Environmental Studies Ch. 2 Study Guide

Define the term Economics.

The study of how resources are converted into products and services are distributed and used.

What is a centrally planned economy?

A system where a central government authority makes all decisions about what to produce, how much to produce, and how goods and services are distributed.

What is a free market economy?

A system where prices, production, and wages are determined about by the forces of supply and demand rather than by government control or central planning.

What is a mixed economy?

Private businesses make most decisions about production, prices, and sales, while the government steps in to regulate industries, protect consumers, and provide public services.

What is it called when supply and demand are equal?

Market Equilibrium

Define Mark Equalibrium.

When the amount of consumers that want to buy matches the amount produces want to sell.

Define cost-benefit analysis.

A method in which decision-makers what will be sacrificed and gained by taking a specific action.

What do economics depend on to produce products?

Land, Labor, Capital, & Entrepreneurship

What are the 4 assumptions in economics that have led to negative outcomes for the environment?

Infinite Resources, Externalizing Costs, Endless Growth, & Discounting the Future

Define Environmental economics.

The study of economic impact of environmental policies and the efficient allocation of natural resources.

Define ecolabeling.

A method of environmental performance certification and labeling that identifies products or services proven to be environmentally preferable within a specific category.

Define green washing.

Marketing that makes companies look more climate-friendly than they really are.

What are the seven ways you can identify green washing?

False Claims or Vague Language, Images of Nature or Green “Buzz Words”, Hiding Information, Look out for Carbon Offsetting, Check company ownership, Eco-friendly products in a wider range, & Is the product and its packaging recyclable?

What is environmental policy?

General plans and principles that address interactions between humans and the environment.

What was the first period of historical environmental policy about?

It dealt with management of public land and accompanied Westward expansion of nation.

What was the second period of historical environmental policy about?

It was when the West became more populated at the expense of natural resources that were overused or exploited. It aimed to reduce environmental problems with expansion. Policies of this time led to the national forest system, national wildlife refuge system, and national park system.

What was the third period of historical environmental policy about?

America driven by technology, heavy industry, and intensive consumption. Americans living in dirtier conditions with polluted water & air. It was also a time where environmental awareness was triggered by Silent Spring and Cuyahoga river fires through the area.

What did the land ordinance of 1785 give federal government the right to?

To manage unsettled lands

Describe the Homestead Act of 1862.

After living on public land for five years, Citizens could obtain 160 acres of it at a fee of $16.

What did the General Mining Law allow for?

Mining to occur subject to local customs with no government oversight.

When was the National Park Service established?

In 1916

Describe the Emergency Conversation Work Act.

Allowed unemployed men jobs planting trees, fighting soil erosion, and improving wildlife habitats throughout the country.

What was the importance of the book “Silent Spring”?

It let the public know of the negative ecological and health effects of industrial chemicals and pesticides.

What did the National Environmental Policy Act declare for?

The government, in cooperation with the state and local governments and the public, would act “to create and maintain conditions under which man and nature can exist in productive harmony.”

What year was Earth Day established?

In 1970

Describe the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency).

Responsible for conducting and evaluating research, monitoring environmental quality, and setting enforcing standards for population levels. It also educates the public and assist states in meeting federal standards.

What does the Clean Water Act regulate?

The discharge of of wastes especially from industry, into rivers and streams.

What is the United Nations?

Promotes research and programs that provide information to international policymakers.

What is the European Union?

Makes current environmental data and analyses available to policymakers in member nations.

What is the World Trade Organization?

Imposes financial penalties on member nations that do not comply with its directives.

What is the World Bank?

Funds projects such as dams and irrigation systems.

Describe the Command-and-control approach.

A government body can set rules and threaten punishment for violations of those rules.

Describe the Cap-and-Trade approach.

A system that the U.S. government uses to determine an acceptable amount of a specific pollutant and then assigns a fraction of that amount to industrial sources of the pollutant.

What is subsidy?

A grant of cash or public resource that is intended to encourage a particular activity or lower the price of a product.

What is a green tax?

A tax imposed on companies that participate in activities or produce that are harmful to the environment.

What are the 6 steps in the environmental policy process?

Identify the problem, Identify causes, Envision solution, Get organized, Gain access, and Help a solution become policy

Define lobbying.

Efforts to influence an elected official into supporting a specific interest.

Describe what a transboundary problem is. Give examples.

It is environmental issues that involve more than one country, such as polluted rivers, air pollution, and migrating animals.