ENVS 1126 EXAM 1 QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
Human Development Index (HDI) - Answer- assesses the human well-being of
nations based on health, education, and basic living standards; correlates with
literacy, equality, happiness
ecosystem service - Answer- a benefit provided to humans by natural systems
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) - Answer- the value of everything produced by a
country in a year
increasing
increasing - Answer- gross domestic product overall is increasing or decreasing?
gross domestic product per capita is increasing or decreasing?
Norman Borlaug - Answer- started the green revolution, increased food production
per hectare with modern fertilizer to combat population growth
environmentalists paradox - Answer- amt of land per person has decreased but food
production per hectare has increased (due to technology aka fertilizer), so human
health and well being has improved
technological optimism - Answer- "technology can always substitute for natural
systems"
technological pessimism - Answer- "there are limits to the ability of technology to
substitute for natural systems"
teddy roosevelt - Answer- first conservationist president, also poached a rhino?
Silent Spring by Rachel Carson - Answer- book (and author) that began the modern
environmental movement; warned of the dangers of pesticides and lead to the
elimination of DDT in the US
sustainability - Answer- meeting the needs of the present without compromising the
ability of future generations to meet their own needs
science sustainability stewardship - Answer- 3 S's
sustainable development - Answer- development or progress that meets the needs
of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their
needs
development - Answer- improvement of human well-being
, environmental sustainability - Answer- developed countries are more concerned with
____________
economic development - Answer- developing countries are more concerned with
____________
economically feasible
socially desirable
ecologically viable - Answer- sustainable solutions must be:
population
economy
resource use - Answer- for a sustainable society we need stable:
scientific method - Answer- a way of gaining knowledge
empiricism - Answer- the idea that our senses represent objective reality
hypothesis - Answer- an educated guess about the cause of an observation; tested
through observation and experimentation
theory - Answer- a hypothesis that has been rigorously tested and confirmed;
logically consistent with all observations
inherent value - Answer- what has ___________ is they key question in
environmental policy
stewardship ethic - Answer- assumes that we take care and manage natural
resources not for ourselves but for everyone, including people who haven't been
born yet (inter-generational equity)
science - Answer- a method based in empiricism for learning about the natural world
stewardship - Answer- taking care of something that doesn't belong to you (like the
planet)
economics - Answer- social science that deals with the production, distribution, and
consumption of goods/services
economic systems - Answer- social and legal arrangements people construct to
satisfy their needs and wants
sanitation - Answer- example of a problem that improves with income rise
air pollution - Answer- example of a problem that gets worse then improves with
income rise
CO2 emissions - Answer- example of a problem that just gets worse with income rise
land (natural resources)
ANSWERS
Human Development Index (HDI) - Answer- assesses the human well-being of
nations based on health, education, and basic living standards; correlates with
literacy, equality, happiness
ecosystem service - Answer- a benefit provided to humans by natural systems
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) - Answer- the value of everything produced by a
country in a year
increasing
increasing - Answer- gross domestic product overall is increasing or decreasing?
gross domestic product per capita is increasing or decreasing?
Norman Borlaug - Answer- started the green revolution, increased food production
per hectare with modern fertilizer to combat population growth
environmentalists paradox - Answer- amt of land per person has decreased but food
production per hectare has increased (due to technology aka fertilizer), so human
health and well being has improved
technological optimism - Answer- "technology can always substitute for natural
systems"
technological pessimism - Answer- "there are limits to the ability of technology to
substitute for natural systems"
teddy roosevelt - Answer- first conservationist president, also poached a rhino?
Silent Spring by Rachel Carson - Answer- book (and author) that began the modern
environmental movement; warned of the dangers of pesticides and lead to the
elimination of DDT in the US
sustainability - Answer- meeting the needs of the present without compromising the
ability of future generations to meet their own needs
science sustainability stewardship - Answer- 3 S's
sustainable development - Answer- development or progress that meets the needs
of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their
needs
development - Answer- improvement of human well-being
, environmental sustainability - Answer- developed countries are more concerned with
____________
economic development - Answer- developing countries are more concerned with
____________
economically feasible
socially desirable
ecologically viable - Answer- sustainable solutions must be:
population
economy
resource use - Answer- for a sustainable society we need stable:
scientific method - Answer- a way of gaining knowledge
empiricism - Answer- the idea that our senses represent objective reality
hypothesis - Answer- an educated guess about the cause of an observation; tested
through observation and experimentation
theory - Answer- a hypothesis that has been rigorously tested and confirmed;
logically consistent with all observations
inherent value - Answer- what has ___________ is they key question in
environmental policy
stewardship ethic - Answer- assumes that we take care and manage natural
resources not for ourselves but for everyone, including people who haven't been
born yet (inter-generational equity)
science - Answer- a method based in empiricism for learning about the natural world
stewardship - Answer- taking care of something that doesn't belong to you (like the
planet)
economics - Answer- social science that deals with the production, distribution, and
consumption of goods/services
economic systems - Answer- social and legal arrangements people construct to
satisfy their needs and wants
sanitation - Answer- example of a problem that improves with income rise
air pollution - Answer- example of a problem that gets worse then improves with
income rise
CO2 emissions - Answer- example of a problem that just gets worse with income rise
land (natural resources)
