Question 1

Warming that occurs because the sun's heat is trapped in the atmosphere by carbon dioxide and other gases is
A) the ozone effect.
B) the greenhouse effect.
C) the chief cause of acid rain.
D) the major cause of the "China Syndrome."

Accepted Answer

The greenhouse effect is the warming of the Earth's surface and lower atmosphere that occurs when certain gases in the Earth's atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide, trap heat that would otherwise escape into space. This has become a major concern due to the impact it is having on the Earth's climate and ecosystems. The other options listed are not correct. The ozone effect refers to the depletion of the ozone layer, which is a separate issue from global warming. Acid rain is caused by pollutants such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, not by greenhouse gases. The "China Syndrome" is a term used to describe a hypothetical nuclear reactor meltdown, and is not related to global warming.

Question 2

The Environmental Protection Agency was created to reorganize the federal bureaucracy to consolidate responsibility for all of the following except
A) water pollution.
B) air pollution.
C) solid-waste management.
D) energy efficiency.

Accepted Answer

The EPA was created in 1970 to consolidate responsibility for addressing environmental issues such as air pollution, water pollution, and solid-waste management. However, its creation was not specifically intended to address energy efficiency.

Question 3

It is accurate to state that
A) water is cleaner today than it was twenty-five years ago.
B) air is dirtier than it was twenty-five years ago.
C) the air is dirtier but water is cleaner than it was twenty-five years ago.
D) both the air and water are dirtier today than twenty-five years ago.

Accepted Answer

Improvements in water treatment and pollution control measures have generally led to cleaner water bodies compared to twenty-five years ago.

Question 4

Transportation consumes about what percent of U.S.energy consumption?
A) 10
B) 30
C) 50
D) 70

Accepted Answer

Transportation accounts for approximately 30% of total U.S. energy consumption, making it a significant sector in terms of energy use.

Question 5

The most common way to measure water pollution is the
A) use of the hydro-toxic barometer.
B) use of the safe-water-interval calculator.
C) use of biochemical oxygen demand measurements.
D) water barometer.

Accepted Answer

Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) measures the amount of oxygen needed by microorganisms to decompose organic matter in water. High levels of BOD indicate a high level of organic pollution. Thus, this method is commonly used to measure water pollution. The other options listed are not commonly used methods for measuring water pollution.

Question 6

Nuclear power plants in the U.S.cluster in
A) the Northwest.
B) the Southwest.
C) eastern states.
D) western states.

Accepted Answer

Nuclear power plants in the U.S. are predominantly located in the eastern states, with the highest concentration in Illinois, which has 11 nuclear power plants. Other eastern states with multiple plants include Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Ohio. The western states have fewer nuclear power plants, with California being the only state in the western United States with multiple plants.

Question 7

An "externality" occurs when
A) environmentalists protest.
B) pollution is controlled by bringing in outside people and technology.
C) a firm imposes unwanted costs on others.
D) the economy is weak.

Accepted Answer

An externality refers to the cost or benefit that affects a third party who did not choose to incur the cost or benefit. In the context of business, this often refers to negative externalities, such as pollution and noise, which impose unwanted costs on individuals and society. This can lead to market failure if the true costs of production are not reflected in the market price of goods and services.

Question 8

theory requires that environmental policies be evaluated in terms of their net benefits to society.
A) Elite
B) Group
C) Public-choice
D) Institutional

Accepted Answer

The statement that environmental policies should be evaluated in terms of their net benefits to society reflects the principles of public-choice theory, which emphasizes the importance of analyzing how policies affect individuals and interest groups in society, and whether they generate more benefits than costs. In contrast, the other theories listed (elite, group, and institutional) may focus on different aspects of policy making, such as the role of powerful actors, the dynamics of interest group competition, or the impact of formal institutions and rules.

Question 9

Which of these is NOT a common method for disposing of solid wastes?
A) landfills
B) incineration
C) recycling
D) reduction

Accepted Answer

Reduction is not a common method for disposing of solid wastes. Reduction refers to reducing the amount of waste generated, rather than disposing of existing waste. The three common methods for disposing of solid waste are landfills, incineration, and recycling.

Question 10

The cleanest form of energy production is
A) electric power.
B) electric-gas hybrid engines.
C) nuclear power.
D) clean-burning methanol and ethanol.

Accepted Answer

Nuclear power is considered the cleanest form of energy production among the options given because it produces electricity without emitting greenhouse gases during operation.

Question 11

About
A) 10 percent
B) 20 percent
C) 30 percent
D) 40 percent

Accepted Answer

The answer of About
A) 10 percent
B) 20 percent
C) 30 percent
D)...

Question 12

Most of our electricity is generated using
A) oil.
B) nuclear fuel.
C) natural gas.
D) coal.

Accepted Answer

Most of our electricity is generated using coal. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), in 2019, about 62% of electricity generation in the U.S. was from fossil fuels, with coal being the largest source at about 23%.

Question 13

The Cancun Conference established the
A) first international standards for reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
B) UN Panel on Climate Change.
C) Green Climate Fund.
D) World Bank.

Accepted Answer

The Cancun Conference established the Green Climate Fund, which aims to help developing countries in their efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change. While the conference did discuss emissions reduction goals and the UN Panel on Climate Change was already established before Cancun, neither of these were established at the conference itself. The World Bank was also not established at the conference.

Question 14

The Kyoto Protocol, unlike the Rio Treaty it amended, called for
A) legally binding limits on emissions.
B) increased use of nuclear energy.
C) remedies to address global warming.
D) international cooperation.

Accepted Answer

The Kyoto Protocol called for legally binding limits on emissions, requiring participating countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by a certain percentage below their 1990 levels.

Question 15

The Rio Treaty
A) allows for increased emissions for the United States.
B) was never ratified by the United States.
C) was ratified but only after a long fight in Congress.
D) did not enjoy the support of the Clinton-Gore administration.

Accepted Answer

The Rio Treaty, also known as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, was ratified by the United States in 1992. However, it is important to note that the treaty was never ratified by the United States Senate, causing the country to be only a signatory party and not a full participant in the treaty.

Question 16

In the cap and trade program, industries would trade
A) emission allowances.
B) tax penalties.
C) facilities.
D) labor forces

Accepted Answer

In the cap and trade program, industries are allocated a certain amount of emission allowances. If they emit less than their allowance, they can sell their extra allowances to other industries that emit more than their allowance. This system creates a market where emissions can be traded, and industries are incentivized to reduce their emissions to maximize their profits. The program does not involve trading tax penalties, facilities, or labor forces.

Question 17

Pollution is a type of externality.

Accepted Answer

Pollution is a type of externality because it is a cost or benefit that affects a third party not involved in the production or consumption of a good or service. The negative impact of pollution on the environment and public health is an example of a negative externality.

Question 18

The federal agency that has the authority to protect endangered species is the
A) U.S. Endangered Species Agency.
B) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
C) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
D) Council on Environmental Quality.

Accepted Answer

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the federal agency responsible for protecting endangered species through the Endangered Species Act. The EPA is responsible for protecting the environment, but does not have authority over endangered species specifically. The Council on Environmental Quality advises the President and does not have direct authority over protecting wildlife. The U.S. Endangered Species Agency is not a real agency.

Question 19

The most important source of air pollutants is
A) oil refining.
B) manufacturers of paper products.
C) the electrical power companies.
D) motor vehicles.

Accepted Answer

Motor vehicles are the largest source of air pollutants, with the burning of fossil fuels in engines contributing to the release of harmful pollutants. Oil refineries and electrical power companies are also significant sources, but motor vehicle emissions have a greater impact on local air quality. Manufacturers of paper products are not a major source of air pollutants.

Question 20

The Comprehensive Environmental Response Act of 1980 targets what kind of environmental hazards?
A) old sites
B) nuclear waste
C) water pollution
D) carbon dioxide emissions

Accepted Answer

The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA), commonly known as Superfund, primarily targets the cleanup of hazardous waste sites, including old industrial facilities, landfills, and other abandoned sites contaminated with hazardous substances.

Quiz 13: Energy and the Environment

Warming that occurs because the sun's heat is trapped in the atmosphere by carbon dioxide and other gases is

The Environmental Protection Agency was created to reorganize the federal bureaucracy to consolidate responsibility for all of the following except

It is accurate to state that

Transportation consumes about what percent of U.S.energy consumption?

The most common way to measure water pollution is the

Nuclear power plants in the U.S.cluster in

An "externality" occurs when

theory requires that environmental policies be evaluated in terms of their net benefits to society.

Which of these is NOT a common method for disposing of solid wastes?

The cleanest form of energy production is

About

Most of our electricity is generated using

The Cancun Conference established the

The Kyoto Protocol, unlike the Rio Treaty it amended, called for

The Rio Treaty

In the cap and trade program, industries would trade

Pollution is a type of externality.

The federal agency that has the authority to protect endangered species is the

The most important source of air pollutants is

The Comprehensive Environmental Response Act of 1980 targets what kind of environmental hazards?