Chapter 1

Question 1

Environment

Answer 1

the biological and physical surroundings in which any given living organism exists.

Question 2

environmental science

Answer 2

an interdisciplinary field of research that draws on the natural and social sciences and the humanities in order to understand the natural world and our relationship to it.

Question 3

empirical science

Answer 3

a scientific approach that investigates the natural world through systematic observation and experimentation.

Question 4

applied science

Answer 4

research whose findings are used to help solve practical problems

Question 5

environmental literacy

Answer 5

a basic understanding of how ecosystems function and of the impact of our choices on the environment.

Question 6

trade-offs

Answer 6

the imperfect and sometimes problematic responses that we must at times choose between when addressing complex problems.

Question 7

triple bottom line

Answer 7

the combination of the environmental, social, and economic impact of our choices.

Question 8

sustainable development

Answer 8

development that meets present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to do the same.

Question 9

carrying capacity

Answer 9

the population size that a particular environment can support indefinitely.

Question 10

ecological footprint

Answer 10

the land needed to provide the resources and assimilate the waste of a person or population.

Question 11

anthropogenic

Answer 11

caused by or related to human action.

Question 12

sustainable

Answer 12

a method of using resources in such a way that we can continue to use them indefinitely

Question 13

renewable energy

Answer 13

energy that comes from an infinitely available or easily replenished source

Question 14

biodiversity

Answer 14

the variety of species on earth

Question 15

nonrenewable resources

Answer 15

resources whose supply is finite or not replenished in a timely fashion.

Question 16

social traps

Answer 16

decisions by individuals or groups that seem good at the time and produce a short-term benefit, but that hurt society in the long run.

Question 17

tragedy of the commons

Answer 17

the tendency of an individual to abuse commonly held resources in order to maximize his or her own personal interest.

Question 18

time delay

Answer 18

actions that produce a benefit today set into motion events that cause problems later on.

Question 19

sliding reinforcer

Answer 19

actions that are beneficial at first but that change conditions such that their benefit declines over time.

Question 20

worldviews

Answer 20

the window through which one views one’s world and existence.

Question 21

environmental ethic

Answer 21

the personal philosophy that influences how a person interacts with his or her natural environment and thus affects how one responds to environmental problems.

Question 22

anthropocentric worldview

Answer 22

a human-centered view that assigns intrinsic value only to humans

Question 23

instrumental value

Answer 23

the value or worth of an object, organism, or species is based on its usefulness to humans

Question 24

biocentric worldview

Answer 24

a life-centered approach that views all life as having intrinsic value, regardless of its usefulness to humans.

Question 25

intrinsic value

Answer 25

the value or worth of an object, organism, or species is based on its mere existence

Question 26

ecocentric worldview

Answer 26

a system-centered view that values intact ecosystems, not just the individual parts