Unit 1.1 studies

Question 1

Thoreau’s Walden

Answer 1

Thoreau’s 1844 book Walden introduced transcendentalism, promoting nature as divine and advocating for self-reliance, influencing early ecocentric EVS.

Question 2

Yellowstone National Park

Answer 2

Established in 1872 USA, Yellowstone was the first ‘wild area’ set aside globally, marking an early conservation effort and influencing ecocentric values.

Question 3

John Muir and Sierra Club

Answer 3

Established in 1892, John Muir and the Sierra Club were instrumental in promoting environmental preservation, expanding ecocentric EVS, and opposing large-scale development like big dams.

Question 4

Passenger Pigeon Extinction

Answer 4

The extinction of the passenger pigeon (1914) highlighted the consequences of unchecked hunting and spurred interest in conservation.

Question 5

Dust Bowl

Answer 5

The Dust Bowl (1930s) was caused by soil erosion from overgrazing and plowing, leading to new agricultural techniques and the development of soil conservation practices.

Question 6

Green Revolution

Answer 6

The Green Revolution (1940s) emphasized mechanization and technology to intensify agriculture, with minimal concern for environmental impacts, reflecting a technocentric approach.

Question 7

Sand County Almanac

Answer 7

Published in 1949 , Aldo Leopold introduced the concept of stewardship, advocating for humans to take responsibility for managing and caring for the land.

Question 8

MInamata

Answer 8

The Minamata disaster which happened in 1956 in Japan resulted from mercury poisoning, highlighting the connection between industrial pollution and human health, as well as bioaccumulation.

Question 9

Silent Spring

Answer 9

Silent Spring made by Rachel Carson in 1962 raised awareness about the dangers of pesticide use, particularly DDT, and linked pesticide pollution to environmental and health issues, initiating widespread environmental activism

Question 10

Desert Solitaire and Monkey Wrench Gang

Answer 10

Abbey’s books published in the 1960s to 1970s emphasized the sacredness of wilderness and spurred environmental activism, particularly in opposition to corporate interests

Question 11

CITES

Answer 11

CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) established in 1973 is an international agreement aimed at protecting endangered species through global cooperation and local enforcement.

Question 12

Love Canal

Answer 12

In 1976-1978, a school was built on a former toxic waste dump in Niagara Falls, NY, leading to high rates of birth defects and cancer. The dangers were denied until grassroots activism revealed the extent of the problem.

Question 13

Gaia Hypothesis

Answer 13

Proposed in the late 1970s by James Lovelock, the Gaia Hypothesis suggests that Earth is a self-regulating, synergistic system, functioning as a single organism.

Question 14

UN Brundtland Report

Answer 14

The 1983 UN Brundtland Report introduced the idea of sustainable development, emphasizing meeting today’s needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs.

Question 15

3-mile island

Answer 15

Occurred in 1979, a near meltdown at a nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania led to a loss of confidence in nuclear energy and resulted in increased regulation of the nuclear industry.

Question 16

Bhopal disaster

Answer 16

The 1984 gas leak in Bhopal, India, caused thousands of deaths and highlighted the negative consequences of industrialization, particularly in impoverished areas. Union Carbide escaped criminal penalties.

Question 17

Chernobyl meltdown

Answer 17

Occurred in 1986, the Chernobyl nuclear meltdown in Ukraine was the worst nuclear disaster in history, releasing radioactive waste across Europe and causing widespread health impacts. It highlighted that environmental issues are global.

Question 18

Montreal Protocol

Answer 18

The 1987 Montreal Protocol was an international agreement to phase out CFCs and other ozone-depleting substances. It has been largely successful in protecting the ozone layer.

Question 19

Rio Earth Summit

Answer 19

The Rio Earth Summit, which took place in 1992 introduced Agenda 21, which defined global sustainable development goals and outlined responsibilities for national and state governments regarding forest management, especially tropical rainforests.

Question 20

Kyoto Accord

Answer 20

The Kyoto Accord was an international agreement made in 1997 in which countries committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It acknowledged global warming and its anthropogenic causes but faced resistance from more economically developed countries (MEDCs).

Question 21

Deepwater Horizon

Answer 21

The 2010 explosion and oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico caused massive environmental and economic damage. It led to demands for compensation from BP and raised concerns about offshore drilling’s safety.

Question 22

Fukushima nuclear meltdown

Answer 22

The Fukushima disaster which occured in 2011 was caused by a tsunami, and released radiation across the Pacific Ocean, raising renewed concerns about nuclear energy safety. Human health effects are still being studied.

Question 23

Paris Climate Conference

Answer 23

In the 2015 Paris Climate Conference, 188 countries committed to reducing CO2 emissions with progressively stricter targets over time, aiming to mitigate climate change impacts. It became the largest environmental agreement in history.