Chapter 1

Question 1

Environmental Science

Answer 1

• human interaction with natural world; study of natural world & humanities role within it
• natural world=untouched by humans
• applied goal of finding solutions to environmental problems

Question 2

Environmentalism

Answer 2

• social movement dedicated to protecting the natural world

- activism. protesting

Question 3

Natural Resources

Answer 3

things humans need; not renewable; i.e. the sun

Question 4

Renewable resources

Answer 4

can be reproduced; time scale (months/years); trees, crops

Question 5

Nonrenewable resources

Answer 5

subject to depletion; fossil fuels, gas

Question 6

Ecological footprint

Answer 6

the impact of a person or community on the environment, expressed as the amount of land required to sustain their use of natural resources

Question 7

Solutions to reduce Ecological Footprint

Answer 7

consume fewer resources, find more resources/ productive land, increase productivity of current areas, fewer people

Question 8

Scientific Process

Answer 8

• scientific method of hypothesis testing
• verb: to do science; experiments
• noun: body of knowledge

Question 9

Law

Answer 9

something observed and repeated in nature; not an attempt to explain it

Question 10

Theory

Answer 10

explanation of a law; based on lots of data and support; theory of why something is

Question 11

Paradigm Shifts

Answer 11

whole scientific community changes their opinion/way of thinking; i.e. sun is center of the universe not the Earth

Question 12

Consensus Science

Answer 12

scientists have consensus well established on things they agree on

Question 13

Frontier Science

Answer 13

cutting edge still good science; new ideas; be a little leary

Question 14

Junk Science

Answer 14

bad; usually agenda driven; i.e. oil companies do their own research and it isn’t supported by anyone else; politically or financially driven

Question 15

Anecdotal Evidence

Answer 15

very powerful stories that influence you; i.e. story about shooting on news makes you fearful but statistics don’t change; be skeptical of them

Question 16

Pseudoscience

Answer 16

appears to be scientific but it isn’t; the belief that humans are affected by stars; astrological signs; technology is a pseudoscience

Question 17

Ethics

Answer 17

the study of good and bad; right and wrong; moral principles/ values

Question 18

Ethical Standards

Answer 18

criteria that differentiate right from wrong

Question 19

Environmental Ethics

Answer 19

ethical standards to relationship between people and nonhuman entities

Question 20

Instrumental Value

Answer 20

value has means to an end; utility; i.e. trees=wood and paper

Question 21

Intrinsic value

Answer 21

value in and of itself

Question 22

Anthropocentrism

Answer 22

human-centered view of our relations with the environment

Question 23

Biocentrism

Answer 23

value to living things and the biotic relam

Question 24

Ecocentrism

Answer 24

judges actions of both living and nonliving things and their effects of the whole ecological system

Question 25

Preservation ethic

Answer 25

we should protect the natural environment in a pristine unaltered state; John Muir; set aside places and not touch them

Question 26

Conservation ethic

Answer 26

we should put natural resources to use but that we have a responsibility to manage them; Pinchot

Question 27

The Land Ethic

Answer 27

people should embrace the environment in their ethical outlook; Leopold; people and land are members of the same community and both need to be treated respectfully; humans are a part of nature not separate

Question 28

Environmental Justice

Answer 28

involves the fair and equitable treatment of all people with respect to environmental policy regardless of their race, income or ethnicity

Question 29

Sustainability

Answer 29

living within our planet's means so that the Earth can sustain life for the future

Question 30

Natural capital

Answer 30

similar to a bank account; harvesting too much=depletion of Earth's resources

Question 31

Culture

Answer 31

a way a group of people live specific to a geographic location

Question 32

Worldview

Answer 32

individualistic; effected by how you were raised, location, religion, media, politics, economics, culture

Question 33

Metaphysical issues

Answer 33

is there a truth? God, life force, spirit? good vs. evil; falls outside natural science

Question 34

Universalism

Answer 34

people believe there is a Truth/God, religion, Plato

Question 35

Relativism

Answer 35

truth depends on time and space and where you live

Question 36

Virtue ethics

Answer 36

characterizes individuals character; what you are doing in the moment

Question 37

Virtues and Vices

Answer 37

Virtues=generosity, wisdom, courage, justice, concern for environment (not a given) Vices=glutiny, pride. jealousy, greed, injustice

Question 38

Deontological (Duty) Ethics

Answer 38

- Know there is a God - duty to enrich the soul, talents; getting educated/ going to college - don't harm the body, take care of it, eat healthy, work out - duty to others, Emmanuel Kant: treat others the way you want to be treated (Golden Rule) never use others as a means to an end

Question 39

Consequentialism

Answer 39

action is morally right if the consequences are more favorable than unfavorable/the ends justify the means

Question 40

Egoism

Answer 40

consequences to YOU are more favorable than unfavorable; maintains self-moral interest motivates actions; self-interest; our own good

Question 41

Altruism

Answer 41

consequences to OTHERS are more favorable than unfavorable; some motivation for doing good is due to inherent benevolence

Question 42

Utilitarism

Answer 42

consequences are more favorable to EVERYONE

Question 43

Moral Psychology

Answer 43

psychological basis for moral judgments; what motivates us to be moral; approval from parents/ peers to avoid punishment; religion avoid guilt

Question 44

Emotion

Answer 44

go with your gut; feeling; desires (David Kume)

Question 45

Reason

Answer 45

logical; thinking things through; lists (Emmanuel Kant)

Question 46

Transcendentalism

Answer 46

experiencing nature you can experience the divine; Emerson, Thoreau, Whitman