Question 1

Flint, Michigan is a majority African American city dealing with contaminated water. Flint, Michigan has been pointed to as an example of

Accepted Answer

Flint, Michigan is a prime example of environmental racism, where the majority African American population has been disproportionately affected by the contamination of their water supply. This is due to systemic and institutionalized racism and neglect by those in power, as well as a lack of access to resources and a lack of representation in decision-making processes.

Question 2

During what era did the environmental movement focus on citizen participation and change at the local level?

Accepted Answer

The era in which the environmental movement focused on citizen participation and change at the local level is known as grassroots environmentalism. This era emerged in the 1960s and 1970s as people became more aware of local environmental problems and took action to address them. Grassroots environmentalism emphasized the importance of community involvement in environmental decision-making and encouraged individuals to take action in their own communities to protect the environment.

Question 3

Earth First describes itself as a global organization, but its website contains links to local chapters in Montreal, the Netherlands, and Humboldt and Santa Cruz, California. What does this suggest about the organization?

Accepted Answer

The fact that Earth First has links to local chapters suggests that it believes in grassroots environmentalism, with local organizations taking action on environmental issues specific to their area.

Question 4

What environmental activist is credited with organizing the first Earth Day?

Accepted Answer

Senator Gaylord Nelson is widely credited with organizing the first Earth Day in 1970.

Question 5

Nature writer Barry Lopez spent time with the Inuit of the Arctic and concluded that hunting societies had different attitudes about the land than industrial ones because "the focus of a hunter in a hunting society was not killing animals but attending to the myriad relationships he understood bound him into the world he occupied with them." What kind of attitude do hunting societies have?

Accepted Answer

The quote suggests that hunting societies have a different attitude towards the land, one that is more in line with the new ecological paradigm, which views humans as part of a larger ecosystem and emphasizes the importance of maintaining relationships with the natural world. Therefore, choice B is the best answer. Choices A, C, and D are not supported by the quote.

Question 6

The belief that humans will find ways to overcome any problems posed by pollution and waste is consistent with what attitude?

Accepted Answer

The belief in human exceptionalism asserts that humans have the ability to overcome any environmental challenges with their intelligence and ability to innovate. This attitude is consistent with the belief that humans will find ways to overcome problems posed by pollution and waste.

Question 7

According to the text, which of the following is one of the four major eras of environmental activism?

Accepted Answer

The conservation era is one of the four major eras of environmental activism, according to the text.

Question 8

Many parents today are worried about the bottles out of which their babies drink, because many contain plastics made with Bisphenol A (BPA). This is a compound that helps to make hard, clear, shatter-proof plastics, but it might also be a neurotoxin to which children may be especially vulnerable. Science has yet to fully explore this issue, but what era of the environmental movement does this concern MOST closely follow?

Accepted Answer

The concern about BPA in baby bottles is an issue that falls under the umbrella of the modern environmental movement, which focuses on addressing chemical pollutants and their effects on human health. This movement arose in the latter part of the 20th century, as more attention was given to the health impact of environmental degradation. The other options listed may relate to other environmental concerns but are not as closely tied to the BPA issue as the modern environmental movement.

Question 9

Why are the poor and members of ethnic and racial minorities more likely to suffer health problems that result from exposure to pollution?

Accepted Answer

Studies have shown that low-income and minority communities are disproportionately exposed to pollution due to factors such as proximity to highways, industrial facilities, and other sources of pollution. They may also live in areas with less access to green spaces and clean air.

Question 10

Environmental racism occurs when

Accepted Answer

Environmental racism occurs when environmental policies or practices negatively impact individuals or communities based on their race or ethnicity. This can include siting hazardous waste facilities in predominantly minority neighborhoods, denying access to clean water or air, or disproportionately exposing minority communities to environmental risks.

Question 11

How do people with an anthropocentric relationship with the environment perceive nature?

Accepted Answer

People with an anthropocentric relationship with the environment perceive nature as something to be conquered. This view places humans at the center of the environment and sees nature as a resource to be exploited for human benefit. It often values economic development and technological progress over long-term ecosystem health or preservation.

Question 12

Theodore Roosevelt signed legislation on July 1, 1908 that created forty-five national forests. Roosevelt was a passionate hunter and believed that all animals in America would soon be gone unless something was done to preserve some wild areas. To which era of the environmental movement does this goal belong?

Accepted Answer

This goal belongs to the conservation era of the environmental movement, which focused on the conservation and management of natural resources for future use. Roosevelt's actions, such as creating national forests, helped establish the principles of sustainable use and conservation in natural resource management.

Question 13

Factories that produce noxious levels of pollution and toxic waste dumps are often located near areas where minorities and the poor reside. Which of the following terms could be used to describe this situation?

Accepted Answer

Environmental racism refers to the practice of placing environmental hazards and pollutants near minority and low-income communities.

Question 14

The Environmental Protection Agency has a department with a mandate to work for the "fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies." What is this department MOST likely to be called based on your reading in Chapter 15?

Accepted Answer

The department described in the question is most likely the Environmental Justice Department, which focuses on ensuring fair treatment and involvement of all individuals in environmental policy, particularly those who may be disproportionately impacted by environmental issues. Choice B, the Cooperative Environmental Management Department, focuses on partnerships between various stakeholders to manage environmental resources, while Choice C, the Environmental Education Department, focuses on educating the public on environmental issues. Choice D, the Policy, Economics, and Innovation Department, focuses on developing policies and utilizing economic incentives to promote environmental protection and innovation.

Question 15

The federal government plans to store nuclear waste under a mountain in Nevada, but many people who live in Nevada are trying their best to have it housed elsewhere. This is a classic example of

Accepted Answer

This is a classic example of NIMBY, which stands for "not in my backyard." Many people who live in Nevada do not want the nuclear waste stored in their state, even though it may be necessary for the greater good.

Question 16

Which political party made social justice, community-based economics, feminism, and diversity central to its platform?

Accepted Answer

These values are central to the platform of the Green Party, which emphasizes environmentalism, grassroots democracy, and social justice. The Republican Party and Libertarian Party tend to focus more on individual liberty and limited government intervention, while the Natural Law Party promotes alternative medicine and consciousness-based education.

Question 17

What was MOST environmental activism focused on during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries?

Accepted Answer

During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, environmental activism focused primarily on the protection and conservation of wilderness areas, such as the establishment of national parks and the push to protect endangered species. Environmental justice and grassroots activism did not become major focuses until later in the twentieth century, and the concept of reducing ecological footprints was not widely recognized or prioritized during this time period.

Question 18

An environmentalist named Aldo Leopold believed that we need to develop a "land ethic" that "changes the role of Homo sapiens from conqueror of the land-community to plain member and citizen of it." What sort of attitude is Leopold trying to move our society away from?

Accepted Answer

Leopold is trying to move our society away from an anthropocentric attitude, which views humans as the central and most important element on Earth, and towards an attitude that recognizes the importance and interdependence of all elements of the land-community.

Question 19

The Environmental Defense Fund hires scientists, economists, and lawyers to lobby the government and to educate the public about the environmental consequences of modern life. They brag that they had a part in passing important elements of the Clean Air Act, California's emissions rules, and a treaty to phase out CFCs. With what era of the environmental movement is this sort of organization MOST commonly associated?

Accepted Answer

Mainstream environmentalism is characterized by organizations that work within the political system to advocate for environmental policies, often employing professionals like scientists, economists, and lawyers to influence legislation and public opinion.

Question 20

An industry dumps waste in an area adjacent to where members of racial and ethnic minorities reside. What is this practice called?

Accepted Answer

This practice is an example of environmental racism, which refers to the disproportionate impact of environmental hazards on low-income and racially marginalized communities.

Quiz 15: Populations, Cities, and the Environment