Envirothon current topic

ad hominem

Attacking the person making an argument rather than the argument itself (e.g., calling an environmentalist "brainwashed" rather than addressing their data).

appeal to tradition

occurs when a belief or action is claimed to be correct or superior solely because it has "always been done that way"

appeal to authority

Citing a non-expert or biased source to support a scientific claim.

appeal to emotion

occurs when someone uses emotional manipulation—such as fear, pity, joy, or rage—to win an argument, rather than presenting factual evidence. It substitutes logical reasoning with feelings, making it a common tactic in advertising, politics, and daily persuasion to obscure lack of evidence.

appeal to ignorance

a logical fallacy claiming a statement is true simply because it hasn't been proven false, or false because it hasn't been proven true

argumentum ad populum

a fallacious argument concluding that a proposition is true, good, or right simply because many or most people believe it

argument from personal incredulity

a logical fallacy where a person concludes that because they find a concept difficult to understand or believe, it must be false. It is an informal fallacy that wrongly equates personal lack of understanding with evidence of impossibility, often disregarding established

association fallacy

an informal logical error where someone wrongly assumes that because two things share a similarity or connection, they must be alike in other, unrelated ways. Often used to discredit, this "guilt by association" fallacy links a person or idea to a demonized group to shift focus from merit to reputation.

cherry picking

the logical fallacy of selectively presenting only the data, facts, or evidence that support a specific position while ignoring contradictory evidence. Also known as suppressing evidence or the fallacy of incomplete evidence, it creates a skewed, misleading, or one-sided argument.

fallacy fallacy

the mistaken assumption that because an argument contains a logical fallacy, its conclusion must be false. A flawed argument can still produce a true conclusion, just not through valid reasoning. Identifying a fallacy proves the argument is weak, not that the claim is wrong.

false cause

occurs when a causal relationship is assumed between two events simply because they occur together (correlation) or because one happens after the other (temporal order), without sufficient evidence. It is an informal fallacy often described as "mistaking correlation for causation"

hasty generalization

Drawing a broad conclusion based on a small, insufficient sample size.

red herring

irrelevant information is introduced to distract from the original argument, allowing a speaker to abandon the main issue. It is a deliberate diversionary tactic, often used in politics and daily conversation, to avoid answering difficult questions or to shift focus away from a central point.

single cause

occurring when a complex event with multiple contributing factors is attributed to one, simple cause. It stems from a desire for simple explanations for complex problems, often leading to scapegoating or ignoring a broader, interconnected web of factors.

slippery slope

Asserting that a relatively small first step will inevitably lead to a chain of disastrous events.

straw man

occurs when someone misrepresents, exaggerates, or fabricates an opponent's argument to make it easier to attack. Instead of addressing the actual, nuanced position, they "knock down" a weak, distorted version

loaded questions

a question containing an unproven, controversial assumption that is "loaded" into the question, forcing the respondent to implicitly admit to the assumption regardless of whether they answer "yes" or "no".

fertilizers, car washing, pet waste

common products or practices in daily life that contribute to non-point source pollution

through indirect pathways

NPS pathways

stormwater runoff, agricultural fields, and impervious surfaces.

community

storm drain marking campaigns, rain garden installations, stream cleanups are all _____ based solutions

TMDL

a regulatory "pollution budget" under the Clean Water Act, calculating the maximum amount of a pollutant a water body can receive while meeting water quality standards. It identifies sources of pollution (point and non-point), sets reduction targets, and outlines action plans to restore impaired

CWA 303

Section 303 of the Clean Water Act (CWA) requires states to establish water quality standards (WQS) and identify "impaired waters" that fail to meet these standards, even after applying pollution controls. It mandates that states submit a list of these impaired waters—known as the 303(d) list—and develop Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) to restore them.

CWA 319

establishes a national program to control nonpoint source (NPS) pollution—runoff from rainfall or snowmelt carrying pollutants like fertilizers, sediment, and chemicals. The EPA provides competitive grant funding (319(h) grants) to states, territories, and tribes to implement watershed management plans, restore impaired waters, and support best management practices.

rain gardens

absorb stormwater:

pocket parks

add green space:

landscaping

improves parking lots:

permeable paving

helps to reduce flooding:

MS4

designed or used to collect or convey stormwater (e.g., storm drains, pipes, ditches),

• not a combined sewer, and

• not part of a sewage treatment plant, or publicly owned treatment works (POTW).”

rain garden

Runoff is collected from paved and other surfaces and directed into the garden

• Native plants do not require fertilizer (fertilizer = eutrophication)

• help filter pollutants from the runoff Native plants provide food and habitat for birds, butterflies, and other pollinators!

bioswale

• captures the stormwater and slows it down, keeping the water from flooding homes, the Greenway path, and nearby streets, where it creates potholes

• helps clean the water before it enters the San Francisco Bay as well.

• native plants in the bioswale also create habitats for birds and butterflies.

non point

Agriculture

non point

Hydromodification

non point

urban Runoff

non point

roads, Highways and Bridges

non point

Abandoned Mine Drainage

non point

Atmospheric Deposition

non point

Marinas and Boating

non point

Timber Harvest

non point

Septic System

point

Factory

point

Wastewater Treatment Plant

point

Stormwater Discharge

Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1948

was the first major U.S. law to address water pollution. Growing public awareness and concern for controlling water pollution led to sweeping amendments in 1972. As amended in 1972, the law became commonly known as the Clean Water Act: