Midterm Review

What is the greenhouse effect?

• When companies say that they are environmentally friendly as a marketing gimmick

• When the increased amount of greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere

• When people want to be more environmentally friendly and make their households more green

• When the increased amount of greenhouse gases magnify the heat coming in from the sun

Answer explanation

What are the three main sources of renewable energy? (choose three)

• Hydropower

• Nuclear Energy

• Solar Energy

• Wind Energy

• Biomass

Answer explanation

Solar, wind and hydropower are the three widely recognized sources of renewable energy. Geothermal power is also being developed.

Why do you think nuclear energy is not considered a renewable source?

Which of these worldviews contributed to the climate crisis?

• Extractivism

• Colonialism

• Racism

• Capitalism

• All of the above

Which of the following best describes extractivism?

• The practice of extracting fossil fuels and other resources from the Earth

• A worldview that sees the Earth as a collection of resources to be taken and used

• The destruction of natural ecosystems because of the removal of resources

• The practice of consuming goods and services beyond the amount needed for survival

Bill McKibben offers three numbers about global warming. What do these numbers refer to?

• 1. 1. The number of years left to solve the crisis.

  2. 2. The cost of taking necessary climate action

  3. 3. The economic cost if we do not take action

• 1. 1. The limit for temperature increase to stay in a stable climate

  2. 2. Projected temperature increase in a business-as-usual scenario

  3. 3. Projected temperature increase if we reach the UN's target of net-zero by 2050

• 1. 1. The concentration of carbon dioxide in the Holocene

  2. 2. The concentration of carbon dioxide today

  3. 3. The concentration of carbon dioxide for us to stay in a stable climate

• 1. 1. The limit for temperature increase to stay in a stable climate

  2. 2. The amount of carbon dioxide we can emit before reaching that limit

  3. 3. The amount of carbon dioxide that would be emitted if we burnt existing stores of fossil fuels

What causes ocean acidification?

• The increase in surface temperatures causes acidification to speed up

• Increased amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere dissolving into the ocean

• The disappearance of coral reefs and marine animals that would have used the carbon to build shells or structures

• Increased pollution from ships and human settlements increases the acidity of the ocean

Are we in the Anthropocene?

• Yes

• No

Answer explanation

It depends!

While geologists have not agreed on a 'golden marker' that would indicate that we are in a new geological age, the idea of the anthropocene has diffused through popular culture and can be a useful way of describing the extent to which humanity (or some parts of it) has changed the earth.

According to Eric Klinenberg, what was the key factor that shaped who lived and died in the 1995 Chicago heat wave?

• Ethnicity: some ethnicities have cultures that promote close social ties, making them more likely to check in on each other

• Class: those with more resources were more likely to survive

• Age: Elderly people were more vulnerable because of their health

• Social infrastructure: the physical environment shaped social connections, making some communities more connected

The majority of Americans are concerned about climate change

• True

• False

Answer explanation

Which of the following is NOT a suggestion that Frank Luntz made to the Republic party about climate change communication?

• Calling it 'climate change' instead of 'global warming'

• Emphasizing that the science around climate change is still uncertain

• Suggesting that protecting the environment is important, but that government regulations hinder such protection

• Suggesting that increased temperatures might be a good thing