EVR Ch 18 – Flashcards
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The greatest general problem with suburbs is ________.
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that they spread environmental impact over a larger area
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In developing nations, such as India and Nigeria, ________.
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rural people are moving to the cities in large numbers
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Worldwide, the fastest growing cities today are mostly ________.
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cities in developing nations, including Cairo, Egypt, and Mumbai (Bombay), India
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Around the world, most major cities are situated ________.
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along rivers, oceans, roads, or train routes
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Over the past 50 years, most U.S. citizens who could afford to do so ________.
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left the cities for the suburbs
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How does an urban growth boundary attempt to limit sprawl?
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by limiting future growth into already urbanized areas
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What is the greatest negative environmental impact that occurs when people live in suburbs instead of living in cities?
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Suburbanites take up many times as much space as city dwellers.
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Since 2009, for the first time ever, more people in the world are living in __________ areas than __________ areas.
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urban; rural
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Any consideration of the true costs of sprawl must include ________.
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increased use of fossil fuels
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Pat and Terry are considering moving from near the center of a large city into the suburbs. Which of the following discussion points is valid?
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It will be easier to have a place for a vegetable garden if they move to the suburbs.
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How do many researchers characterize sprawl?
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It is characterized as a rate of development that exceeds population growth.
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The birth of __________ initiated the phenomenon of sprawl.
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suburbs
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What are two components of sprawl?
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human population growth and per capita land consumption
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What occurs as sprawl increases in, or adjacent to, a city?
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the need for cars increases
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Then, in 2010, Metro Portland made a historic agreement between landowners and citizens which ________.
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included a regional plan to identify exactly where urban growth would be allowed
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A city planner needs to consider ________ as a first priority.
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optimal land use strategies for different areas of the city
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An urban growth boundary (UGB) is intended to ________.
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provide guidelines for city development to separate areas desired to be urban from areas desired to be rural
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One group proposes to convert the base to a new city suburb, with low-cost housing for several thousand of the current inner-city residents. A possible major problem with this might include ________.
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the lack of jobs and lack of transportation to jobs
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Members of several local environmental groups propose that nearly all of the buildings be removed and the area turned into a regional hiking and camping area, with very limited vehicle access. This will preserve the natural areas while providing recreation for the city dwellers. One issue that is raised by opponents is ________.
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will revenue generated from users pay for the changes and the maintenance of such a facility
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As an ecological resource manager, your preliminary environmental studies should include inquiry into whether ________.
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the wetlands include oyster beds and shallow estuaries that are habitats for shrimp, crabs, and fish which are supporting many local industries
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The city makes the very best choice ________.
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after holding open town hall hearings to involve all interested citizens and stakeholders
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What practice classifies areas for different types of land use?
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zoning
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What is a light rail system?
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a smaller rail system powered by electricity
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Which of the following consume the bulk of the electricity used in the United States?
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buildings
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What are green buildings?
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buildings constructed out of sustainable materials, which limit the use of energy and water, minimize health impacts, control pollution, and recycle waste
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What is the goal of "new urbanism"?
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to create functional neighborhoods in which most of a family's needs can be met close to home without the use of a car
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The operating costs for transportation ________.
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indicate that, when all operating costs are included, rail is the most sensible means of transport
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The transportation system that consumes the most energy per passenger mile is ________.
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automobile
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Curitiba, Brazil, has shown us that ________.
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an expanded bus system, affordable to all, can solve a large city's traffic congestion
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Of the following, ________ is a method that governments use to improve urban transportation.
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constructing light rail and expanded bus systems
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The original purpose of parks in eastern U.S. cities was to ________.
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provide a European style experience of the beauty and intimacy of formal landscapes
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A resource sink is ________.
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an area that produces almost none of the things that it needs
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People who live entirely within an urban environment ________.
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may become disconnected from nature and from the true costs of their needs and activities
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LEED-certified buildings could be described by all of the following, except ________.
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construction costs much less than for conventional buildings
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The ecological footprint of a large city is ________ than/as the surrounding rural area.
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much higher
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Cities and towns are __________ for resources.
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sinks
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How does the existence of densely-packed cities help preserve wilderness and rural areas?
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The fact that populations are unevenly distributed across the face of the Earth allows for areas that are basically empty to exist.
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Which of the following statements is true regarding sustainability?
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Sustainable cities tend to be livable cities that provide a good quality of life for their residents.
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From where does the food that most city-dwellers consume originate?
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farms surrounding the suburbs and from long distances away from the city
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What field of study applies the characteristics of the natural world to urban settings?
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urban ecology
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Which of the following is the town of Nipton, California currently using to generate the bulk of its renewable electricity?
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solar power
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You wish to compare various transition towns around the world. Visiting which of the following would be least likely to help you in your quest?
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China
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In addition to decreasing its dependence on fossil fuels, if Nipton wanted to become water-independent, which of the following would be most promising?
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underground lake
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Part of the reason Nipton has been able to create the infrastructure necessary for becoming energy self-sufficient is which of the following?
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The city took advantage of strong state and federal incentives.
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Your cousin is interested in learning how to use plants as a renewable energy source. Which of the following plants will she learn about in a visit to Nipton?
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eucalyptus
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Select the two best experimental designs for comparing the thermal tolerance of ants in urban areas to ants in nearby rural areas.
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- Measure the heat tolerance of many ants of the same species from a city center and from a rural area in the same region.
- Measure the heat tolerance of many ants of the same species as a function of the distance they live from a city center.
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The following graphs are possible results from Angilletta's experiment. Match each description with the appropriate graph.
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1. ants from urban locations tolerate heat MORE than ants from rural locations
2. Ants from urban locations tolerate heat SLIGHTLY MORE than ants from rural
3. SLIGHTLY LESS
4.LESS
5. little to no difference
6. FLAW
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The following graphs are possible results from your experiment. Drag the blue labels to match each description with the appropriate graph. Drag the pink labels to indicate how well each graph supports the hypothesis that natural selection results in urban ant populations with greater heat tolerance.
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the population became MORE heat tolerant over time; the hypothesis is strongly supported
slightly more; weakly supported
no change; not supported
less heat tolerant; not supported
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Arthur Nelson explains how "urban containment" planning leads to four outcomes. Which of the following is one of those outcomes?
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High-density and -intensity land uses are found in the central business district
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Randal O'Toole describes a number of problems with smart growth, the proposed remedy for urban sprawl. Which of the following statements is one of the problems he describes?
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Claims that suburbs cause obesity and crime are merely junk science.
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Both authors make claims in their essays related to urban sprawl. Identify the topic below where the authors make contradictory statements.
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Percentage of Americans who prefer single-family homes versus attached or compact forms
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The two authors have very different viewpoints in part because their underlying values are quite different. Which of the answers below identifies key values of the two authors?
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Nelson: equal housing opportunity; O'Toole: minimal government planning
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As cities continue to grow, smart growth planning is one potential tool to improve urban quality of life. Which of the environmental issues listed below is directly impacted by smart growth planning?
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Agricultural land supply
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According to the projected data, after what year will the majority of people in less developed regions be living in urban areas?
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2018
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Which of the following statements are supported by the graph? Select all that apply.
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- In 1950, urban populations in more developed regions and less developed regions were almost equal.
- In 2050, rural populations in less developed regions are projected to drop below 3 billion.
- In 2050, urban populations in less developed regions are projected to reach 5 billion.
- Rural populations are projected to drop in both more developed and less developed regions.
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Which city on the graph has both low to medium density (between 10 and 30 persons per hectare) and low carbon emissions?
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Copenhagen
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Describe the relationship between carbon emissions and urban density as shown on the graph.
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As urban density increases, per capita carbon emissions decrease.
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Compare the population densities of the most and least dense cities on the graph. What is the population ratio of the most- to least-dense cities?
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7:1
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Calculate the average population density of the cities on the graph. Does the city that has average population density also have average carbon emissions?
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No, carbon emissions are actually lower than average in the city with average density.
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You work for the city planning agency in Houston and successfully pass ordinances designed to double population density. Based on the graph, predict the approximate change in carbon emissions.
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50% decline
