Download - Catalyst

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(2 points) Your name: _____________________________
Final – ENVIR 100 Winter 2012
You have 110 minutes to take this exam. Be sure to look at the point values and allocate
your time accordingly, ask questions if necessary, and make sure your answers are clearly
legible. Good luck!
For grading purposes:
Page 1 (this page,
out of 2):
Page 2 (out of 14):
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1) (4 points total, 2 points each) These questions are about wilderness areas.
a. What is one argument in favor of basing wilderness areas on the idea that humans
are only visitors, not residents? For full credit, use the New York Times video
about the Serengeti to support your argument.
b. What is one argument against basing wilderness areas on this idea? For full
credit, use the Juizhaigou National Park to support your argument.1
2) (6 points) David Battisti argued that there will be 200-400 million more people at
risk of hunger in 2080 compared to today. Give two reasons why.2
a. (2 points)
b. (2 points)
c. (2 points) Optimists like Julian Simon or the author of “Plenty of Gloom” would
be unlikely to agree with David Battisti. What is one argument they would make?
3) (4 points) Describe a positive feedback loop involving climate change and the
mountain pine beetle. For partial credit you can both (1) describe a different positive
feedback loop and (2) discuss key issues relating to the mountain pine beetle.3
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4) (6 points, 2 each) Reducing emissions of black carbon (i.e., soot) and tropospheric
(ground-level) ozone will arguably provide “win-win” benefits. Name three benefits
of reducing black carbon and/or tropospheric ozone.4
a.
b.
c.
5) (2 points) Pollution taxes and cap-and-trade permits both reduce pollution by making
polluting _________________________________________________________.5
6) (2 points) How does British Columbia reduce the economic impact of carbon taxes?6
7) (2 points) Give a prominent real-life example of a cap-and-trade system to address a
pollution problem. Make sure to identify the pollutant as well as the policy itself.7
8) (2 points) Give a real-life example of cap-and-trade that is not related to pollution.8
9) (9 points) Draw a graph approximating the historic and most likely future path of
world human population growth starting in 1800 and continuing to 2100. Your graph
should have the following elements: Labels on the x and y axes (1 point); labels or
arrows or other ways for your reader to determine the approximate (within 15%)
human population in the year 2010 and in the year 2100 (2 points each); and an
appropriate shape showing how populations are likely to change over that time period
(4 points).9
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10) (3 points) Give an example of a pollution situation (or other situation related to class)
that is a tragedy of the commons. Briefly explain.10
11) (3 points) Give an example of a pollution situation (or other situation related to class)
that is not a tragedy of the commons. Briefly explain.11
12) (6 points, 2 each) Complete this analogy based on the reading for Aaron Wirsing’s
lecture: the relationship between (1) sharks, (2) sea turtles, and (3) seagrass meadows
in Shark Bay is similar to the relationship between (1)________________________,
(2) ______________________, and (3) _____________________ in Yellowstone.12
13) (2 points) Sharks kill turtles, but an even more important indirect impact on the
ecosystem from shark-turtle interactions is ______________________________.13
14) (6 points, 2 each) Ocean acidification is a direct threat to marine organisms (like
foraminifera) that have _______________________, an indirect threat to sea otters
because they are connected to foraminfera through the _______________________,
and a special threat to _____________________________, a marine ecosystem that
harbors more than 25% of the ocean’s biodiversity. (Fill in the blanks.)14
15) (2 points) For the ocean acidification lecture you watched a video on the Italian island
of Ischia. What is interesting about this island, i.e., how is it connected to ocean
acidification?15
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16) (2 points, 1 each) What has been the general trend of air pollution levels for NAAQS
pollutants over the last few decades? (Circle one: More pollution Less pollution)
Over the past decades what has been the general trend of required attainment levels?
(Circle one: More strict Less strict).16
17) (2 points) Briefly explain why this general trend is expected to continue into the
future.17
18) (3 points total, 1 each) Over the past 40 years the ratio of oil reserves to annual
consumption has (circle one: increased decreased stayed about the same ) because
oil reserves have (circle one:
increased decreased stayed about the same ) and
annual consumption has (circle one: increased decreased stayed about the same ).18
19) (3 points, 1 each) The cleanest fossil fuel is (circle one: coal petroleum natural gas)
and the dirtiest is (circle one: coal petroleum natural gas ). The fossil fuel with the
largest reserves is (circle one: coal petroleum natural gas ).19
20) (4 points) CO2 emissions are projected to increase most rapidly in the (circle one:
developed developing ) countries in the world. In terms of the IPAT equation, this
increase in (circle one: I P A T ) is driven primarily by (circle one: I P A T ) and
secondarily by (circle one: I P A T ).20
21) (3 points) Roughly speaking, the world can be divided into tropical regions (near the
equator), polar regions, and temperate regions (in between). In which of these
regions is climate change expected to increase temperatures the most? (Circle one:
tropical polar temperate ) In which of these regions is most of the world’s
biodiversity found? (Circle one: tropical polar temperate ) In which of these regions
is climate change expected to have the largest impact on food security? (Circle one:
tropical polar temperate )21
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22) (1 point) True or false: Climate change is projected to increase agricultural yields for
certain crops for the next few decades because of the “CO2 fertilization effect.”
(Circle one: True False )22
23) (1 point) True or false: The U.S. EPA is supposed to set NAAQS attainment levels by
using cost-benefit analysis. (Circle one: True False )23
24) (2 points) What was a central message of Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring?24
25) (4 points) In what decade were many important environmental laws passed in the
U.S.? _____________________ Also, name two such laws.25
a)
b)
26) (4 points) Define umbrella species as a conservation tool and give an example from
class.26
27) (2 points) What is the difference between grandfathered permits and auctioned
permits?27
28) (2 points) Which one is most like a tax? (Circle one: grandfathered auctioned )28
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29) (6 points total, 2 points each) These questions are about the winning posters. For
partial credit you can clearly describe something else you learned from each of these
posters.29
a. (2 points) What are “dead zones”?30
b. (2 points) There have been two recent developments about coal in Washington
State. Name one of them.31
c. (2 points) A big reason for deforestation in the Amazon is demand for _______.32
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1
One argument in favor is that human activity can damage ecosystems through
development, mining, introduction of invasive species, etc. For example, building a road
through the Serengeti could have a negative impact on native animals. One argument
against is that in many places (Juizhaigou National Park, the Yakama Nation, etc)
humans have been a part of ecosystems for thousands of years, so forbidding human
activity may damage those ecosystems, e.g., the pheasants in Juizhaigou National Park
need clearings in order to survive, and it’s human activity such as farming that creates
those clearings.
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One reason is simply population increases. Another reason is climate change impacts on
higher temperatures (drought would also be ok, but David focused on temperature) and
(especially) crop yields in tropical areas where many poor people live. For (c), they
would argue for technological progress or economic growth as solutions.
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Higher winter-time temperatures allow beetles to survive the winter whereas summertime drought makes trees more vulnerable, the result being that beetles kill lots more
trees. As a result those trees no longer take CO2 out of the atmosphere, so atmospheric
CO2 goes up leading to more global warming.
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Reducing black carbon can slow global warming, slow deforestation, and reduce health
impacts from indoor air pollution. Reducing ground-level ozone can slow global warming
and reduce health impacts as well as agricultural losses.
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They both make pollution more expensive.
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They use the revenue to reduce existing taxes.
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One example is the SO2 trading system in the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments. Other
examples include CO2 trading systems such as the ETS in Europe or AB32 in California.
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There might be other correct answers here, but fishery ITQ systems are a good answer.
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1 point for axes label, 2 points for 6.8 billion or so in 2009 (6.0-7.5 billion okay, 1 point
for something close or for using “millions” instead of “millions”), 2 points for 9-10
billion or so in 2100, 2 points for exponential growth in 1800-2000, 2 points for nearing a
peak around 2100.
2 points for a shape showing increasing populations that peak mid-century.
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One point for the example (CO2, SO2, etc) and two points for the explanation: it’s each
individual’s self-interest to pollute but when everybody does it the result is worse for
everyone than if everybody polluted less.
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One point for the example (smoking, polluting your own home, not having toilet paper,
etc) and two points for the explanation: If it just hurts yourself and there’s no externality
then it’s not a tragedy of the commons.
12
Wolves, deer/elk, and riparian habitat (stream-side shrubs).
13
Behavior change as a result of fear, e.g., turtles staying at the edges of the seagrass
meadows. Full points for “fear” or “behavior change”.
14
Shells, food chains/webs, coral reefs.
15
Ischia is the site of a “natural experiment” because CO2 naturally bubbles out of sea
floor; this gives scientists an opportunity to study an ocean environment with high levels
of CO2.
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Less pollution; more strict.
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17
NAASQ are set to protect the health of all people, including vulnerable subgroups, and
scientists keep finding health impacts from air pollution/improved measurement
technologies allow lower and lower detection levels.
18
Stayed about the same; increased; increased.
19
Natural gas, coal, coal.
20
In the developing world, driven primarily by GDP per capita and secondarily by
increases in population.
21
Climate change will increase temperatures the most in polar regions. Most biodiversity
is in the tropical regions because of, e.g., availability of energy and water and climate
stability both within and between years. Climate change is projected to impact food
security the most in tropical regions because, e.g., that’s where many poor people live
who are dependent on agriculture, and because that’s where temperatures are already
high.
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True.
23
False. NAASQ are supposed to set to protect the health of all people, including
vulnerable subgroups.
24
Risks to animals (including humans and songbirds) of pesticides like DDT.
25
Two points for 1970s, one point each for, e.g., Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act,
Endangered Species Act, National Environmental Policy Act.
26
In order to protect an “umbrella species” like the tiger shark you need to protect lots of
other species in that ecosystem (e.g., in order to protect tiger sharks you need to protect
sea turtles, seagrass meadows, etc) and so those other species can be protected under the
umbrella of protecting the tiger shark. Two points for definition, two points for example.
27
Grandfathering means that permits are issued to existing firms on the basis of historic
emissions. Auctioning means that permits are auctioned off to the highest bidder.
28
Auctioning is most like taxing because in both cases the government gets revenue and
polluters have to pay for the ability to pollute.
29
For (a), destabilization of the food chain could occur if ocean acidification reduces
populations of pteropods and other small shelled organisms at the bottom of the food
chain, and then that impact affect the fish that eat them, etc. For (b), livestock contribute
to GHG emissions through direct emissions of, e.g., methane (cow belches) and through
deforestation to clear land for cattle-raising. For (c), a local connection could be either
Willapa Bay oysters (which have been struggling because of ocean acidification), loss of
salmon populations, risks to salmon from Pacific Ocean fish farms, or the “239 pesticidecontaminated sites around Washington state.”
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Marine areas (such as in the Gulf of Mexico) where excessive nutrient run-off has led
to excessive growth of algal populations, which deplete oxygen levels
(hypoxia/eutrophication) when they decay. Lack of oxygen limits marine life.
31
One is that the Centralia Power Plant (the only coal plant in the state) will be shut
down or transformed to natural gas by 2025. A second is that there are plans to export
coal to Asia through ports in Washington State.
32
Agricultural products like soybeans, cattle, and coffee.