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Environmental Science Exam 2 Exam
Prep: Possible Questions & Answers.
What role does consumer activism and government policy play in plastic pollution management? - Correct Ans: consumer activism results in public outcry and quick responses from companies and governmental organizations to implement legislation and policy
- ex: After Blue Planet, searches for plastic pollution on the internet skyrocketed, and there was a reaction by global corporations to limit their plastic waste. The series also led to changes in the career paths that students were choosing upon entering university- with marine biology degrees soaring)
- ex: the Canadian government introduced legislation that banned the use of microbeads in cosmetic products, face washes and toothpastes to manage the number of microbeads entering the ecosystem What are the conflicting theories of complacency and gateway mentalities within the context of plastic pollution? - Correct Ans: Gateway: small, less impactful 'green' activities encourage larger more impactful green activities later on. In other words, if you reduce your use of plastic straws, you will be encouraged to move on to larger and more impactful green initiatives (e.g., cycling to work)? Complacency: small activities provide a sense of complacency that inhibits the development of greener activities later on. This focuses on the idea that you have a limited "budget" for the green activities you are willing to undertake and that if you fill that up with low impact initiatives, then you will be less likely to continue on to new more impactful behaviours. What are the end of life pathways for plastics? - Correct Ans: they may end up in landfills, the ecosystem (ocean, lakes), they may be recycled and repurposed How are landfills and recycling centres trying to protect the environment while disposing of waste? What are the associated issues? - Correct Ans: trying to limit as much contamination as possible (keeping organic material out of landfills (can cause methane accumulation) and sorting material to limit contamination in material recovery facilities)
associated issues: organic material will still end up in landfills, and even at the late stages of sorting there is contamination of recyclable materials How do pro-environmental behaviours spill over or facilitate other environmental behaviours? - Correct Ans: through gateway behaviour, doing small acts to help the environment often leads to bigger actions and overall more environmentally-friendly actions as individuals become more environmentally conscious describe the concept of a core planetary boundary - Correct Ans: boundaries that are considered fundamental for maintaining Earth's stability and resilience. Looking at temperature and its impact, such as biodiversity loss and air pollution. When the concept of planetary boundaries (safe operating limits of the Earth for humanity) was introduced in 2009, boundaries for both climate change and biodiversity loss were already considered exceeded what plastic item is responsible for the most marine entanglements? - Correct Ans: discarded fishing equipment Why are municipal governments well-placed to deal with climate issues? - Correct Ans: municipal governments are well-placed to deal with climate issues because of their proximity to the general public and their ability to dictate human behaviour. Municipalities have a responsibility for local services such as transportation, waste management, water treatment, etc. and they dictate their communities behviour in regards to how environmentallly conscious they may be. Essentially, the journey to climate-resilient communities is almost entirely influenced by municipal decision and policy planning How does a basic municipal government operate and what does that means for addressing climate change? - Correct Ans: Municipalities get money from the federal governments to implement adaptation and mitigation strategies for climate change, and they have a responsibility to incorporate a climate lens into their municipal planning and decision making. This means that they are the frontiers for adaptation and mitigation, and influencing the actions of communities in regards to addressing climate change issues
- over-exploitation
- invasive species strategies to mitigate those threats:
- conserving large amounts of biodiversity by protecting biodiversity hotspots
- implementation of the greenbelt: a band of permanently protected land that gives protection to natural systems to sustain ecological health
- land conservancies/ land trusts: owning and managing private property to protect against habitat loss (removing invasive species, planting native species, reverting land back to wetlands)
- educational and awareness campaigns (greenpeace, ducks unlimited, WWF): bring awareness of issues to the public and apply pressure to companies and corporations that are causing environmental damage
- rewilding: reintroducing species into an area to restore ecosystems
- learn how invasive species enter new ecosystems and preventing their spread in the first place
- culling: selecting invasive species to kill
- species approach: allocating funds to one specific species to protect them
- ecosystem approach: allocating funds to protecting an entire ecosystem so multiple species are benefitted What are the range of tactics employed by environmental non-governmental organizations to support their agendas for environmental issues? - Correct Ans: advocacy, awareness, education and direct action The term biodiversity is interchangable with the term species diversity a) True b) False - Correct Ans: b) False If you are concerned with the global biodiversity crisis, what are some things you could do to make an impact at the local level? - Correct Ans: - plant a variety of native species
- donate to ENGOs and other conservation groups
- naturalize your yard (let grass grow)
- be cautious of invasive species and don't put anything into the environment (dont dump goldfish or other pets into ponds) What tools are available to deal with environmental problems at the government level? - Correct Ans: Environmental regulations/acts (Fisheries act, clean air act, PFRA, etc) Environmentally significant areas (ESA)- protected areas that you can not build on Environmental assessments (EAs) International agreements (air pollution) What role did popular culture play in developing the modern environmental movement? - Correct Ans: Silent spring book- led to the birth of the modern environmental movement in the US. Made people more aware of the effects humans could have on the environment, and importantly, on their own health Air of death CBC documentary- Led to the birth of the modern environmental movement in Canada. Touched on the human health effects of environmental pollution which is a powerful motivator to reduce environmental pollution Banning microplastics in face washes social media movement. Sparked the realization that chemicals are not good for us, we need to make restrictions, run tests What are the different tax designs available for a carbon tax? - Correct Ans: Paying out per-divided nationally or globally Using carbon tax revenues for mitigation projects nationally or internationally using carbon tax revenues to lower domestic income tax Which of the tax designs would be most successful and does that change with different regions? - Correct Ans: Using carbon tax revenues for mitigation projects would accelerate emission reductions further paying out per dividend nationally or globally would allow governments to keep the total tax burden steady using revenues to lower income tax by taxing bad things such as pollution instead of good things would reduce emissions while raising gross domestic product
b) genetically modified crops c) high-yield varieties d) industrial agriculture - Correct Ans: a) green revolution which of the following is the more potent greenhouse gas a) carbon dioxide b) nitrous oxide - Correct Ans: b) nitrous oxide in the life cycle of Beyond Beef, which of the following categories was worse than a real beef patty a) greenhouse gas emissions b) energy use c) land use d) water use e) none of these measurements were higher than real beef - Correct Ans: e) none of these measurements were higher than real beef What is the structure from lecture representing from the London landfill - Correct Ans: collecting methane from organic material and turning it into CO2 (a less potent gas) One of the most important ecosystem services our environment provides is the provision of food; however, our food systems can also have severe effects on the environment Describe 3 major effects our food productions systems and associated practices have on the environment including potential solutions we have to alleviate these pressures - Correct Ans: 1 - using the same crop year after year can cause soil degradation and soil fertility loss. A solution to this issue is to practice crop rotation (plant different crops on the same plot of land) to maintain soil structure and nutrient levels. 2 - agricultural runoff of nitrogen and phosphorus causes the eutrophication of bodies of water. A solution to this issue is to reduce the caps of nitrogen in pesticides to decrease the amount of nitrogen going into our water 3 - the application of herbicides can cause a loss of non-target species. A solution to this issue is to use GMO technology to change the underlying DNA of the non-target organism to enable it to withstand large doses of herbicides
Which of the following is driving high levels of particulate matter output in Sudbury? a) the Sudbury landfill b) concrete industries c) paper mill d) smelters - Correct Ans: d) smelters where does the money to establish the Environmental Damages Fund come from a) income taxes b) environmental fines c) carbon tax refund d) cap-and-trade program - Correct Ans: b) environmental fines Describe the creation of ground-level ozone and how it damages ecosystem health. What is the role of other pollutants in creating ground-level ozone? - Correct Ans: ground-level ozone is created through the photochemical reaction of nitrous oxides and volatile organic hydrocarbons under the influence of sunlight, heat, and dry weather. the more heat present, the faster the reactions will be, and the more sunlight present, the more the reactions will be fueled. Ground-level ozone damages plants and trees and contributes to global crop losses what were some of the main mitigation measures the Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan implemented? - Correct Ans: desulphurization, denitrogenation and dedusting in thermal power (similar to what we saw with the cap- and-trade program) remove small coal-fired boilers promote cooking fumes control (yes, these cooking fumes can contribute strongly to indoor particulate matter) What are some of the mechanisms we use to reduce air pollution and have they been successful? - Correct Ans: Cap-and-trade-program: Yes successful, The air pollution prevention and control action plan: Yes, fairly successful, Mitigation and adaptation: potentially successful, and technological advances such as limestone scrubbers, capture
Explain the patterns in the ground level ozone data for London - Correct Ans: Peaks around midday because there is a strong presence of sunlight and many vehicles on the road which creates the peaks of ground- level ozone (ozone is greatest). looking at graph data from the summer shows that there is higher relative ozone concentration in the peaks than in the peaks during the winter because there is a stronger presence of sunlight in the summer Which group of fish are recommended to be consumed the fewest times per week? - Correct Ans: Bass, pike, walleye, muskellunge, and lake trout are recommended to be consumed the fewest times per week (only about 1 serving or 115g a week) What pollutant is the strongest contributor for some of the worst air quality indexes globally? - Correct Ans: Particulate matter at the 2.5 micron size is the strongest contributor for some of the worst air quality indexes globally what are some of the damaging effects that mining, oil, and gas can have on the environment across canada? - Correct Ans: almost all of the energy emissions in the country come from gas, oil, and coal, which account for 80% of national greenhouse gas emissions. the extraction of material such as coal using subsurface mining/ mountain-top mining can disrupt habitats, disrupt the hydrography of rivers, and pollute the water through acid mine drainage (the leaching of sulphides and other contaminants caused by rain or other water sources. The reaction of sulphates with water and oxygen from acids, which is bad for aquatic life.) Mining for metals can cause the anthropogenic contamination of the earth's system with trace elements, toxins and pollutants that can be released into our water supply and cause devastating impacts on the ecosystem and human health. Off-leasing (Mining companies also require infrastructure to support running their operations, and they occur away from the mining lease itself- called : "off-lease") can cause deforestation How is mining regulated using the Impact Statement Assessment process and what type of consequences does this have for the development of mines in the future? - Correct Ans: The Impact Statement Assessment evaluates a mines potential effects and impacts on the environment and allows the companies to make a case for how they will limit the environmental impact of the activity. If the company/ project does not pass the assessment process, the project will not go forward. If the company does pass the
assessment process, the project will go forward, but it will be monitored to make sure specific procedures and precautions are being followed. Non-compliance can result in enforcement actions like fines, penalties, or suspension. What measures do mining companies take to reduce their impacts on the environment? - Correct Ans: reclamation: restoring damaged natural areas to a less damaged state once they have finished extracting resources. environmental impact assessments: they conduct comprehensive assessments to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of their projects before initiating any work. which of the following is required to form coal? a) available oxygen b) live plants c) low heat and pressure d) long periods of time - Correct Ans: d) long periods of time list and expand upon two advantages and two disadvantages of using coal - Correct Ans: advantages:
- coal is safe to transport and store. Relative to other fossil fuels such as oil and gas it is safe to transport and store because it does not have the hazard of fire or explosion associated.
- coal is affordable. it is affordable because it is widely available in may regions and extraction is generally less expensive than oil or gas disadvantages:
- coal is nonrenewable. this means that once all of it has been used, it cannot be replaced at a pace quick enough to keep up with consumption
- coal is the most carbon-intensive fossil fuel to burn. this means it creates high amounts of CO2 emissions being released into the atmosphere. provide an example when environmental pressure has impacted the decision to move forward with a destructive environmental practice - Correct Ans: An example of when pressure has impacted the decision to move forward with a destructive environmental practice is teck resources limited and the frontier oil sands mine project.
a) to win the election b) to protect the economy c) to enhance the carbon tax d) to minimize inputs from the carbon tax - Correct Ans: b) to protect the economy what is the TMX pipeline extension and its environmental implications? - Correct Ans: the TMX pipeline extension is an expansion project on the pipeline that already exists between strathcona, Alberta and burnaby, BC. It is aimed to increase the ability of oil producers to get oil to international markets by expanding the capacity of the system from 300,000 barrels a day to 890,000 barrels a day. there are many environmental implications in the TMX pipeline inclduing GHG emissions, habitat destruction, violations of indigenous rights, water contamination and oil spill risks: There is only about a 41% recovery of oil spills when they occur, the pipeline project did not consult indigenous communities properly, they did not consider the impact of increased marine traffic, they had insufficient fencing to protect amphibian species, and they were conducting unapproved vegetation clearing What are the different types of policy mechanisms that are used by governments and how do they work? - Correct Ans: 1. Environmental Impact Assessments - Its job: to assess the project, weigh the environmental risks against the economic benefits and then decide whether or not the project is in the interest of the public good Government Incentives
- Carbon tax- Purpose of the carbon tax is to change human behaviour - it is designed to deter you from carbon emissions by encouraging you to lower your carbon emissions so that you can reduce the amount of tax that you are paying
- Renewable heating incentive- subsidizing the cost of purchasing renewable fuels for heating - it's more financially feasible for consumers to purchase and switch to renewable energy.
- Ontario's electric car incentive- up to 14,000$ in rebates to buy a new electric car. This was funded through a cap-and-trade program and on carbon dioxide which ontario has now cancelled
·What are the federal carbon tax and the renewable heating incentive? - Correct Ans: Carbon tax- A carbon tax is a fee imposed on the burning of carbon-based fuels (coal, oil, gas). This market-driven approach is meant to hit polluters in their pocketbooks and therefore drive pro environmental behaviour through financial incentive Renewable heating incentive- In Northern Ireland (UK), the government tried to encourage the use of renewable fossil fuels for heat production (many residential homes burn oil for heat). Wood pellets were used as renewable fuels. subsidizing the cost of purchasing renewable fuels for heating - it's more financially feasible for consumers to purchase and switch to renewable energy. There was a major problem: the incentives were higher than the cost of the renewable energy itself. This meant if you signed up for the scheme you could actually make money by buying more renewable fuel. How does the electricity mix differ between the global, national and provincial levels? - Correct Ans: globally, some countries rely heavily on fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas, and oil for electricity generation, while others have shifted towards cleaner sources such as renewables and nuclear power. Only within the past few years have renewable energies started to make an impact at the global scale. Oil, coal and gas are the greatest energy consumers (in that order), then hydro, nuclear, wind, solar, and other renewables throughout the world nationally in Canada, we are shifting to ban coal-fired electricity by 2030. Most of Canada's electricity production comes from hydro (60%). The main renewable technologies Canada uses are solar and wind. 67% of Canada's electricity comes from renewable sources and 82% from non- GHG emitting sources provincially, Ontario has stopped burning coal since 2014. Ontario relies heavily on nuclear power. Ontario's renewable power push is slowing - the trend of increased use of renewable energy should be increasing, but its arguably still not at a fast enough rate. Provinces often supply each other energy, for example, Ontario's energy demand is about 130 TWh per year, and it gets 2TWh from Quebec as Quebec makes more energy than they can use themselves. Saskatchewan and Alberta are expected to outpace the country in the transition to renewable electricity What are the dynamic costs and pricing of renewable power? - Correct Ans: Some types of electricity may be expensive to initiate but will pay for itself over time. For energy types that are continuously expensive to upkeep, we need to make sure the money being
switch to using diesel instead of the natural gas. However, burning diesel has more of an environmental impact. What are some examples of water pollution? - Correct Ans: 1. Mercury pollution from logging companies, industrial companies, causing First Nations communities who access their water directly from natural sources to be under water boil advisories
- wastewater from homes is full of phosphates (from laundry detergents, etc) that may lead to the eutrophication of bodies of water
- Overflow of water flowing through a wastewater plant can lead to raw sewage ending up in bodies of water What are the causes and consequences of eutrophication and how do we try to prevent it? - Correct Ans: causes: agricultural runoff (fertilizers containing nitrogen and phosphorus), encapsulated feeds in aquaculture can introduce excess nutrients into the environment which may lead to eutrophication, and wastewater from homes can contain excess nutrients from things like laundry detergent that causes eutrophication. consequences: abnormal increases in algae and bacterial growth, depletion of dissolved oxygen which can be fatal for aquatic species, and ecosystem degradation how to prevent it: reduce the cap of nitrogen in pesticides and fertilizers, use experimental lakes to find out what is causing eutrophication to occur to prevent it in the future, use ferric solution to limit the phosphorus going into the environment from the wastewater treatment centre, decrease runoff How do intergovernmental (UNEP) and crown organizations (Conservation authorities) work to lower pollution and damage to waterways? - Correct Ans: Intergovernmental organizations focus on addressing broad-scale issues at a global level through international treaties such as The Montreal Protocol
and Minamata Convention on Mercury, and through environmental assessments such as Ozone assessments and Global International Waters Assessment. Crown organizations are non-profit organizations that are not part of the government and they design programs to manage and conserve natural resources. they are typically organized into watersheds that collect precipitation in a given area and carry out tasks such as water level management and flood protection, management of parks and recreation areas, and water report cards What type of methods were used to determine the influence of different nutrients on eutrophication? What were some of the primary causes? What policies and practices helped to reduce it? - Correct Ans: To determine the influence of nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen on eutrophication, an extensive review of the eutrophication problem, whole-lake experiments, and well documented successful case history of recovery was used. Some of the primary causes of eutrophication include household detergents with high contents of phosphorus and phosphorus and nitrogen rich fertilizers policies and practices that helped reduce eutrophication:
- In 1972 there was a great lakes water quality agreement that both canadian and american government signed, which had them agree to reduce phosphorus inputs
- Implementation of technology for removing phosphorus inexpensively from wastewater treatment facilities (ferric solution)
- phosphorus control policies of phosphorus in household detergents What are some of the similarities and differences between the mercury poisoning in Minamata and Grassy Narrows? Also discuss some of the health effects of mercury pollution in these case studies - Correct Ans: Similarities: methylmercury was released into the water and people died from mercury poisoning. Differences Grassy narrows: dumping from logging companies. Mercury contamination resulted in a loss of employment, food sources and a traditional way of life. Canada has yet to make an
describe how scientists uncovered the main drivers of eutrophication - Correct Ans: scientists uncovered the main driver of eutrophication as phosphorus through:
- Long-term case histories
- multiyear whole lake experiments
- experiments where chemical treatments are used to remove phosphorus from the water column
- chemical additions to inhibit return of phosphorus from the sediments to the water column How did the detergent industry respond to challenges around phosphate in its detergents ? - Correct Ans: Many detergent manufacturers put out claims that carbon was actually causing the problem, which caused a delay in the eutrophication control policy. They were scared their phosphorus containing products would be banned so they published papers arguing against the phosphorus hypothesis what organization is responsible for monitoring our water sheds? - Correct Ans: Upper thames river conservation authority explain the causes and consequences of coral bleaching - Correct Ans: causes: increasing ocean temperatures consequences: tiny algal symbionts (dinoflagellates) are expelled from the coral, causing the coral to loose its colour, and the underlying coral skeleton is white (hence the term "bleaching"). This often leads to coral death, and millions of species rely on coral reefs for habitat that is now lost. What are the major sources and types of plastics? - Correct Ans: - microplastics
- single-use plastics (grocery bags, straws, stir-sticks, six pack rings, plastic cutlery, take- out containers)
- microbeads
- fishing industry (leftover fishing nets, lines)
Give some examples of the environmental effects of plastic pollution - Correct Ans:
- plastic pollution accumulating in the ocean is causing entanglement of marine life as well as the ingestion of plastic particles that is a widespread threat to many species
- plastic is accumulating in our landfills
- larger plastic pieces degrade into microplastics that infiltrate water systems and get consumed by animals
