Deck 16: Environmental Policy and Sustainability

Question 1

Rather than directly suing a company for damages, it can be more effective to sue

A) the individuals who are employed by the company.
B) the government for not enforcing laws that would have prevented the damage.
C) the government for making the laws so stringent.
D) the owners of the company.
E) None of these. It is most effective to directly sue the company.

Answer 1

the government for not enforcing laws that would have prevented the damage.

Question 2

Historically, international treaties and conventions were ________________ while more recently they are characterized by ___________________.

A) negotiated by a panel of experts and no nations participating; broad participation and increased speed in the agreements taking force
B) characterized by broad participation; a panel of experts with no participating nations
C) characterized by broad participation and increased speed in enforcement; a panel of experts with no participating nations and slow enforcement
D) characterized by increased speed in enforcement; a panel of experts with no participating nations and slow enforcement
E) negotiated by a panel of experts from nations that are participating; narrow participation and relatively slow action in the agreement taking force

Answer 2

negotiated by a panel of experts and no nations participating; broad participation and increased speed in the agreements taking force

Question 3

Civil law is to _______________ as criminal law is to crimes against the state or society.

A) legislation rulings
B) administrative actions
C) standings
D) interactions between individuals
E) precedents

Answer 3

interactions between individuals

Question 4

In a criminal case, being found guilty can result in _________________ and in a civil case being found guilty can result in _______________.

A) fines and jail sentences; only financial penalties
B) only financial penalties; fines and jail sentences
C) fines and jail sentences; fines and jail sentences
D) only financial penalties; only financial penalties
E) only jail sentences; only financial penalties

Question 5

The local high school in your hometown has a project where students are collecting water samples in collaboration with the local university. This project is an example of a(n)

A) attempt to get high school students involved in environmental careers.
B) attempt to recruit students to the university.
C) early careers project.
D) environmental literacy project.
E) citizen science project.

Question 6

After an original idea is turned into a bill, it

A) is introduced in the House and Senate.
B) needs to be sponsored by a legislator.
C) is referred to a committee.
D) undergoes subcommittee hearings.
E) needs to be marked up.

Question 7

The current legal system is to ______________ as community-based planning is to collaboration.

A) polarization
B) cooperation
C) wicked problems
D) dispute resolution
E) harmony

Question 8

As of 2007, what percentage of individuals polled were willing to make personal sacrifices to protect the environment?

A) 20%
B) 50%
C) 30%
D) 70%
E) 90%

Question 9

The case of the president of a Colorado company who was sentenced to 14 years in prison for knowingly contaminating the water table is an example of a

A) common law case.
B) tort law case.
C) statute law case.
D) administrative law case.
E) criminal law case.

Question 10

In carrying out the policy cycle, which of the following groups would probably use intensive media campaigns or even stage a protest?

A) Industry associations.
B) Labor unions.
C) Wealthy or powerful individuals.
D) Public interest groups.
E) All of these would want as much publicity as possible.

Question 11

Environmental literacy partly consists of being able to

A) read environmental science journals.
B) understand the basic principles of ecology.
C) write and publish in environmental journals.
D) carry out ecological models and experiments.
E) interpret environmental data from a citizen science project.

Question 12

Which of the environmental laws and treaties listed below is responsible for protection of endangered species?

A) Clean Water Act.
B) Marine Mammal Act.
C) CITES.
D) Pitman Robertson Act.
E) Kyoto Protocol.

Question 13

Which of the following is not an emphasis of the 1990 National Environmental Education Act?

A) The encouragement of college students to seek careers related to the environment.
B) Understanding among the general public about the relationships between humans and their environment.
C) Education to ensure that citizens are familiar with the environmental issues that they may read about in the newspaper.
D) Education to make sure that there are specialists who are able to make appropriate decisions regarding environmental issues and guide us into the twenty-first century.
E) All of these are emphasized in the 1990 National Environmental Education Act.

Question 14

Who normally identifies the problem in the policy cycle?

A) The government normally identifies issues for groups who do not recognize problems themselves.
B) The government normally identifies issues for groups who do not have a voice (such as children) in the issue.
C) The public identifies a problem and insists on help in correcting the problem.
D) Either the public or the government identifies issues, depending on the problem.
E) None of these are correct.

Question 15

The Christmas Bird Count is an example of _____________________.

A) citizen science
B) ecosystem management
C) environmental literacy
D) international treaty
E) none of these are correct

Question 16

After a problem is identified, the next step in the policy cycle is to

A) build support for the problem.
B) develop proposals.
C) set an agenda.
D) suggest changes.
E) implement policy.

Question 17

As more environment-oriented jobs become available, the number of students prepared for them is

A) staying the same.
B) increasing.
C) decreasing.
D) increasing dramatically.
E) slightly increasing.

Question 18

An environmental impact statement (EIS) is required for any significant federal action as a part of ______________________.

A) the Clean Water Act
B) the Clean Air Act
C) the Endangered Species Act
D) the National Environmental Policy Act
E) none of these are correct

Question 19

Statutory law is established by __________________.

A) the President
B) the courts
C) Congress
D) State legislatures
E) none of these are correct

Question 20

Which of the following is not a problem associated with international agreements?

A) There is no body that can legislate international environmental protection.
B) There is no body that can enforce international environmental protection.
C) The agreements must be made by unanimous consent.
D) The international court affects the sovereignty of noncompliant nations.
E) All of these are problems associated with international agreements.

Question 21

Why would the "group of 10" environmental organizations be criticized?

A) They are militant and extremist groups that lead to environmental revolutions.
B) They oppose most environmental protection.
C) They tend to compromise and cooperate with the establishment.
D) Their membership is small and they have focused and limited influence.
E) They support radical approaches in addressing environmental problems.

Question 22

The "group of 10" environmental organizations are most useful in

A) spearheading truly radical environmental change.
B) inspiring individual direct actions by all members.
C) having strong, respected, and organized influence on national environmental policy setting.
D) initiating student environmental activism on local environmental issues.
E) inspiring individual direct actions by at least half of all members.

Question 23

When an activity threatens to harm the environment or society, policy makers should consider implementing

A) the precautionary principle.
B) sustainable development.
C) smart growth policies.
D) appropriate environmental policy to address the regulation of the activity.

Question 24

The term conspicuous consumption describes

A) the habit of eating food even when you're not hungry.
B) the tendency of industry to not incorporate energy saving methods.
C) the inclination to buy things we don't need to impress others.
D) inefficient fuel use by power plants that produce less energy than they consume.
E) none of these are correct

Question 25

NEPA requires the government to take the least environmentally harmful option in any decision.

Question 26

The Koyoto Protocol is an example of an international treaty that was easily passed and has been ratified by all nations.

Question 27

CITES is an international agreement to restrict trade in hazardous chemicals.

Question 28

Which group below is most identified with direct action for environmental causes?

A) the Audubon Society
B) The Nature Conservancy
C) the Wise Use Movement
D) the Natural Resources Defense Council
E) Earth First!

Question 29

CERCLA is also known as

A) the Superfund Act.
B) the Clean Water Act.
C) the Toxic Substances Control Act.
D) the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.

Question 30

A primary goal of sustainable development is the reduction of the world's population by at least 30%.

Question 31

The first college to get all of its energy from renewable resources was________________.

A) Boston College
B) University of California at Berkeley
C) Concordia University
D) Emory University
E) College of William and Mary

Question 32

Reduction of poverty and promoting gender equality are tenants of

A) adaptive management.
B) millennium development.
C) sustainable development.
D) environmental literacy.
E) non-governmental organizations.

Question 33

The Student Environmental Acting Coalition is the largest student environmental group in North America.