Topic 1 - Planet Earth: Prognosis Negative?

Question 1

anthropogenic

Answer 1

human-caused

Question 2

biosphere

Answer 2

the entire global ecosystem and all of its inhabitants

Question 3

carrying capacity

Answer 3

the maximum number of any species a habitat can support

Question 4

exponential growth

Answer 4

occurs when a quantity increases by a fixed percentage of the whole, which means that it will double after a certain interval, rather than grow incrementally (i.e., linear growth)

Question 5

cultural carrying capacity

Answer 5

I=PAT
impact of any group or nation
=
population size
x
affluence, per capita, as measured by consumption
x
technology employed in supplying that consumption

Question 6

ecological footprint

Answer 6

a measure of how fast people (individuals or populations) use resources and generate waste in comparison to how rapidly nature can absorb the waste and replenish the resources

Question 7

behavior-related inefficiencies

Answer 7

idling the car motor, keeping the thermostat set to “comfy” when away from home, and leaving the lights on in an empty room

Question 8

deep geologic depositories

Answer 8

sequestering the waste 1,000 feet or more underground

Question 9

coal impoundment

Answer 9

washing coal in a chemical bath, producing slurry, which contains dangerous heavy metals and a variety of carcinogenic compounds

Question 10

natural greenhouse effect

Answer 10

Naturally occurring greenhouse gases trap some of the sun’s heat, keeping the earth warm enough to support life. Necessary to stabilize atmospheric temperatures and maintain a climate suitable for life on the planet

Question 11

human-enhanced greenhouse effect

Answer 11

human activities are increasing greenhouse gas levels, leading to more heat being trapped in the atmosphere, thus warming the planet

Question 12

climate change

Answer 12

the planetary rise in temperature is causing shifts in climate regions and more extreme weather events

Question 13

monocultures

Answer 13

less pest resistant than biologically diverse plantings

Question 14

topsoil

Answer 14

the top few inches of soil, which is the home of the organic matter necessary for growing food

Question 15

carbon sequestration

Answer 15

removal and storage of atmospheric CO2

Question 16

processed food

Answer 16

manufactured products that you could not make with the same ingredients in your home kitchen

Question 17

landfill

Answer 17

for solid waste. claims acreage and releases emissions that cause air pollution and leach toxicants that pollute groundwater

Question 18

leachate

Answer 18

a liquid mixture that carries contaminants to local bodies of
water when precipitation percolates through the contents of a landfill

Question 19

household hazardous wastes

Answer 19

substances and materials used every day that qualify as hazardous

Question 20

nonbiodegradable

Answer 20

never completely reintegrate into nature

Question 21

e-waste

Answer 21

discarded electronics

Question 22

conspicuous consumption

Answer 22

the display of power and prestige through the accumulation of unnecessary luxury items

Question 23

single-use

Answer 23

disposable

Question 24

planned obsolescence

Answer 24

intentionally designing products to have a limited lifespan so that consumers will have to intermittently replace them

Question 25

perceived obsolescence

Answer 25

consumers feeling that a perfectly functional item needs replacing simply because it is dated or out-of-fashion

Question 26

sustainable

Answer 26

maintained or continued at a certain rate or level