Environmental Science Milestone 4,100% CORRECT

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Which of the following statements about human impact on the environment is true? • Most environmental issues are separate issues and do not affect one another. • Pesticides and fertilizer ... use permanently destroy the soil. • Urban development is less damaging to the environment than agriculture. • All environmental issues are worsened by a growing population. 2 Efforts to address the amount of water used by humans are part of the sustainability movement. Choose the item that is NOT a goal for sustaining water on Earth. • Limit the amount of available water • Find new ways to store water • Convert sea water into fresh water • Harvest rainwater 3 The largest source of global greenhouse gas emissions is electricity and heat production, followed by industry. Of the remaining sources listed below, which produces the least amount of greenhouse gases? • Water and wastewater • Forestry • Agriculture • Transportation 4 Throughout Earth’s history, there have been warmer periods and colder periods. These temperature changes have had significant impacts on the planet. Choose the statement below that best describes the difference between historical temperature changes and current temperature changes. • Historical temperature changes were abrupt while current changes have been very gradual. • In the past, temperature change was attributed to changes in the atmosphere, while today much of it is attributed to the sun’s waning energy output. • Current warming of the planet is occurring faster than any other known temperature increase. • Current temperatures have been steadily rising for the last 250 years, and, historically, temperatures both rose and fell. 5 Which of the statements about renewable and non-renewable energy sources is NOT true? • Non-renewable energy sources are mostly made of carbons. • Renewable energy is often called “green,” “clean” or “sustainable” energy. • Approximately 90% of global energy comes from renewable sources. • Non-renewable energy sources will eventually be depleted or prohibitively costly to retrieve. 6 Choose the statement that accurately describes natural gas. • Fracking has expanded access to methane that occurs naturally in underground pockets. • Use of this energy source relies upon mined minerals and heat from radioactive decay. • It is widely used to heat water boilers, the steam from which drives a turbine that produces electricity. • This liquid energy source has a number of different uses, from fuel to plastics. 7 Which of the following is an effect of smog? • Increased rates of skin cancer • Damaged soil and root systems • Increased respiratory diseases • Trapped solar radiation in the atmosphere 8 Select the energy source that is renewable. • Power plants convert coal into steam to produce electricity. • Oil is burned to produce steam that is used to generate electricity for power plants. • Atoms of uranium are split to produce nuclear energy. • Reservoirs release water to flow through pipes and spin turbines that produce electricity. 9 Jake is a newly hired office manager. One of his goals is to address environmental issues, and he immediately establishes the following office policies. Choose the one that is the least effective. • Installing new computers to increase productivity • Following the “recycle, reuse, reduce” philosophy at work and at home • Turning off all office machinery at the end of each day • Using heating and air conditioning only when people are in the office 10 The Clean Air Act of 1970 established all of the following EXCEPT a requirement that __________. • the EPA list harmful pollutants • automobile manufacturers reduce emissions • the EPA set performance standards for industrial pollution • state governments monitor air pollution levels 11 What is one of the responsibilities of the Department of Energy (DOE)? • To set and regulate standards for the amount of contaminants allowed in food • To provide ranchers and farmers with financial assistance to implement conservation strategies • To consider and regulate nuclear material as a power source • To establish allowable levels of listed air pollutants identified by the Clean Air Act 12 Although nuclear energy is not based on fossil fuels, why is it considered a non-renewable energy source? • It takes hundreds to thousands of years to break down its byproducts. • It is not a process that occurs naturally on the planet. • It is dependent on a limited, mined mineral. • It can only be used for brief periods of time without causing environmental damage. 13 Which effect of climate change will have a negative impact on human health? • Warming temperatures disrupt the growing season and crop planting. • Infectious microbes spread into places where they were previously absent. • Temperate forests experience a net loss in biodiversity. • Unexpected flooding or droughts bring new challenges to food producers. 14 Cassie pulled the boat onto the ice and adjusted its sails. Once she got started she would be able to steer, change direction and control her speed with a few twists of the ropes. Giving the boat a mighty heave across the ice, Cassie jumped in. What kind of energy will Cassie use to power the boat? • Geothermal • Hydroelectric • Wind • Solar 15 When analyzing environmental issues, scientists try to predict future states or events, which is difficult because so many factors are unknown. Nevertheless, predictions are valuable for determining and managing risk. Select the FALSE prediction for the future of the environment. • Water pollution is expected to continue to deteriorate both ocean and fresh water quality. • Global temperatures are expected to increase by up to ten degrees over the next hundred years. • Overexploitation of plants and animals will decrease as endangered species legislation is enforced. • Fewer forests will mean more greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. 16 Choose the action that is NOT associated with the sustainability movement. • A homeowner tends trees in his yard to ensure they will provide maximum benefits for future generations. • A farmer replaces aging water infrastructures on his farm to ensure long-term access to safe drinking water. • A restaurant in a large U.S. city imports truffles from France to support international trade. • A young woman finds a place to live very near to her downtown office building and walks or cycles to work each day. 17 Choose the statement below that is NOT true regarding outdoor air pollution sources in the United States. • Highway vehicles and other mobile sources contribute about 60% of national carbon monoxide emissions. • Natural sources of air pollution, such as forest fire and volcanoes, account for the majority of chlorofluorocarbon emissions. • Power plants contribute the majority of the sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere. • Approximately half of man-made air pollution emissions come from stationary sources. 18 Which statement about the Kyoto Protocol is true? • The United States signed the agreement in 1997. • The agreement set goals for emission reductions by 2012. • Each participating country has the same emission reduction target. • Since signing, global greenhouse gas emissions have decreased by 14% 19 Choose the statement about how climate change occurs that is FALSE. • Current climate change shows temperatures growing exponentially in the last hundred years. • Historical climate change has mostly been due to changes in the amount of energy from the sun. • Current climate change is mostly the result of increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. • Historical climate change was relatively slow, allowing species time to adapt. 20 What increasing greenhouse gas is of particular concern because it is so potent? • Nitrogen • Carbon dioxide • Ozone • Methane 21 The U.S. policy toward energy supply and demand has included all of the following EXCEPT __________. • seeking to increase fuel supplies • providing subsidies for oil • adopting some policies to reduce energy demands • preventing the free market from determining which energy sources to use 22 Which of the following is NOT a benefit of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)? • Business and industry are allowed to be self-regulating. • The chances that environmental damage can occur are reduced. • The public can serve as watchdogs for government actions being considered. • Decision-makers have access to relevant information before making a decision. 23 Which of the following examples describes a mobile source of air pollution? • Pollution from power plants is estimated to kill about 13,000 people in the United States each year. • Wildfires burning within 50 miles of a city cause air quality to be 10 times worse. • Emissions from the manufacturing plant in town are contributing to a number of respiratory diseases. • Freight trains release soot into the air, contaminating surrounding neighborhoods. 24 Which of the following is an involuntary environmental risk? • Patrick uses a toxic pesticide to get rid of aphids on his prized rose bushes. • A man goes swimming in contaminated water. • A building management company does not test its paint for lead. • A woman develops cancer after working in a building filled with asbestos. 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