Environment The Science Behind the Stories 4th Edition By J.K – Test Bank

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Environment: The Science Behind the Stories, 4e (Withgott) 

Chapter 6   Environmental Ethics and Economics: Values and Choices

6.1   Graph and Figure Interpretation Questions

Use Figure 6.1 to answer the following questions.

1) The intersection of the 2 lines (the middle of the “X”) on the graph represents ________.

A) the maximum price buyers will pay for goods and services

B) the minimum price buyers will pay for goods and services

C) the maximum quantity of goods and services that a company can produce

D) the minimum quantity of goods and services that a company can produce

E) market equilibrium

Answer:  E

Diff: 2

Objective:  6.3 Economic theory

2) The graph successfully illustrates ________.

A) marginal benefit and cost curves

B) the costs of resource use and pollution reduction

C) internal and external costs associated with market economies

D) how price is determined by supply and demand

E) how price falls when demand is high

Answer:  D

Diff: 1

Objective:  6.3 Economic theory

3) If a non-renewable resource such as oil suddenly became scarce while demand remained constant, the intersection of the lines on the graph would ________.

A) move up on the demand line

B) move down on demand line

C) move up on the supply line

D) move down on the supply line

E) remain unchanged

Answer:  A

Diff: 3

Objective:  6.3 Economic theory

6.2   Matching Questions

Match the following.

A) Henry David Thoreau

B) Roderick Nash

C) Robert Wilson

D) Gifford Pinchot

E) Aldo Leopold

F) Immanuel Kant

G) Jeremy Bentham

H) John Ruskin

I) John Muir

1) Californian ecocentrist and anthropocentrist who argued that we should protect America’s natural environment in its pristine, unaltered state

Diff: 1

Objective:  6.2 Evolution of environmental ethics

2) Conservationist who advocated protection of nature for its beauty and usefulness; founder of the U.S. Forest Service

Diff: 1

Objective:  6.2 Evolution of environmental ethics

3) American transcendentalist writer who viewed nature as a direct manifestation of the divine

Diff: 1

Objective:  6.2 Evolution of environmental ethics

4) Proposed the categorical imperative, which advocates treating others as you would wish to be treated

Diff: 1

Objective:  6.2 Evolution of environmental ethics

5) British utilitarian who promoted the idea that actions should maximize the overall benefit to most people

Diff: 1

Objective:  6.2 Evolution of environmental ethics

6) Forest ranger in Arizona and New Mexico in the early 1900s who advocated preservation of nature’s integrity. He wrote, 

“. . . to keep every cog and wheel is the first precaution of intelligent tinkering. . .”

Diff: 1

Objective:  6.2 Evolution of environmental ethics

Answers: 1) I  2) D  3) A  4) F  5) G  6) E

6.3   Multiple-Choice Questions

1) “If domestic fuel prices rise to $5 per gallon, conservation will increase, alternative fuels will be developed, and energy efficiency and our quality of life will improve.” This philosophy is consistent with ________ economics.

A) environmental

B) neoclassical

C) subsistence

D) social

E) cooperative

Answer:  A

Diff: 1

Objective:  6.4 Environmental and ecological economics

2) “If domestic fuel prices rise to $5 per gallon, growth will slow significantly and our quality of life will decline.” This philosophy is consistent with ________ economics.

A) environmental

B) neoclassical

C) subsistence

D) social

E) cooperative

Answer:  B

Diff: 1

Objective:  6.4 Environmental and ecological economics

3) The philosophy of classical economics developed by Adam Smith ________.

A) assures equality between rich and poor

B) proposes maintenance of economies through government restraint and regulation

C) argues that individuals acting in their own self-interest harm society

D) was adopted by the Aborigines in the Kakadu region of Australia

E) advocates laissez-faire policies that many credit for the tremendous gains in material prosperity of industrial nations

Answer:  E

Diff: 1

Objective:  6.3 Economic theory

4) Contingent valuation ________.

A) measures how much time, effort, and money people spend to travel for natural recreation

B) measures how much people would pay to restore a resource after it is damaged

C) says all individuals deserve just and equal treatment

D) says we should treat others as we wish to be treated

E) involves buying and selling “rights to pollute”

Answer:  B

Diff: 3

Objective:  6.4 Environmental and ecological economics

5) Which of the following is an assumption of neoclassical economics?

A) Growth is good.

B) Resources are finite.

C) Long-term effects and planning are important.

D) External costs and benefits are valuable.

E) All citizens deserve just and equal treatment.

Answer:  A

Diff: 3

Objective:  6.3 Economic theory

6) In general, environmentalists believe that governments should ________.

A) lower corporate taxes

B) nationalize all Earth’s natural resources

C) discourage ecolabeling

D) deregulate corporations

E) promote social and environmental justice

Answer:  E

Diff: 1

Objective:  6.4 Environmental and ecological economics

7) Which of the following includes volunteer work and damage from pollution in a country’s goods and services?

A) GDP

B) GNP

C) GAP

D) GPI

E) ATP

Answer:  D

Diff: 3

Objective:  6.3 Economic theory

8) Cassandras are ________.

A) an invasive species

B) people who believe technology will find new resources

C) people who acknowledge that Earth’s resources are finite

D) followers of Plato

E) a tribe of Australian Aborigines

Answer:  C

Diff: 1

Objective:  6.3 Economic theory

9) A(n) ________ is best defined as one who evaluates an action based on its impact on human health, economic costs and benefits, and aesthetic concerns.

A) biocentrist

B) ecocentrist

C) anthropocentrist

D) ethnocentrist

E) market economist

Answer:  C

Diff: 1

Objective:  6.1 Culture, worldview, & the environment

10) ________ believe that Earth’s natural systems generally operate in self-renewing cycles that are good models for sustainable economies.

A) Ecological economists

B) Cornucopians

C) Capitalists

D) Socialists

E) Malthusians

Answer:  A

Diff: 1

Objective:  6.5 Economic growth, health, and sustainability

11) ________ is best defined as the study of how we decide to use scarce resources in the face of demand.

A) Ecology

B) Environmental science

C) Economics

D) Ethics

E) Ethnobiology

Answer:  C

Diff: 1

Objective:  6.3 Economic theory

12)  Modern market economies generally do not address ________.

A) cost-benefit analysis

B) market value of goods

C) GDP

D) aesthetic and cultural value

E) cost of production

Answer:  D

Diff: 1

Objective:  6.3 Economic theory

13) External costs include ________.

A) raw materials

B) utilities

C) wages

D) worker’s compensation and insurance

E) environmental damage

Answer:  E

Diff: 1

Objective:  6.3 Economic theory

14) ________ believe that within a market economy, economic sustainability is achieved through reduction of growth and by more efficient resource use.

A) Ecological economists

B) Environmental economists

C) Capitalists

D) Socialists

E) Malthusians

Answer:  B

Diff: 1

Objective:  6.4 Environmental and ecological economics

15) In sustainable economies, ________.

A) slowing economic growth compromises quality of life

B) ecolabeling is standard practice

C) green taxes are abolished

D) permit trading is discouraged

E) the government provides all goods and services to citizens

Answer:  B

Diff: 1

Objective:  6.5 Economic growth, health, and sustainability

16) Aldo Leopold’s “Land Ethic” essay describes ________.

A) how American Navajos suffered from the adverse effects of uranium mining

B) how most toxic landfills are located in poorer communities

C) pesticide misuse

D) the history of the EPA

E) individuals as members of a community of interdependent parts

Answer:  E

Diff: 2

Objective:  6.2 Evolution of environmental ethics

17) ________ is best defined as the knowledge, beliefs, values, and learned ways of life shared by a group of people.

A) Niche

B) Economics

C) Worldview

D) Habitat

E) Culture

Answer:  E

Diff: 1

Objective:  6.1 Culture, worldview, & the environment

18) Who is best known as the founder of the Sierra Club?

A) Ralph Waldo Emerson

B) Aldo Leopold

C) John Ruskin

D) Walter Sierra

E) John Muir

Answer:  E

Diff: 2

Objective:  6.2 Evolution of environmental ethics

19) As the industrial revolution spread in the ________ century from ________ throughout Europe and to North America and elsewhere, it amplified human impacts on the environment.

A) 19th; Russia

B) 17th; Rome

C) 17th; Greece

D) 19th; Great Britain

E) 18th; Australia

Answer:  D

Diff: 1

Objective:  6.2 Evolution of environmental ethics

20) “Ecosystem services” include ________.

A) erosion

B) global warming

C) genetically modifying food

D) pollination of crop plants

E) creating pollution

Answer:  D

Diff: 1

Objective:  6.3 Economic theory

21) The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income, with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies are the premises of ________.

A) environmental justice

B) conservation

C) land ethics

D) socialism

E) virtue

Answer:  A

Diff: 1

Objective:  6.2 Evolution of environmental ethics

22) Which American president is famous for instituting protection of the California wilderness in the early 1900s?

A) John Quincy Adams

B) Woodrow Wilson

C) Thomas Jefferson

D) William McKinley

E) Theodore Roosevelt

Answer:  E

Diff: 1

Objective:  6.2 Evolution of environmental ethics

23) The GPI for the United States ________.

A) has increased dramatically since 1950

B) includes a positive adjustment for parenting

C) increases when resources extraction increases

D) increases when resource consumption increases

E) far exceeds that of the rest of the world

Answer:  B

Diff: 2

Objective:  6.5 Economic growth, health, and sustainability

24) GPI is an acronym for ________.

A) Gas Price Index

B) Good Parent Index

C) Genuine Progress Indicator

D) Graduated Price Indicator

E) Global Pollution Index

Answer:  C

Diff: 1

Objective:  6.5 Economic growth, health, and sustainability

25) American school of philosophy exemplified by Emerson and Whitman which saw nature as a symbol of deeper spiritual truth ________.

A) environmental justice movement

B) ecofeminism

C) pantheism

D) preservationism

E) transcendentalism

Answer:  E

Diff: 1

Objective:  6.1 Culture, worldview, & the environment

26) An example of greenwashing is ________.

A) ecolabeling

B) using biodegradable paints

C) discounting future effects

D) creating the illusion of green or sustainable practices

E) covering up environmental injustices

Answer:  D

Diff: 2

Objective:  6.2 Evolution of environmental ethics

6.4   Essay Questions

1) In 2004, the chief executive officer of the corporation holding rights to the Jabiluka ore body cancelled the company’s mining plans at Jabiluka and gave the Mirrar people veto power over future development. What factors might contribute to the future development of mining despite the officer’s 2004 pledge?

Answer:  If uranium prices rise due to political pressures or instability in the world’s oil supply, it will be more cost-effective to mine uranium. Alternatives to oil may become more attractive in this case. Political opposition to oil drilling in certain parts of the world may also be an incentive for uranium mining. Some Aboriginal groups may come to support the mine if the mining company promises jobs, income, development, and an increased standard of living. Because there was no written agreement or law preventing future mining development, it may be easier for future development to gain political support. New government officials may come to support development of nuclear power and uranium mining in the future.

Diff: 3

Objective:  6.3 Economic theory

2) Briefly explain why Aborigines opposed Jabiluka.

Answer:  Jabiluka is a proposed mining development in a remote region of Australia. Mining at Jabiluka will destroy land where Aborigines presently live and have lived for generations. Mining will damage Aboriginal hunting and gathering sites and pollute the land and water. Aborigines believe the landscape is sacred. “Dream-tracking” and “walkabouts” in nature are part of their religion and culture. Harming Earth by mining would disrupt Aboriginal traditions by destroying the land’s integrity. This would have negative social consequences because the Aboriginal people would perceive the development of the land as unjust. The Aborigines also fear the mine for health reasons. They fear that earthquakes in the region could cause leakage of mine waste. They do not want to be exposed to radiation. They fear radioactive spills and radon gas leaks, which have occurred at the nearby Ranger Mine. They also fear that mining will bring increased crime to the region.

Diff: 2

Objective:  6.1 Culture, worldview, & the environment

3) Compare and contrast the philosophies of John Muir and Gifford Pinchot.

Answer:  Both men were active in the early 1900s, and both aimed to protect North American wilderness by opposing rapid deforestation and unregulated economic land development. Muir was a preservationist who believed that nature should be protected for its own sake and that we should protect it for its inspiration and beauty. He believed nature provided spiritual renewal and met human recreational needs. As such, Muir recognized that nature met human needs (an anthropocentrist view), but he also believed that nature deserved protection for its own inherent value (an ecocentrist view). Pinchot was a conservationist who favored sustainable use of resources for the benefit of present and future generations. He was a utilitarian, which means that he believed humans should use resources in a way that provides the greatest good to the greatest number of people for the longest time. He was more anthropocentric than Muir. 

Diff: 3

Objective:  6.2 Evolution of environmental ethics

4) Describe the ways in which a nation’s attitude toward environmental issues might be shaped by economics, culture and religion, and political ideology, and laws.

Answer:  A nation’s economic situation will affect attitudes toward environmental issues. Providing food, shelter, and jobs to citizens might involve exploitation of resources. A limited supply of resources may drive prices up. A country may have to look for alternatives if demand exceeds supply and prices get too high. This may force citizens and governments to weigh, for example, the value of protecting vulnerable and valuable coastal ecosystems against the risks posed by offshore oil drilling. Economics may also dictate whether alternative environmentally friendly practices (such as recycling, solar energy, organic produce, and the like) are feasible. If a country has abundant resources, consumption may increase and waste may occur. In many places, clean water may be abundant, which could encourage misuse. A renewable resource such as water could become scarce if demand exceeds Earth’s capacity to renew it. Culture and religion can also affect attitudes toward environmental issues. Many cultural and spiritual traditions envision the global environment as creation of the divine and therefore sacred, with a divine inner presence. If a culture has certain food or shelter preferences, for instance, this may deplete particular resources (such as land for vegetation or cattle grazing, and/or forests for wood shelters and cooking). In many places, Earth may be an integral part of religion. For instance, it is important in Aboriginal culture to take long walks in natural areas for spiritual renewal. Political ideology and laws can affect attitudes toward environmental issues as well. Taxing polluting industries and subsidizing environmentally friendly industries can aid in the protection of natural resources. Subsidies for research on alternative fuels and water conservation can discourage waste of fossil fuels and water. Laws can protect natural places from development. Politicians have different views on environmental issues based their personal ethical or religious views, on political party, who lives in their districts, and what industries and resources are in their districts. Different politicians can set different policies based on these factors, which can either harm or protect the environment.

Diff: 3

Objective:  6.4 Environmental and ecological economics

5) Explain the research of Robert Costanza.

Answer:  Constanza is an environmental economist from Maryland who set out both a theoretical and practical framework to measure the value of Earth’s ecosystems. He worked with other scientists to try to quantify the costs associated with duplicating all the goods and services that nature provides. These goods and services include tangible resources such as food, clean water, and shelter, as well as intangible services such as recreational opportunities and spiritual renewal. The results of Costanza’s study, published in Nature in the 1990s, indicated that, annually, trillions of dollars would be needed to supply the goods and services that nature provides to us. The question of how to quantify these things is debatable. However, a follow-up study published in Science in 2002 similarly concluded that our natural environment is worth trillions of dollars. In conclusion, these studies show that conservation is a bargain, and nothing is worth nature’s destruction.

Diff: 2

Objective:  6.4 Environmental and ecological economics

6) Briefly discuss the connection between the values of American transcendentalists and indigenous peoples, both of which place great stress on intangible ecosystem services, and environmental economic principles.

Answer:  These two world views as well as those of others who value nature for cultural, educational, aesthetic and spiritual reasons, would certainly support valuation of these qualities, all of which are non-market, intangible ecosystem services. Their personal and cultural experience is that they are part and parcel of universal nature, without a strict demarcation between self, tribe and environment. They would want to minimize environmental impact from human development and would support a steady-state economy, where growth and productivity were in equilibrium with available energy and resources and with climate. They would favor an economic index that included environmental assessment, a GPI rather than the market economy’s GDP.

Diff: 3

Objective:  6.4 Environmental and ecological economics

7) Briefly, weigh the Cornucopian and Cassandran economic positions relative to their environmental views.

Answer:  Cornucopians such as Julian Simon feel that whenever we face an economic transition stemming from a resource which is in short supply, our innate ingenuity and innovative capacity will see us through. The means may be insights into new materials to use, recycling and reuse strategies, marketplace adjustments, or some combination of these. They point to instances in the past where just such innovation and ingenuity have gotten us past a seeming economic dead end. On the other hand, Cassandrans such as the Limits to Growth team of the 1970s observe quite rightly that earth’s resources are finite and subject to depletion (non-renewables) or severe stress (renewables). This reality, coupled with a constantly growing population, has to guide models for a sustainable economics of the future.  

Diff: 3

Objective:  6.4 Environmental and ecological economics

6.5   Scenario-Based Questions

Read the following scenario and answer the questions below.

Burning fossil fuels and their derivatives produces, among other things, harmful pollutants such as particulates, acid rain-producing sulfur and nitrogen oxides, and carbon oxides. These air pollutants threaten ecosystems all over the world, and high carbon dioxide levels contribute to global warming. Furthermore, fossils fuels have a limited supply. The market price of fossil fuels, especially crude oil, has continued to rise in recent years. Despite this, Americans continue to consume fossil fuels at alarming rates. We rely upon fossil fuels for most of our energy needs and continue to drive bigger and less fuel-efficient vehicles. At various times, the federal government has considered mandating higher fuel efficiency standards for American vehicles as a possible solution to this environmental energy crisis. Most auto manufacturers, however, are opposed to the imposition of standards.

1) Which of the following have contributed to the rapid increase in crude oil prices over the past decade?

A) decrease in demand for oil

B) increase in demand for oil

C) increase in supply of oil

D) increased availability of alternative fuels

E) higher gas taxes

Answer:  B

Diff: 2

Objective:  6.3 Economic theory

2) Why is the consumption of fossils fuels high, despite high prices?

A) no available alternatives

B) nonrenewability of fossil fuels

C) cultural preferences and resistance to change

D) political unrest in the Middle East

E) bad weather

Answer:  C

Diff: 2

Objective:  6.1 Culture, worldview, & the environment

3) Which of the following represents one possible explanation for why the federal government has not been successful at mandating higher fuel efficiency standards for American vehicles?

A) the cost-effectiveness of producing smaller vehicles

B) the cost-effectiveness of operating smaller vehicles

C) America’s dependence on oil from the Middle East

D) the demand from American consumers for larger more powerful vehicles

E) exemption of auto manufacturers from federal laws

Answer:  D

Diff: 2

Objective:  6.3 Economic theory

4) What factors might lead to more political support for higher fuel-efficiency standards?

A) higher oil prices

B) lower oil prices

C) an end to political instability in the Middle East

D) release of oil from the national petroleum reserves

E) decreased demand for oil

Answer:  A

Diff: 2

Objective:  6.3 Economic theory

5) What alternative measures might the government take to aid in the fossil fuel crisis?

A) abolish green taxes

B) reopen closed coal mines

C) drill for oil off the Florida coast

D) build more oil refineries

E) legislation to provide more funding to develop renewable energy

Answer:  E

Diff: 2

Objective:  6.5 Economic growth, health, and sustainability

6) What measures might consumers take to aid in the fossil fuel crisis?

A) lobby the government to stop industry permit trading

B) protest high taxes on fossil fuels

C) purchase only domestic fuel

D) purchase only imported fuel

E) use public transportation and demand fuel-efficient vehicles

Answer:  E

Diff: 1

Objective:  6.5 Economic growth, health, and sustainability

7) ________ would oppose fuel efficiency standards because they believe “we will find more oil” to solve the fossil fuel crisis.

A) Cassandras

B) Conservationists

C) Preservationists

D) Cornucopians

E) Transcendentalists

Answer:  D

Diff: 1

Objective:  6.2 Evolution of environmental ethics

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