Sustainability Study Guide

Front 1

Sustainable

Back 1

The ability of a community to meet its current needs without compromising the needs of future generations

Front 2

Indicator

Back 2

A piece of data that shows the current condition of an area

Hint 2

CO2 emissions, electricity use, malnutrition

Front 3

Land Degradation

Back 3

This term refers to an overall decrease in the quality of soil, water or vegetation.

Hint 3

Caused by human activities or natural events

Front 4

Product life cycle

Back 4

The amount of resources and energy it takes to make a product, the length of the product's usefulness to the consumer, and how the products are disposed of, recycled or reclaimed.

Front 5

Ecological Footprint

Back 5

A quantitive measurement that estimated the amount of resources consumed and waste produced by an individual

Front 6

Evidence

Back 6

Something that supports your claim

Front 7

Eutrophication

Back 7

The process of runoff Nitrates and Phosphates from fertilizers that creates an over abundance of algae, which then causes it to decay, creating an overabundance of bacteria that takes all the oxygen from the fish population which creates dead zones for the deceased fish

Front 8

Correlation

Back 8

A relationship between one event/action and another

Hint 8

Positive and Negative

Front 9

Causal Relationship

Back 9

When one event (called the cause) directly produces another event (called the effect)

Front 10

Stakeholders

Back 10

Individuals or groups who are affected by or involved in a decision

Front 11

Trade-offs

Back 11

Giving up something that is a benefit or advantage in exchange for some other benefit or advantage

Front 12

What are the three dimensions of sustainability?

Back 12

Economic, Environmental and Social

Front 13

What are indicators? How do indicators supply information about various regions of the world?

Back 13

Indicators are observations/calculations that show the presence or state of a condition or trend. Indicators show if certain regions are sustainable for life and what factors can make it unsustainable

Front 14

How do you calculate indicator data per capita?

Back 14

GDP per capita =

(World total GDP) x (country %)

_________________________________

(World total pop.) (country %)

Front 15

How can data be misleading?

Back 15

Data can be misleading because data can be incomplete. The data provided doesn't show more than a mere insight as to what challenges are faced among certain countries

Front 16

How can indicators reveal different sustainability challenges?

Back 16

Indicators can show all the dimensions of sustainability through things like CO2 emissions, imports and exports and pollution.

Front 17

What are some steps some communities have taken to become more sustainable?

Back 17

Communities have created plans that help benefit all the dimensions of sustainability that works for everyone. (Ex: BedZed)

Front 18

What are some methods that increase or decrease someone's ecological footprint?

Back 18

Increase: bigger vehicles that can increase the chance of pollution (trucks and vans)

Decrease: smaller vehicles that can decrease the chance of pollution (small compacts or motorcycles)

Front 19

Is the Earth's ecosystem sustainable based on our current use of resources?

Back 19

No it is not because of our over usage of resources. It's so unsustainable that we would need more than one Earth to benefit our usage.

Front 20

How do excess levels of phosphates and nitrates affect ecosystems?

Back 20

Excess levels of phosphates and nitrates affect ecosystems by causing Eutrophication which effects the fish population and creates dead zones in lakes and rivers.

Front 21

What are the trade-offs of the Jaffrey Lake proposals?

Back 21

Some trade-offs of the Jaffrey Lake proposals are that some proposals can go against what the people of Jaffrey want, but they need to make it work in order to save the lake.