Environmental Sustainability Flashcards

A municipality wants to develop a Climate Action Plan. What should be the FIRST step in the process?

Answer: Conducting a community greenhouse gas inventory

A greenhouse gas inventory establishes a baseline of current emissions, which is essential for setting targets and measuring future progress.

Which of the following best describes Environmental Justice as it applies to municipal management?

Answer: Ensuring fair distribution of environmental benefits and burdens across all community populations

Environmental justice requires that no group, particularly low-income or minority communities, bears a disproportionate share of negative environmental impacts.

A city's wastewater treatment plant wants to move toward resource recovery. Which approach best exemplifies this concept?

Answer: Capturing biogas from anaerobic digestion for energy and converting biosolids to fertilizer

Resource recovery transforms wastewater treatment from disposal-focused to a process that extracts energy and nutrients as valuable products.

What is the primary purpose of a Tree Preservation Ordinance in a municipality?

Answer: To protect significant trees during development and prevent unnecessary removal

Tree preservation ordinances protect valuable urban trees from unnecessary removal during development, preserving ecological and community benefits.

A municipality is considering joining a regional Climate Compact. What is the MAIN advantage of this approach?

Answer: It allows municipalities to pool resources and achieve greater collective impact

Regional collaboration amplifies individual city efforts, enabling shared resources, coordinated strategies, and greater collective impact on climate goals.

Which metric is commonly used to measure progress toward municipal energy efficiency goals?

Answer: Energy Use Intensity (EUI) measured in kBtu per square foot per year

EUI normalizes energy consumption by building size, allowing meaningful comparison of energy performance across buildings and over time.

What is the purpose of a Brownfield Redevelopment Program in municipal sustainability planning?

Answer: To assess and remediate contaminated properties for productive reuse

Brownfield programs address contaminated former industrial or commercial sites, enabling cleanup and redevelopment that brings economic and environmental benefits.