Politics and the Environment

A cost-benefit analysis is a(n)

• Study of the factors that influence decisions of buyers and sellers.
• Economy in which the government decides what is made.
• Equilibrium between a product's supply and demand.
• Comparison between what is sacrificed and gained by a specific action.

“Energy Star,” “USDA Organic,” and “Fair Trade Certified” are all examples of

• ecosystems
• ecolabelling
• non-market values
• market failure

In making environmental policies, government interacts with

• organizations
• businesses
• citizens
• all of the above

In the U.S., laws enacted from the 1780's to the late 1800's reflected the perception that

• the amount of land and natural resources in the west was endless.
• the natural resources of the west could be used up and required legal protection.
• Americans were living amid dirtier air, dirtier water, and more waste and toxic chemicals.
• a sustainable future should be a primary goal.

Most major laws in modern U.S. environmental policy were enacted in the

• 1960's and 1970's
• 1980's and 1990's
• years between 2000 and 2005
• years between 2005 and 2010

Headquartered in New York City, the 190 member nations of the following organization work together to promote peace and to help solve economic, social, cultural, and humanitarian problems.

• World Trade Organization
• European Union
• United Nations
• Kyoto Protocol

A law that prohibits dumping wastes into the ocean and punishes people who dump wastes demonstrates which approach to environmental policy?

• green tax
• command & control
• cap & trade
• subsidy

A power company is given free land by the government to reduce the cost of providing wind-generated electricity to rural residents. This is an example of a

• command & control approach
• cap & trade system
• subsidy
• green tax

The first step of an environmental policy process is to

• guide the solution to law
• identify the problem
• get organized
• gain access to policymakers

Which statement about environmental policy in the United States is true?

• All three branches of government are involved in environmental policy
• The environmental policies have always been successful.
• All important policies are created at the federal level.
• Environmental policy is based only on scientific information.