NEDP Environmental Awareness 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which human activity is the largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions globally?
- Burning fossil fuels for energy and transportation (Correct answer)
- Agricultural irrigation
- Ocean shipping
- Building construction
Correct answer: Burning fossil fuels for energy and transportation
Burning coal, oil, and natural gas for electricity and transportation accounts for the majority of global greenhouse gas emissions.
The combustion of fossil fuels (coal for electricity, oil for vehicles, natural gas for heating) is responsible for roughly 73% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Energy production alone accounts for the largest share. Agriculture (livestock, rice cultivation), deforestation, and industrial processes are also significant contributors but rank below energy-related emissions.
Question 2: What is the purpose of the Clean Water Act in the United States?
- To regulate the discharge of pollutants into U.S. waters and maintain water quality standards (Correct answer)
- To set the national price of drinking water
- To ban all industrial activity near rivers and lakes
- To manage the allocation of water rights between states
Correct answer: To regulate the discharge of pollutants into U.S. waters and maintain water quality standards
The Clean Water Act (1972) regulates pollutant discharges into waterways and sets water quality standards to protect public health and ecosystems.
The Clean Water Act of 1972 is the primary federal law regulating water pollution in the U.S. It requires permits for discharging pollutants into navigable waters, sets quality standards for surface waters, and funds wastewater treatment. The EPA enforces it in partnership with states. It dramatically improved water quality — many rivers that were severely polluted in the 1960s are now fishable and swimmable.
Question 3: What is 'composting' and how does it benefit the environment?
- Decomposing organic waste into nutrient-rich soil, reducing landfill waste and improving soil health (Correct answer)
- Burning yard waste to reduce landfill volume
- A chemical process for treating industrial waste
- Filtering water using organic materials
Correct answer: Decomposing organic waste into nutrient-rich soil, reducing landfill waste and improving soil health
Composting turns food scraps and yard waste into nutrient-rich soil amendment, reducing landfill methane emissions and improving soil fertility.
Composting is the controlled decomposition of organic materials (food scraps, leaves, grass clippings) into humus — a rich soil amendment. Benefits include reducing landfill waste (organic matter in landfills produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas), improving soil structure and water retention, reducing need for synthetic fertilizers, and closing the nutrient cycle naturally.
Question 4: Which of the following actions best represents 'environmental stewardship' in everyday life?
- Conserving water, reducing waste, and choosing sustainable products when possible (Correct answer)
- Using as many resources as available since they are paid for
- Ignoring environmental issues as individual actions have no impact
- Only caring about environmental issues when laws require it
Correct answer: Conserving water, reducing waste, and choosing sustainable products when possible
Environmental stewardship means taking personal responsibility for protecting natural resources through daily choices.
Environmental stewardship is the responsible use and protection of natural resources through conservation and sustainable practices. Individual stewardship actions (reducing water use, minimizing waste, choosing products with lower environmental impact) collectively make a significant difference. While systemic change is also needed, individual actions demonstrate values and build environmental culture.
Question 5: What is an 'invasive species'?
- A plant or animal introduced to a new ecosystem where it causes ecological harm (Correct answer)
- A native species that becomes overpopulated in its natural habitat
- Any large predator that disrupts local food chains
- A species protected under the Endangered Species Act
Correct answer: A plant or animal introduced to a new ecosystem where it causes ecological harm
Invasive species are non-native organisms introduced to a new environment where, without natural predators, they outcompete native species and disrupt ecosystems.
An invasive species is a non-native organism (plant, animal, insect, or microorganism) introduced to a new ecosystem where it lacks natural predators, diseases, or competitors. Without these controls, it often multiplies rapidly and displaces native species. Examples: zebra mussels in the Great Lakes, kudzu vine in the southeastern U.S., and European starlings in North America.
Question 6: What does 'sustainability' mean in an environmental context?
- Meeting current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs (Correct answer)
- Using all available natural resources before they run out
- Maintaining current industrial output levels indefinitely
- Reducing all human impact on nature to zero
Correct answer: Meeting current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs
Sustainability (Brundtland Commission definition, 1987) balances present resource use with preservation for future generations.
The most widely used definition of sustainability comes from the 1987 Brundtland Report: 'development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.' Sustainability has three pillars — environmental (ecological balance), social (equity and well-being), and economic (viable long-term growth) — often depicted as the 'triple bottom line.'
NEDP Environmental Awareness 2
Which human activity is the largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions globally?