ENMT495 Global Environmental Management Issues
Week 1 Quiz
Question 1 Which of the following statements are correct about technology? Check all that apply:
It can break the second law of thermodynamics
It always creates some waste stream
It is capable of creating energy from nothing
It is capable of producing 100% efficient gadgets
t has infinite capacity to grow
Question 2 The pollutants responsible for acid rains are also the main causes of ocean acidification.
True
False
Question 3 Check all correct statements about our present economic system
Our economy is divorced from the ecology it depends upon
Our economy is tied to our social values
Our economy is sustainable
The main measure of our economic growth is the GDP
Question 4 A cubic meter of air sample was sampled at 1.0 atm and 40 C.
An ion chromatographic analysis of that sample found it to contain 48 micrograms of NO2.
Calculate how many ppb of NO2 was in that air sample.
Question 5 Which of the following are consequences of present fossil fuel use in the U.S.? (Check all that apply.)
Stratospheric ozone depletion
Tropospheric ozone formation
Suburban sprawl
Mountain top removals
Energy insecurity
Question 6 Human bodies are part of the phosphorous, nitrogen, carbon, and sulfur cycles.
True
False
Question 7 Explain why greater economic impact has meant greater ecological impact in the past and thoughts on what is needed to change direction.
Question 8 Which of the following statements are correct about the carbon cycle? Check all that apply.
Fossil fuel was locked out of the carbon cycle for at least the past hundred thousand years
It is essential to life on earth
It takes your waste and uses it as a resource for other species
Humans have disrupted the carbon cycle by emitting excessive amounts of carbon dioxide
Humans have disrupted the carbon cycle with the use of synthetic chemicals
Carbon has natural sinks both in the ocean and in soils
Question 9 What are the scientific and socio-economic difficulties for most nations in reaching the demands of the Montreal Protocol?
Question 10 Which of the following molecule(s) would contribute to global warming? Check all that apply.
CO2
NOx
SOx
CFCs
Hydrocarbons
Question 11 Which of the following molecule(s) would contribute to stratospheric ozone depletion? Check all that apply.
CO2
N2
SOx
CFCs
Hydrocarbons
Question 12 Which of the following statements are correct about the water cycle? Check all that apply.
It purifies water.
The urban water cycle is independent of the natural water cycle.
Ground water flows into springs, streams, and oceans.
It is intricately tied to climate.
The same water molecules have cycled over and over again for millions of years.
Question 13 One of your classmates states: "Acid rain, is a consequent of climate change that results when compounds like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides...under go chemical reaction in our atmosphere." Please gently correct this classmate with clear links between relevant molecules and the consequences of having too many of each type of molecule in our atmosphere.
Question 14 Given what you have learned about the U.S. EPA, which of the following words best describe its philosophical basis?
Precautionary
Risk intolerant
Reactive
Proactive
Question 15 A co-worker tells you that 400 ppm of CO2 is not a big deal. After all, that is 0.04% of our atmospheric content. What’s the big deal with such a small part of our atmospheric content? Please respond in one to two sentences demonstrating your ability to think critically and analytically.
Question 16 Carbon dioxide is a criteria pollutant
True
False
Question 17 Of the three 3-minute videos you viewed this week on climate change, what was the most memorable part? Explain why it was memorable and your thought on why the other two were less effective in communicating the need to take climate action.
Question 18 In the overview of ENMT, I discussed the need to use science as a basis for ENMT. Which of these statements are part of the scientific world view? Check all that apply.
Knowledge is constantly tested for durability and accuracy
The world is understandable
Correlation means causation
Technology is the answer
All data should be open to peer-review
Question 19 Which of the following statements are correct about the phosphorus cycle? Check all that apply.
It contains a nutrient, phosphate, which is essential to all life on earth.
There are phosphorous sinks in both water and soils.
One of the issues with human interruption of the phosphorous cycle is excessive runoff of phosphates.
Phosphorous is present in all three phases, gas, solid, and liquid
It is found as phosphorous in nature
Question 20 Which of the following statements can be considered as facts? Check all that apply.
Carbon dioxide, CO2, is a greenhouse gas.
The burning of fossil fuel (or any other carbon-based fuel) releases carbon dioxide
Human activities have been increasing CO2 emissions while taking away CO2 sinks
Humans are too insignificant to change our planet
Too much of anything in nature upsets her balance.
We live in a world of infinite resources
Question 21 Which of the following molecule(s) would contribute to tropospheric ozone formation? Check all that apply.
CO2
NOx
SOx
CFCs
Hydrocarbons
Question 22 Which of the following situations typically increase environmental impact? Check all that apply.
Biking and walking in place of using cars
Eating more plant-based proteins in place of meats
Increased population
Living in the suburbs instead of in urban areas
Buying more stuff
Question 23 Which of the following statements are correct about the Jevons paradox? Check all that apply.
It was first formulated due to increasing coal consumption despite decreasing coal reserves
It states that technological progress increases the efficiency of resource utilization, thus enabling increased demand for that resource despite depletion of that resource.
It has been confirmed for all natural resource use
It states that humans continue to use natural resources as thought the are infinite even though we live in a world with finite resources
It states that humans are emotional animals.
Question 24 Which of the following statements are correct about climate change? Check all correct statements.
The reason for present climate change is the same as all the past climate changes.
It is difficult to model due to interactions between our changing atmosphere and oceans, interactions between the changing biosphere and changing climate, changes in precipitation patterns, changes in our earth’s surface
It is primarily due to increased greenhouse gases in our atmosphere.
There are feedback cycles that can rapidly increase warming
There are feedback cycles that can rapidly increase cooling
Question 25 Which of the following statements are correct about the nitrogen cycle? Check all that apply.
Lightning oxidizes N2 to nitrogen oxides
There are nitrogen sinks in both water and soils
Bacteria are part of the nitrification portion of the nitrogen cycle
Bacteria are part of the de-nitrification portion of the nitrogen cycle
It contains nutrients such as nitrates, nitrites, and ammonia, which are essential to all life on earth.
Humans have interrupted the nitrogen cycle with excessive use of fertilizers
ENMT495 Global Environmental Management Issues
Week 4 Quiz
Question 1 Which of these are ways to prevent pollution? Check all that apply.
Inventory Management
Reformulation or redesign of products
Material or feed-stock substitutions
Spills or leak prevention
Question 2 Using an off-gas system to control sulfur oxides and soot emissions is an example of ________environmental technology.
Avoidance
Monitoring
Control
Remediation
Question 3 A revenue-neutral, border corrected carbon fee is an example of: (Check all that apply)
Command and control regulations
Legislation to help set a market signal for transition out of fossil fuel
Legislation to encourage markets to find less intensive carbon sources for energy
Something that can solve all local environmental issues.
Question 4 Social cost of burning fossil fuel in the U.S. include: (Check all that apply)
Cheaper foods
More isolated communities
Increased cases of heart disease
Increased cases of asthma
Environmental justice issues
Question 5 Which of these statements are correct about NAAQS? Check all that apply.
NAAQS is administered by the EPA
NAAQS are technology-based
It stands for National Ambient Air Quality Standards
NAAQS applies to end-of-pipe emissions.
They are voluntary standards
NAAQS applies to both indoor and outdoor air
Question 6 Which of the following statements are correct about the two surfaces shown above? (Check all that apply)
The surface pictured in (a) has the lower albedo than the one pictured in (b)
With a negative feedback cycle for climate change, the surface shown in (b) would be changed to the surface shown in (a)
The surface pictured in (b) has greater reflectivity than the surface pictured in (a)
Changes in either of these surfaces to the other could produce a negative feedback cycle
Question 7 Which of the following are reasons for business to implement sustainability into their organization? Check all that apply.
Improvement of company’s image
Increased attraction and retention of employees who care about sustainability
Lowering of legal risks and insurance costs
Reduction of energy and materials use and waste
Differentiation of product or services and brand
Question 8 The figure above describes the ___________ management process.
Assessment
Design and implementation
Adaptive
Circular
Evaluative
Question 9 Which of the following statements are correct about our global use of fossil fuel? Check all that apply.
Fossil fuel drives the world economy
The consequences of our fossil fuel use has left indigenous people untouched
With advanced technology, we are finding cheaper ways of obtaining fossil fuel
The cost of fossil fuel around the world accounts for its social and ecological consequences
Question 10 Check all questions that should be asked as part of risk assessment of chemical X:
How much of chemical X is present in this setting?
What are the control options for chemical X?
What is the most likely exposure to humans and/or ecological receptor of chemical X in this setting?
What is the dose-response curve for chemical X?
Question 11 Which of the following statements are part of adaptive environmental management?
Integrative approach considering social, economic, political and environmental issues
Environmental challenges can be solved with command and control
Hypothesis testing and continual experimentation
Modified ideas in light of new experiences
Adapting to climate change instead of working for mitigation
Question 12 Using pressurized CO2 to replace CFCs in propellants is an example of ________environmental technology.
Avoidance
Monitoring
Control
Remediation
Question 13 Please match the key term or phrase with the blank that it best fits into. Note that there are more keywords and phrases than there are blanks to fill in.
All technologies have _________ impact.
Harvesting x amount of biomass without changing the forest’s ability to grow the same x amount of biomass year after year is evidence that we are harvesting at _________.
Acid rain is a _________ issue that is caused by excessive emissions of nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides.
Taking a _________ approach would mandate the use of the best available technology for environmental management.
The disproportionate distribution of environmental risks to the poor has come to be known as _________.
If the glaciers keep melting at a fast rate, this could slow down the thermohaline circulation, and thus cool the northern hemisphere. This is an example of a _________ cycle.
Taking a _________ approach would essentially ban any substance that increases health risks.
The most effective approach to changing public behavior toward environmental sustainability is _________, as demonstrated by many social science case studies.
We have seen that treatment technologies to solve one pollution problem often create another pollution issue. Hence, there is a need for a _________ approach to pollution mitigation and prevention programs.
The present use of fossil fuel does not account for _________ such as the effect of fossil fuel on public health and climate.
The _________ is based upon preventing environmental harm rather than reacting to it. This principle has mainly been used in Europe.
1. Albedo
2. Assimilative capacity
3. Carrying capacity
4. Command and control
5. Environmental
6. Environmental injustice
7. Environmental Ethics
8. Externalities
9. Global
10. Insolation
11. Local
12. Market-driven
13. Maximum sustainable yield
14. Multimedia
15. Negative feedback
16. Peer pressure
17. Positive feedback
18. Precautionary Principle
19. Regional
20. Technology-based
21. Zero-risk
Question 14 Which of the following statements can be concluded from viewing the figure above? (Check all that apply.)
Most of the radiation coming into the earth is heat
All of the sunlight entering our atmosphere is transmitted to earth
The majority of the radiation from our earth is infrared
Most of the infrared coming out of our earth is transmitted into outer space
Question 15 Which of the following are clear examples of environmental injustice? Check all s.
Placement of an asphalt construction company in neighborhood X
Building a transmission line through a historic site.
The placement of a solar panel distribution center in a poor neighborhood
Lead levels in soils in neighborhood X are found to be above EPA limits for soil contamination and are five times higher than city average for all other neighborhoods
Question 16 Match the technology listed to the type of technology it represents
Control
Avoidance
Monitoring
Remediaton
1. Precipitation
2. Encapsulation
3. Biosensors
4. Product substitution
Question 17 Which of these are examples of a pure Pigouvian tax? Check all that apply.
Cigarette tax at 1 cent per cigarette
A slowly rising carbon fee and dividend beginning at $10 per metric ton of CO2 emitted to set a market signal
A tax on manufactures of nicotine to account for environmental and social costs of the nicotine product
A tax per metric ton of NOx emissions at the source that accounts for environmental and social costs of NOx emissions
Sales tax
Question 18 The figure above is from one of your course viewings on trends versus variations. Check all correct statements about trends versus variations.
If the axis of the graph above was time (x axis) versus average global temperature (y axis), the global temperature trend would be shown to be increasing
The dog's path is like actual yearly global temperature averages we have seen
If the axis of the graph above was time versus average global temperature, the most recent temperature trend would appear to be going down
The dog has determined the path the man will walk
The man determines the direction the dog will eventually go
Question 19 Some people think a solution to population growth is to create orbiting self-sustaining satellite colonies. Let’s say we actually are advanced enough to produce self-sustaining satellite colonies that orbit our earth that can hold up to 55,000 people on it. Given present population growth of 700 million per year, how many of these satellite stations do we need out in space per year to take in enough people so that earth’s population remains constant?
Question 20 If you earned full credit for all the short answer questions from the previous two quizzes, you will automatically earn full credit for this question.
If you have not earned full credit for all the short answer questions in the previous quizzes, take one of your answers you earned the lowest score in, read my comments back to you (if you have not already done so), and demonstrate that you have learned from your mistake(s) by providing a logical answer to the question asked and sharing why your old answer was incorrect.
Question 21 Which of these are correct statements about sustainable business? Check all that apply.
A timber company that harvests its own timber reserves in two years to make a windfall profit is a sustainable business.
A revenue-neutral carbon fee and dividend would contribute to sustainable businesses
In a free market economy, government policies will not influence sustainable businesses
Consumers play a large role in the success of sustainable businesses
Only larger-size companies such as Ford can afford to be sustainable
Question 22 Which of he following are correct about the role of government and public policy in ENMT?
Their role is purely regulatory
Government and public policies exert considerable influence on the revenues, costs, and net earnings of a market economy
Government and public policies exert considerable influence on what activities businesses will invest in
Viability of businesses are a result of government and public policies
Question 23 Which of the following statements are made with the figure above? Check all that apply.
It examines the local, regional, and global burden of increasing wealth for specific issues
It provides evidence for I=PAT
It provides general relationships between increasing wealth and their effect on health locally, regionally, and globally
It suggests that increasing global wealth will linearly decrease global health burdens
Question 24 What does this figure demonstrate? Check all correct statements.
The mass of humans plus their livestock outweigh wild animals by more than 50:1
We are at global carrying capacity
Humans have really altered the biomass of the planet
There are two very big fish in a fish tank
Question 25 Which of the following are involved in forming public policy? Check all that apply.
Judicial system
People and organizations advocating their positions publicly
Lobbying congress
Educating supporters and opponents
Mobilizing allies
ENMT495 Global Environmental Management Issues
Week 7 Quiz
Question 1 Which of the following statements are correct about bioventing? Check all that apply.
Only effective in saturated soils
Might need to add nutrients to contaminated soils to increase decomposition rates
Works best at 40-50 F
Is based upon being able to vent volatiles and decomposers eating organic compounds
Question 2 Which of the situations below is best applicable for the use of SVE?
Clay soil saturated with oil
Surface contamination of Cd
Subsurface contamination of hydrocarbons and alcohols with molecular weight less than 200 g/mole
Subsurface contamination of oils
clay soil with low levels of BTEX & PAH
Question 3 Which of the following are part of wastewater treatments? (Check all that apply.)
Aeration
Bottled water
Biomagnification
Carbon sequestration
Filtration
Question 4 With arsenic contamination of 7000 ppm in soil, the most cost effective remediation to meet legal requirements is:
Leave the arsenic in the ground and wait and see if it naturally falls below regulatory limits.
In-situ soil vapor extraction
Ex-situ soil vapor extraction
Soil washing
Air sparging
Question 5 You find that the soil at a suspected hazardous waste site is contaminated with 4 ppm of arsenic. What are logical conclusions you can make from this knowledge?
This soil is considered hazardous waste
This soil should undergo soil washing
This soil should undergo bioremediation
This soil should be monitored
Question 6 Based upon simplicity, effectiveness, and economics, which of the following remediation options would you choose for soil contaminated in the 100 ppm range with non-chlorinated hydrocarbons? Check only the best option.
Biofiltration
Lime precipitation followed by filtration
Ex situ soil vapor extraction
Coagulation and flocculation followed by filtration
In situ soil vapor extraction
Question 7In-situ soil remediation include which of the following? Check all that apply.
soil flushing
bioventing
biofiltration
phytoremediation
Question 8 Which of the following statements are correct about ISO 14001? Check all that apply.
ISO stands for international standards organization
ISO is a set of mandatory standards for environmental improvements
ISO 14001 centers on environmental management systems standards
ISO 14001 are technical standards
Question 9Which of the following are correct statements about international environmental laws? Check all that apply.
A few environmental laws have established international institutions with power to directly impose trade sanction
The task of direct enforcement is typically left to member nations
International agreements have adequate resources to monitor and ensure compliance
With consent, countries may sue each other for violation of international agreements
There are both hard and soft environmental laws.
Question 10 Which of the following are examples of international environmental laws? Check all that apply.
The Clean Air Act
Montreal Protocol
Commission on Sustainable Development
International Convention on Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Waste
Paris Climate Agreement
Question 11
Which of the following remediation options would you choose for water contaminated with both dissolved and undissolved particulates? Check only the best option.
Biofiltration
In situ soil vapor extraction
Ex situ soil vapor extraction
Coagulation and flocculation followed by filtration
Lime precipitation followed by filtration
Question 12 Which of the following statements are correct about our water cycle? Check all that apply.
Unconfined aquifers are recharged naturally
Unconfined aquifers discharge into springs and rivers and wells
Non-biodegradable contaminants we put down our sinks and toilets will eventually become part of our drinking water supply
Our water cycle greatly affects our climate and vise versa.
Question 13 Please match the most appropriate key word or phrase into the appropriate blank in each sentence. Note that there are more keywords/phrases than there are sentences.
___________ instrument, such as a carbon fee, functions to change behavior and decision-making so that a more environmentally desirable alternative is found.
Limiting or eliminating the use of bleach in paper production is an example of ___________.
Part of the Superfund cleanup process is to assess sites and place them on the ____________.
For soils contaminated with hydrocarbons with boiling points below 70 C, you would most likely use ____________.
Our present measurement of economic progress is the _____________________. It goes up with every oil spill and with everything sold from gasoline to cigarettes.
Criteria for liners, groundwater monitoring, and soil cover in U.S. landfills are defined by __________.
______________ provides a format to readily perform environmental audits and demonstrate compliance.
A proactive approach to manufacturing that is integrated into environmental management systems and uses multimedia and life cycle analysis approaches is _________.
If the you are the environmental manager for any U.S.-based industry that uses certain toxic chemicals that may pose a threat to human health or the environment, you will have to report annually how much of each chemical is released to the environment and/or otherwise managed, due to the ________________ program.
The study of materials and energy flow through industrial systems in order to provide solutions that allow one industry to use the waste of another industry is called __________.
____________ is the process of using microorganisms to transform harmful substances into nontoxic substance. This was discussed in class conferences.
A homeowner who uses rain barrels and conservation landscaping to manage stormwater off her property helps to create a market with __________________.
The history of environmental degradation is littered with decisions and solutions that have resulted in unintended consequences. One way to minimize those consequences is to produce a _________ of each product we produce.
One important factor that determines whether constituents can be removed via soil vapor extraction is their _________________.
______________ are systematic, periodic, documented, and (supposedly) objective review by regulated entities of facility operations and practices related to environmental requirements.
The fact that our society does not have a price on carbon creates a market with many _______________.
Present air pollution controls from fossil fuel processes mainly consist of scrubbers. These scrubbers take out gases that contribute to the warming of the planet and to the cooling of the planet. An example of a gas scrubbed away by present day scrubbers that causes cooling in our atmosphere is ______.
Enacted under RCRA to provide funding for cleaning up abandoned hazardous waste sites.
______________ permitting process is used to control the amount of point source discharge into water bodies.
1. Bioremediation
2. CERCLA
3. Civil penalties
4. Composite
5. CO
6. CO2
7.Design for the environment
8. Economic
9. Eco-audits
10. Environmental audits
11. GDP
12. Human ecology
13. Industrial ecology
14. ISO 14000/14001
15. Legal penalties
16. Life cycle assessment
17. National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
18. National priority list
19. Negative externalities
20. NO2
21. Pollution prevention
22. Pollution management
23. Positive externalities
24. RCRA
25. Soil vapor extraction
26. SO2
27. SPo
28. Sustainable development
29. Toxic Release Inventory (TRI)
30. Vapor pressure
Question 14 Which of the following are correct statements about our present recycling process? Check all that apply.
It produces waste we must dispose of
It is difficult to recycle rare earth because they decompose in the recycling process
It is 90% energy efficient
We are able to recover 90% of all materials recycled
Question 15 Which of the following are point sources of pollution? Check all that apply.
Effluent from wastewater treatment plant
Pipe from industry draining rainwater from its roof
Incinerator smoke stack
The tailpipe from your car
Question 16 Below are a number of statements students have made in this course. Please select all incorrect statements, most of which I have paraphrased to minimize association to any particular students.
EPA legislates policies
CO2 is a fuel source
The CWA is a standard
CO2 is a hazardous air pollutant
CWA only regulates point sources of pollutants
Question 17RCRA specifically excludes source, special nuclear, or byproduct material as defined by the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 from the definition of solid waste.
True
False
Question 18 Which of these technologies are generally good at remediating volatile organics in unsaturated soils? Check all that apply.
Flocculation and precipitation
Bioventing
Soil washing
Soil vapor extraction
Question 19 Check all correct statements about mixed waste.
In the U.S., mixed waste is regulated by both U.S. EPA and by IAEA
It are both hazardous and radioactive
Mixed waste can legally become only radioactive if it passes the TCLP test
It occurs naturally
Question 20 Check all examples of remediation technologies:
Solar panels
Vitrification
Encapsulation
Question 21 Which of these types of technologies would not be helpful in a Superfund site? Check all that apply.
Remediation technologies
Control technologies
Avoidance technologies
Monitoring technologies
Question 22 Match appropriate remediation technology for each waste stream:
Aqueous waste that does not contain volatile hazardous constituents
Cyanide wastes
Waste containing chromium in the +3 state (Cr3+)
Hazardous waste high in organics
Wastes high in lead and nickel such as acid battery waste
Waste mainly consisting of sulfuric acid
1. Evaporation
2. Incineration
3. Ion exchange
4. Neutralization
5. Precipitation
6. Oxidation-reduction
