1 In sustainability, it is important to think about systems and not just parts and pieces.
(A) True
(B) False
2 One property of a system is that its identity is always more than the sum of its parts.
(A) True
(B) False
3 Economics is a factor in creating systems that are sustainable.
(A) True
(B) False
4 So far, there are no examples of positive solutions anywhere in the world, and the situation
is hopeless.
(A) True
(B) False
5 The way to know what is sustainable is to listen to opinions and select the ones talked
about most often.
(A) True
(B) False
6 One field of study is known as sustainability science.
(A) True
(B) False
Answer: (A) True
7 Peer review is one of the characteristics of any recognized discipline.
(A) True
(B) False
8 Sustainability is an example of an interdisciplinary field.
(A) True
(B) False
Answer: (A) True
9 Critical thinking skills do not play an important role in the field of sustainability.
(A) True
(B) False
10 Our planetary situation is hopeless.
(A) True
(B) False
11 Being “green,” or environmentally responsible, is not the same thing as being sustainable.
(A) True
(B) False
12 Living systems are finite, and being sustainable means not using them up beyond their
capacity to regenerate.
(A) True
(B) False
13 Our planet has seen five previous mass extinctions and we have now entered the sixth great
extinction.
(A) True
(B) False
14 Which of the following are characteristics of living systems?
(A) closed-loop cycles
(B) networks
(C) diversity
(D) all of the above
15 The triple bottom line refers to
(A) product, place, and price
(B) local, regional, and global
(C) environment, economics, and equity
(D) pollution, climate change, and resource depletion
16 One characteristic of systems is that there isn’t any ____. Energy and materials go round
and round in closed loops for millions of years, with the byproducts from one creature or
systems becoming inputs or food for another.
(A) carbon dioxide
(B) waste
(C) water
(D) biomass
17 One characteristic of systems is that materials and processes do not stay put. Energy is
constantly exchanged, chemicals are constantly exchanged, and the grand whole is in a state of
_____.
(A) flux
(B) chaos
(C) conservation
(D) dynamic equilibrium
18 Which of the following is NOT part of the triple bottom line?
(A) profit
(B) planet
(C) progress
(D) people
19 Processes that purify air and water, pollinate crops, provide food, recycle waste, and
circulate atmospheric gases, chemical elements, and energy are sometimes referred to as:
(A) carrying capacity
(B) ecosystem services
(C) triple bottom line
(D) externalized systems
20 Built-in limits to any system are known as its
(A) carrying capacity
(B) boundaries
(C) ecosystem load
(D) monoculture
21 What is the definition of sustainable development first introduced in the 1987 United
Nations report “Our Common Future”?
(A) economic development that does not compromise the environment of society
(B) development that considers social, economic, and environmental outcomes
(C) operating a business in the interest of all current and future stakeholders in a manner that ensures
the long-term health and survival of the business and its associated economic, social, and environmental
systems
(D) development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs
22 Which of the following is NOT part of the triple bottom line?
(A) profit
(B) planet
(C) progress
(D) people
