Deck 2: Ethics, Economics, and Policy: Who or What Do We Value

Question 1

If you believe that electric vehicles preserve a clean and functioning environment, to which we all have a right, and therefore you purchase an electric vehicle, your decision is based on

A) policy.
B) ethics.
C) supply and demand.
D) ecosystem services.

Answer 1

ethics.

Question 2

The idea that prisoners have rights to basic standards of treatment, regardless of their crime, is one application of

A) ecocentrism.
B) the tragedy of the commons.
C) amoral behavior.
D) deontological ethics.

Answer 2

deontological ethics.

Question 3

Many people would say that a forest has importance in and of itself, separate from the value of the lumber or other materials that could be removed. This would be considered a(n)

A) intrinsic value.
B) extrinsic value.
C) supply.
D) All of these are correct.

Answer 3

intrinsic value.

Question 4

In 2000, the United Nations established 16 principles that should guide the protection of the environment. This document is referred to as the

A) Environmental Policy Declaration.
B) Treaty for the Worl
C) Earth Charter.
D)Ecocentric Guide.

Question 5

Public health experts recommend that all children be vaccinated against a range of infectious diseases. While there may be a small number of children who have a negative side effect from the vaccine, many more will have the benefits of avoiding these painful and potentially deadly illnesses. Using these principles to guide decision making on vaccination demonstrates

A) ecocentrism.
B) utilitarianism.
C) intrinsic value.
D) deontological ethics.

Question 6

A company is preparing a report on the impact of creating a new landfill in a community, which is divided into sections assessing the various impacts. The section of the report detailing potential contamination of the drinking water, added air pollution, and other factors that will affect the residents of the community would be summarized as a view of the impact.

A) ecocentric
B) biocentric
C) anthropocentric
D) utilitarian

Question 7

A company is preparing a report on the impact of creating a new landfill in a community, which is divided into sections assessing the various impacts. The section of the report that focused on the impacts on the wildlife in the area and the loss of biodiversity of plant species and other living things would be summarized as a view of the impact.

A) ecocentric
B) biocentric
C) anthropocentric
D) utilitarian

Question 8

Which of the following would be considered part of an ecocentric view of the environment?

A) humans
B) water
C) soil
D) All of these are correct.

Question 9

One factor that would differ between a biocentric view of a lake and an ecocentric view of a lake would be the

A) fish in the lake.
B) water in the lake.
C) birds on the lake.
D) None of these are correct.

Question 10

Utilitarianism is often controversial because

A) people have different opinions on what are considered good and bad consequences.
B) most people do not care about the environment.
C) it is obvious who will benefit and what the costs will be.
D) All of these are correct.

Question 11

"Every form of life has value regardless of its worth to human beings." This statement from the Earth Charter is referencing

A) ethics.
B) intrinsic value.
C) anthropocentrism.
D)the public good

Question 12

Just as with oil, coffee is traded as a commodity on exchange markets. More than 50 countries around the world produce coffee beans, the sum production of which is considered the of coffee.

A) supply
B) demand
C) value
D) index

Question 13

Coffee buyers from four main companies are responsible for almost half of all coffee purchased on the commodity markets. The rest is purchased by smaller companies and individuals. Together, they all make up the for coffee.

A) supply
B) demand
C) value
D) index

Question 14

The commodities exchange where buyers of coffee can interact with those who have coffee for sale, can be defined as a

A) policy.
B) supply.
C) boycott.
D) market.

Question 15

The cost of solar panels has decreased dramatically in the last 10 years, going from over $8/watt to $3/watt. Based on the Jevons paradox, what would you predict should have happened to the demand for solar panels?

A) The demand should have decreased.
B) The demand should have increased
C) The demand should have stayed the same.
D)The demand should not be impacted by the price

Question 16

The exchange of goods and services can be summarized as a(n)

A) economic system.
B) anthropogenic system.
C) environmental policy.
D)public good.

Question 17

A new restaurant opens in your town, it only has seating for 10 people, and the reviews are great. Many people call and ask for a reservation, but are told there are no seats available. Soon the restaurant expands and can now seat up to 50 people, now everyone is able to be seated and there are even some empty seats on most nights. This illustrates the effect of

A) negative externalities.
B) lobbying for new policies.
C) the public good.
D)supply and demand

Question 18

Which of the following would be an externality associated with a bar allowing cigarette smoking?

A) increased lighting in the bar due to the haze of smoke
B) increased tobacco smoke inside the bar
C) a nonsmoker being exposed to second-hand tobacco smoke
D) All of these are correct.

Question 19

What is an externality associated with a company deciding to dump waste materials in a local stream to reduce costs of disposal?

A) contaminated drinking water of nearby residents
B) animals and plants being killed by the waste materials
C) damaged crops which use water from the local stream
D) All of these are correct.

Question 20

Strict limits are set on the number of cattle that can graze on public lands in the Western United States. This is done to prevent

A) the ranching companies from earning higher profits.
B) the cattle from growing too big.
C) overexploitation and resource degradation.
D) the demand from increasing.

Question 21

State and local governments often provide money for communities to create bike paths. These benefit many in the local community, but are often not developed without government help due to the high costs to private companies. Bike paths are an example of

A) public goods.
B) supply and demand
C) ecosystem services.
D) the tragedy of the commons.

Question 22

Mangroves are small shrubs and trees in intercostal regions. They protect shorelines from damaging storms, winds, waves, and floods, which have been found to be important in preventing erosion. This aspect of mangroves is considered a(n)

A) ecosystem service.
B) policy.
C) externality.
D) economic system.

Question 23

Which of the following would be considered a negative externality from coal-fired power plants?

A) increased electricity availability
B) jobs for those who mine coal
C) increased rail usage to transport coal
D) None of these are correct.

Question 24

Positive externalities and public goods are often due to the difficulty in assigning specific value.

A) undersupplied
B) oversupplied
C) absent from communities
D) easily replaced

Question 25

Governments create laws and regulations that specify the actions and behaviors of its citizens and organizations. These laws and regulations are called

A) ecosystem services.
B) public goods.
C) ethics.
D) policies.

Question 26

If an automobile manufacturer has been shown to be engaging in unethical behaviors, one way to lead to change is through a boycott. Which of the following is an example of a boycott?

A) buying a car from this manufacturer and then selling it quickly
B) refusing to purchase a car from this manufacturer and encouraging others do to the same
C) leaving negative reviews of the company on social media websites
D) refusing to ride in any cars made by that manufacturer

Question 27

What is a positive externality that results from high oil prices?

A) increased air and water pollution
B) noise pollution from heavy equipment used in oil extraction
C) innovation in oil extracting technologies
D) higher gasoline prices

Question 28

Which of the following is an example of environmental policy implemented by the U.S. government?

A) the establishment of the national parks
B) the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
C) the Clean Water Act
D) All of these are correct.

Question 29

In what ways can politics influence policy decisions?

A) Groups with common interests can support like-minded candidates for office.
B) Groups with common interests compete to get their optimal policy outcome by lobbying political figures.
C) Groups with common interests can mobilize public opinion on a topic.
D) All of these are correct.

Question 30

Issues such as climate change are too large for any single country to solve. Which of these has been an effective way to address issues such as global climate change?

A) Each individual country can decide its own actions.
B) Larger countries dictate what smaller countries will do.
C) Countries collaborate through an intergovernmental organization.
D) Issues are addressed by increasing the power of lobbyists.

Question 31

If a government wanted to increase the use of wind power by its residents, which of the following could be implemented?

A) decrease taxes on fossil fuels to reduce their costs
B) encourage use of other forms of energy, such as solar
C) apply tax credits for those who use nuclear power for electricity
D) purchase wind turbines that can be used to generate electricity

Question 32

What of the following is a role of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in regulating pollution?

A) The EPA sets minimum standards for pollutants.
B) The EPA passes legislation on drinking water standards.
C) The EPA prioritizes hazardous waste sites for cleanup.
D) All of these are correct.

Question 33

Environmental policies can include those that manage natural resources. Which of the following actions was done by the U.S. government for this purpose?

A) the establishment of pollution standards
B) designating Superfund sites
C) passing of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
D) the establishment of the first national park, Yellowstone

Question 34

Consider the following statement: all policies on environmental health are enacted by the federal government.

A) This statement is correct: states only enforce federal policies.
B) This statement is correct: states have no legal authority over their environment.
C) This statement is incorrect: states can enact and enforce more restrictive policies.
D) This statement is incorrect provided states pass policies that are less restrictive than the ones passed by the federal government.

Question 35

A state has decided to build a new interstate highway that will require the draining of a wetland. Compare how an anthropocentric and ecocentric view would differ when considering the impacts of this development.

Question 36

Battery packs that are used in electric vehicles have decreased in price, going from around $1,000 down to $200. As our efficiency in producing these battery packs has increased, driving prices lower, the Jevon paradox would predict an increase in our use of this technology. However, electric vehicles are only around 6% of all vehicle purchases. What other factors might have led to such a slow increase in electric vehicle sales? Do you think purchases of electric vehicles will increase in the future?

Question 37

In the early 1900s the wild turkey population in the United States had been reduced to less than 30,000 birds. Today, however, there are over 7 million turkeys. Based on your understanding of the tragedy of the commons, what changes could have taken place to lead to this conservation success story?

Question 38

One proposed solution to climate change is to implement a cap-and-trade system on carbon dioxide (CO₂). Explain how this system might work and how it would lead to reduced CO₂ emissions.

Question 39

A group of students at your school has decided to start a group focused on understanding how their decisions can influence environmental policy. Discuss at least two different things from Chapter 2 that your group could do to influence policy in your community.