the shift to more equitable and environmentally sustainable global and national policies.

Question 75

Decisions made by various courts make up a body of law known as ____________________.

Question 76

Common law cases may involve ____________________,in which a party causes damage by knowingly acting in an unlawful or unreasonable manner.

Question 77

The economies of all countries are supported by the earth's natural capital.

Question 78

Using government subsidies to pay for inefficient energy alternatives is a violation of the ____________________ principle.

Question 79

Environmental security is as important as military and economic security because all ____________________ are supported by the earth's natural capital.

Question 80

NGOs working together worldwide serve as an emerging citizen-based ____________________.