ENV SCI CH13 – Flashcards

1. "Waste stream" is a term describing A. the steady production of all waste products that humans produce. B. the process of eliminating domestic and commercial waste. C. the production of solid waste, specifically. D. the intermittent production of particular wastes. E. the production of liquid waste, specifically.

2. In the United States about two-thirds of a ton of waste is generated for each person (including children). Compared to the United States, Japan and Europe generate about half that amount. One of the factors that probably does not contribute to this difference is A. the United States collection and dumping processes mix and crush everything together so separation is not possible. B. the fact that Japan is an island with limited space. C. the high rate of recycling in Japan. D. that people in the United States have a higher standard of living than Japan and Europe. E. All of these probably contribute to the difference in the waste stream.

3. In recent decades, unregulated open dumps have ____________ in developing countries. A. nearly disappeared B. mostly become regulated C. remained the primary disposal method D. been replaced by incineration and methane generation E. been replaced by sanitary landfills

4. Landfills differ from open dumps in that A. landfills are smaller. B. dumps are cleaner and smell less. C. landfilled waste is compacted and covered. D. landfills are cheaper to operate. E. Landfills and dumps are the same thing.

5. Choosing the site of a landfill depends on A. local topography and drainage patterns. B. proximity to aquifer recharge zones. C. neighborhood and community attitudes. D. permeability of underlying rock formations. E. All of these are correct.

6. In the case of sanitary landfills, the cost of disposing of wastes is _____ as technology provides safer alternatives. A. slowly increasing B. slowly decreasing C. staying relatively stable D. sharply increasing E. sharply decreasing

7. The main method for disposing of municipal wastes in the United States is ___________ while _____ is the main method in Japan. A. incineration; recycling B. recycling; landfilling C. landfilling; recycling D. landfilling; incineration E. recycling; incineration

8. Using a refillable beverage container (returnable bottles) would be an example of __________ materials. A. reusing B. recycling C. reducing D. redefining E. None of these are correct.

9. Recycling, in terms of solid waste management, means A. reusing materials. B. melting or shredding to make new products. C. keeping intact but putting to a new use. D. using less of the material in production of a product. E. All of these are correct.

10. Urban curbside recycling costs cities A. a great deal, but citizens approve the expense anyway. B. nothing at all because the materials pay for expenses. C. more than any other disposal method. D. far less than landfilling or incinerating. E. nothing, in fact, all cities make money with recycling.

11. Recycling aluminum is most important for A. saving raw materials (the ore). B. saving energy. C. saving landfill space. D. reducing pollutants in the air and water. E. All of these are correct.

12. Composting is a waste disposal method that A. is useful only for single households. B. is technologically complex. C. vastly reduces total waste volumes. D. is more environmentally costly than landfilling. E. is not realistic for college students.

13. Individual efforts to reduce the volume of the waste stream A. have enormous cumulative effects. B. are fairly useful because it demonstrates to corporations that we care. C. have some effects, but we need to target industries to reduce their waste stream instead. D. have little effect but make people feel better. E. matter very little.

14. The most often overlooked of the "three Rs" is A. recycle. B. reuse. C. release. D. redefine. E. reduce.

15. Which of the following actions would probably encourage efficiency and recycling programs? A. Discontinue energy and water subsidies to industries when they are processing raw materials. B. Discontinue subsidies that favor the extraction of raw materials. C. Consumers asking for and buying products made from recycled products. D. All of these are correct. E. Discontinue subsidies that favor the extraction of raw materials and consumers asking for and buying products made from recycled products are correct because industries do not receive water and energy subsidies.

16. Hazardous waste is anything that A. causes human health threats. B. severely contaminates the environment. C. is toxic, carcinogenic, mutagenic, corrosive, or explosive. D. has the potential of causing health problems. E. All of these are correct.

17. The National Priority List is a list of sites that A. we currently have money to deal with. B. deserve research for possible cleanup. C. will probably never be cleaned up. D. seriously require cleanup to prevent further environmental and health damage. E. are especially vulnerable to hazardous wastes (e.g., aquifer recharge zones) and are not available for future building permits.

18. The questions of ____ and _________ are among the biggest problems in cleaning up hazardous waste sites. A. liability; degree of purity required B. appropriate technology; location C. appropriate technology; liability D. degree of purity required; appropriate technology E. location; cost

19. Toxic landfills are frequently located in ________ areas. A. wilderness B. urban C. rural D. nonpopulated E. suburban

20. Illegal dumping and storage of hazardous waste A. continues to threaten public health. B. has completely stopped since the Superfund Act. C. has not stopped completely but is rare. D. has become a problem mainly since the Superfund Act. E. will always be present because people are not concerned about toxic wastes.

21. Chemical processing is a way of __________ hazardous waste for safe disposal. A. reducing the volume of B. neutralizing C. incinerating D. filtering and precipitating E. acidifying

22. Biological treatments of hazardous waste involve ___________ hazardous substances. A. using bacteria to absorb and detoxify B. the genetic alteration of species suffering from C. using microorganisms to disperse D. special organic chemical processing of E. None of these are correct.

23. Secure landfills are those that A. have no groundwater below them. B. accept no toxic substances. C. are built like a bathtub with a lid. D. are sealed entirely with durable plastic. E. are sealed entirely with concrete.

True/False 24. Secure landfills are usually sealed with gravel.

25. In terms of cost and safety, one of the best ways to manage hazardous waste is to produce less hazardous waste.

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 Correct Answer: criminal law case. Question 2 0 out of 0.5 points The first college to get all of its energy from renewable resources was ________________. Answer Correct Answer: Concordia University Question 3 0.5 out of 0.5 points The term conspicuous consumption describes Answer Correct Answer: the inclination to buy things we don't need to impress others. Question 4 0 out of 0.5 points Which group below is most identified with direct action for environmental causes? Answer Correct Answer: Earth First! Question 5 0 out of 0.5 points Reduction of poverty and promoting gender equality are tenants of Answer Correct Answer: millennium development. Question 6 0.5 out of 0.5 points Which of the environmental laws and treaties listed below is responsible for protection of endangered species? Answer Correct Answer: CITES. Question 7 0 out of 0.5 points 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) Answer Correct Answer: citizen science project. Question 8 0 out of 0.5 points Environmental literacy partly consists of being able to Answer Correct Answer: understand the basic principles of ecology. Question 9 0.5 out of 0.5 points An environmental impact statement (EIS) is required for any significant federal action as a part of ______________________. Answer Correct Answer: the National Environmental Policy Act Question 10 0 out of 0.5 points Rather than directly suing a company for damages, it can be more effective to sue Answer Correct Answer: the government for not enforcing laws that would have prevented the damage. Question 11 0.5 out of 0.5 points As of 2007, what percentage of individuals polled were willing to make personal sacrifices to protect the environment? Answer Correct Answer: 30% Question 12 0 out of 0.5 points As more environment-oriented jobs become available, the number of students prepared for them is Answer Correct Answer: decreasing. Question 13 0.5 out of 0.5 points Statutory law is established by __________________. Answer Correct Answer: Congress Question 14 0 out of 0.5 points Which of the following is not a problem associated with international agreements? Answer. Correct Answer: The international court affects the sovereignty of noncompliant nations. Question 15 0 out of 0.5 points After a problem is identified, the next step in the policy cycle is to Answer Correct Answer: set an agenda. Question 16 0 out of 0.5 points The Christmas Bird Count is an example of _____________________. Answer Correct Answer: citizen science Question 17 0 out of 0.5 points After an original idea is turned into a bill, it Answer Correct Answer: needs to be sponsored by a legislator. Question 18 0.5 out of 0.5 points In a criminal case, being found guilty can result in _________________ and in a civil case being found guilty can result in _______________. Answer Correct Answer: fines and jail sentences; only financial penalties Question 19 0 out of 0.5 points Historically, international treaties and conventions were ________________ while more recently they are characterized by ___________________. Answer Correct Answer: negotiated by a panel of experts and no nations participating; broad participation and increased speed in the agreements taking force Question 20 0 out of 0.5 points In carrying out the policy cycle, which of the following groups would probably use intensive media campaigns or even stage a protest? Answer Correct Answer: public interest groups