SOPHIA PATHWAYS ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
MILESTONE 1 STUDY GUIDE 2026 QUESTIONS
WITH SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◉ 3 Main Issues studied in Enviro. Science. Answer: (1) Resource
depletion, (2) Pollution, and (3) Loss of Biodiversity.
◉ Resource depletion. Answer: Using up large portions of resources;
renewable resources (replaced quickly naturally: trees, water, air,
soil, crops), and non-renewable resources (replaced slowly :
minerals, fossil fuels).
◉ Pollution. Answer: Undesired change in air, water, or soil that
negatively affects health, survival, activities); biodegradable (broken
down by natural processes, problematic only when accumulate too
fast), and non-degradable (not broken down, or not broken down
easily).
◉ Loss of Biodiversity. Answer: Decrease in number and variety of
species in an area; unknown how current extinction rates compare
with historical rates and since all organisms are interconnected by
food webs, this may cause unforeseen problems.
, ◉ Biodiversity. Answer: The diversity of plant and animal life in a
particular habitat (or in the world as a whole).
◉ Sustainability. Answer: The condition in which humans and
environmental needs are met that help both survive in the present
and the future.
◉ Natural Resource. Answer: Materials found in nature that are used
by living things.
◉ Renewable Resource. Answer: A natural resource that can be
replaced at the same rate at which the resource is consumed.
◉ Non-renewable Resource. Answer: A resource that cannot be
reused or replaced easily.
◉ Ecological Footprint. Answer: A way of measuring how much of an
impact a person or community has on the earth.
◉ Pollution. Answer: Release of harmful materials into the
environment.
◉ Tragedy of the Commons. Answer: When everyone is responsible
for taking care of an area, no one does. "Someone else will do it",
MILESTONE 1 STUDY GUIDE 2026 QUESTIONS
WITH SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◉ 3 Main Issues studied in Enviro. Science. Answer: (1) Resource
depletion, (2) Pollution, and (3) Loss of Biodiversity.
◉ Resource depletion. Answer: Using up large portions of resources;
renewable resources (replaced quickly naturally: trees, water, air,
soil, crops), and non-renewable resources (replaced slowly :
minerals, fossil fuels).
◉ Pollution. Answer: Undesired change in air, water, or soil that
negatively affects health, survival, activities); biodegradable (broken
down by natural processes, problematic only when accumulate too
fast), and non-degradable (not broken down, or not broken down
easily).
◉ Loss of Biodiversity. Answer: Decrease in number and variety of
species in an area; unknown how current extinction rates compare
with historical rates and since all organisms are interconnected by
food webs, this may cause unforeseen problems.
, ◉ Biodiversity. Answer: The diversity of plant and animal life in a
particular habitat (or in the world as a whole).
◉ Sustainability. Answer: The condition in which humans and
environmental needs are met that help both survive in the present
and the future.
◉ Natural Resource. Answer: Materials found in nature that are used
by living things.
◉ Renewable Resource. Answer: A natural resource that can be
replaced at the same rate at which the resource is consumed.
◉ Non-renewable Resource. Answer: A resource that cannot be
reused or replaced easily.
◉ Ecological Footprint. Answer: A way of measuring how much of an
impact a person or community has on the earth.
◉ Pollution. Answer: Release of harmful materials into the
environment.
◉ Tragedy of the Commons. Answer: When everyone is responsible
for taking care of an area, no one does. "Someone else will do it",
