Ecological Questions Unit 1

Question 1

Whose responsibility is it to protect the environment and ensure sustainable practices?

Answer 1

Humans because we are aware of the environmental issues which could possibly destroy us and other organisms

Question 2

Describe 3 human behaviors that are harmful to the environment

Answer 2

Overhunting- Hunting too many animals, causing their extinction and the extinction of other organisms

Deforestation-Destroying forest in order to build homes, schools and other human facilities

Driving cars-causes high levels of carbon emissions

Question 3

What are some possible actions a person can take to correct the harmful behaviors mentioned in Prev Q?

Answer 3

Decrease time spent in cars

Recycle

Plant Trees

Properly dispose batteries + oils

Question 4

How did the the industry affect the physical environment?

Answer 4

The thneed industry caused physical environmental degradation. The water, air, soil, and many other aspects were destroyed by the industry’s pollution

Question 5

How did the production of thneeds affect the truffula tree, Bar-ba-loots, Humming fish and Swomee Swans?

Answer 5

Truffla trees — went extinct

Bar-ba-loots—- robbed of shelter and food, causing them to migrate (possibly die)

Humming fish- The factory’s gunk and the town’s trash polluted the rivers (like Lake Erie) so they had to migrate (possibly die)

Swomee Swans——Can’t sing because of the factories’s smoke. Had to migrate (possibly die)

Question 6

Was the method of manufacturing thneeds sustainable? Support your answer with specific ex from the video

Answer 6

No, though truffula trees are a renewable resource, the unclear was using them faster than they could refill. Additionally, he was not planting any new trees. Knowing this, it is no surprise that his business was ruined

Question 7

What does the footprint measure?

Answer 7

How much earth it takes to die us resources and absorb the waste we create

Question 8

Describe the benefits of using the ecological footprint for countries, local leaders, and individuals

Answer 8

Countries—— Helps build better environmental policies

Local Leader——- Allocate resources and money better

Individual——-Helps understand your impact on the environment

Question 9

Explain why a nation’s biocapacity is important

Answer 9

It represents the ability of a area to provide you with resources and absorb your waste

Question 10

Compare and contrast biocapacity (ecological deficit and biocapacity (ecological reserve

Answer 10

Deficit (your footprint is larger than the biocapacity)

Reserve (your footprint is smaller than the biocapacity)

Question 11

How does the footprint relate to biodiversity?

Answer 11

High footprint = low biodiversity (b/c their is more competition for resources)

Low footprint = High biodiversity
(b/c their is less competition for resources)

Question 12

Explain how the ecological footprint could be very low and yet there is no biocapacity remaining?

Answer 12

The biocapacity was low to begin with, so even if you have a low footprint, your supplies will still run out

Question 13

Describe what sustainability is

Answer 13

Sustainability is the ability of an way of life to continue over a long period of time, without exhausting, resources, damaging the environment, or harming people

Question 14

Human activities are currently not sustainable. Explain 2 different ways humans are not using resources sustainably

Answer 14

1. Using natural resources faster than they can be replenished, like water and forest
2. Creating pollutants and other waste faster than the earth can absorb them

Question 15

Describe 2 ex. of how humans can use resources sustainably

Answer 15

1. Fisheries and forest can be managed to sustain healthy populations of trees and fish for the future
2. Using renewable energy resources, such as solar cells and wind turbines

Question 16

Describe 2 examples of why it is currently difficult to use sustainable energy resources

Answer 16

1. Renewable energy resources need further technological development to be efficient in every day life
2. Additionally, Renewable energy resources only work at certain periods, making them slightly inefficient for every day use

(A lot of batteries are needed) , but new forms of battery technology must be developed for the storage of excess

Question 17

Explain why biological resources are the most important natural resources for people

Answer 17

Biological resources are the most important natural resources for people b/c it provides us w/ food, shelter, and other supplies that we need to survive

Question 18

Describe two different uses of mineral resources

Answer 18

1. Provide us w/ power, light, and heat
2. Can be used as raw materials for finished goods, such as cars and refrigerators

Question 19

Explain the balance that humans must deal with in the use of resources

Answer 19

Humans must deal w/ balancing their needs and wants for resources and preserving the environment

Question 20

What does the ecological footprint measure?

Answer 20

1. How much earth it takes to give you resources
2. How much earth it takes to absorb your waste

Question 21

Using renewable resources sustainably

Answer 21

Use renewable resources slower than they can replace themselves

Question 22

Humans right principle (What?)

Answer 22

Everyone has the right to clean land, water, and air

Question 23

The Precautionary Principle (What?)

Answer 23

If it appears something is disrupting the environment, stop doing it, even if there is no scientific proof

Question 24

Explain why nature must recycle matter to be sustainable. How can we be like nature

Answer 24

1. There is a limited amount of matter so it has to be recycled
2. We can recycle like nature

Question 25

Why nature uses a never ending energy source. How can we copy it?

Answer 25

1. Every time you use energy it becomes less useful
2. High quality energy can only be used once, thus you need a never ending supply
3. Turbines, dams, solar power

Question 26

What is your overshoot day?

What does it mean?

Answer 26

April 24th.

It means that on April 24th I use up all the resources that the earth can make in a year

Question 27

How many earths are there?

If everyone lived like you, how many earths would be needed

Answer 27

1 Earth

3.2 Earths

Question 28

Rank your land type

Which land type is the highest?

Explain why you think this land type is highest for your lifestyle.

Answer 28

1. Carbon Footprint
2. Cropland
3. Forest products
   4.Built up land
4. Grazing Land
5. Fishing Grounds

Carbon Footprint

I use a lot of electricity and frequently travel by car

Question 29

How many pounds of CO2 are released per yr by your lifestyle?

Answer 29

20, 286 pound per year

Question 30

Rank your consumption category.

Which category is ranked highest?

Explain why you think this category is highest for your lifestyle.

Answer 30

1. Shelter
2. Food
   3.Goods
   4.Mobility

Shelter

My house is extremely large so it takes up a lot of resources such as electricity and trees