Keywords A Flashcards
economically depleted
when a resource costs more to gather than its economic value
refuse
trash collected by municipalities from households, businesses, and institutions
reduce
to use less of something
anthropocentric
idea that humans are the center of all moral values and the cause (indirectly or directly) of environmental change
Endangered Species Act
regulated the treatment and conservation of endangered species in the U.S. and abroad (1973)
The Law of Demand
states that when prices fall, the quantity of demands lowers or quantity and price are inversely proportional
Gross Domestic Product
comprehensive measure of US economic activity or the quantitative measure of value in a market through the production of goods and services during a period of time
Renewable Resources
Resources that can be re-used or replenished
Nonrenewable Resources
resources that will run out and cannot be replenished
Environmental Impact Report
an informational document that describes the potential significant environmental events
Sierra Club
the most influential grassroots environmental organization in the U.S.
more developed country
highly industrialized country with high incomes, low birth/death rates and high industrialization and urbanization
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation & Liability Act (CERCLA)
federal authority for emergency clean-up of hazardous substances that have been released into the environment
The hydrological cycle
the water cycle AKA the path through which water travels from the atmosphere onto land and back into the air.
Gross primary productivity
the amount of carbon produced by plants (through photosynthesis) in an ecosystem within a given amount of time.
ecological footprint
the impact of a person or a community on the environment through their use of resources
intermediate disturbance hypothesis
suggests that local species diversity is maximized when ecological disturbance is neither too rare nor too frequent.
reuse
to use again or more than once
recycle
to convert (waste) into a reusable material
Economic growth
When the production of goods and services for a population increases over a period of time
Economic development
How the economy progresses to become wealthier and benefits their citizens
Scarcity
The declining availability of renewable natural resources, such as freshwater or soil.
Demand
A threat that taxes or exceeds a creature’s ability to meet a challenge.
Resource Conservation & Recovery Act
A federal law which regulates land-based disposal of waste.
Per capita
Biological capacity available per person
natural capitol
Natural resources and environmental features in an area
natural resources
Materials such as minerals, water, forest, etc. that occur in nature
natural services(ecological)
resources essential for life such as clean water, shelter, food, etc.
ecocentric
when one recognizes the exosphere, rather than the biosphere
Clean Water Act
1972: the basic structure for regulating pollutant discharges into the waters of the United States
OSHA
Occupation Safety and Health Administration
less developed country
low-income countries confronting severe structual impediments to sustaniable develpoment
affluence
abundance of wealth and good or the consumption of high volumes of good, particularly those taken from the natural environment
poverty
a serious shortage of income or of access to the range of resources that usally provide the basic necessities for life for humans
NPP
the rate of accumulation of biomass or energy - net primary production (gross primary production minus the respiration by the plant)
ecological efficiency
efficiency which energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next
Ecology
The study of organisms and their relations to other organisms as well as their evironment
Environmental Science
The study of the environment through the lenses of physics, biology and geography
Biodiversity
The variety of life in an ecosystem
Clean Air Act
American legislation written in 1963 intended to reduce/control air pollution levels
GDP
Short for gross domestic product: the monetary measure of products produced by countries
Biocentric
Believing that all life is equal; humans and other organisms deserve the same ethical level of treatment
Developed Countries
Countries with a higher consumption of natural resources
Developing Countries
Countries with a lower consumption of natural resources
Globalization
The expansion of global networks that leads to connections based on environmental regulations
GPI
genuine progress indicator which provides insight on the impact of economic activity on the environment
The law of supply
The theory stating that the availability of a resource affects the demand of the resource
micro-lending
the process of loaning money to help small businesses start in less developed countries.
sustainable yield
the extraction level of the resource which does not exceed the growth.
point source
the extraction level of the resource which does not exceed the growth.
EPA
(Environmental Protection Agency) protects people and the environment from significant health risks, sponsors and conducts research, and develops and enforces environmental regulations.
The National Environmental Policy Act
is a United States environmental law that promotes the enhancement of the environment and established the President’s Council on Environmental Quality. The law was enacted on January 1, 1970.
osha act
The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 is a US labor law governing the federal law of occupational health and safety in the private sector and federal government in the United States. It was enacted by Congress in 1970 and was signed by President Richard Nixon on December 29, 1970.
nonpoint source
(NPS) - pollution source that comes from multiple sources spread out over an area
DOE
department of energy - whose job is to regulate and protect the energy, environment and nuclear challenges
