Lessons From the Environment: Survey Responses
Here's how a random sample of American's answered the questions on the NEEF/Roper Environmental Knowledge Quiz in the survey conducted in August 2000. Correct answers are shown in bold.
| 1. There are many different kinds of animals and plants, and they live in many different types of environments. What is the word used to describe this idea? Is it… | Percent Responding |
| a. Multiplicity | 6 |
| b. Biodiversity | 41 |
| c. Socio-economics | 7 |
| d. Evolution? | 9 |
| Don’t know | 36 |
| 2. Carbon monoxide is a major contributor to air pollution in the U.S. Which of the following is the biggest source of carbon monoxide? Is it… | |
| a. Factories and businesses | 25 |
| b. People breathing | 3 |
| c. Motor vehicles, or | 65 |
| d. Trees? | 3 |
| Don’t know | 4 |
| 3. How is most of the electricity in the U.S. generated? Is it… | |
| a. By burning oil, coal, and wood | 33 |
| b. With nuclear power | 12 |
| c. Through solar energy | 2 |
| d. At hydro electric power plants? | 39 |
| Don’t know | 13 |
| 4. What is the most common cause of pollution of streams, rivers, and oceans? Is it… | |
| a. Dumping of garbage by cities | 14 |
| b. Surface water running off yards, city streets, paved lots, and farm fields | 28 |
| c. Trash washed into the ocean from beaches, or | 4 |
| d. Waste dumped by factories? | 45 |
| Don’t know | 9 |
| 5. Which of the following is a renewable resource? Is it… | |
| a. Oil | 12 |
| b. Iron ore | 4 |
| c. Trees, or | 65 |
| d. Coal | 6 |
| Don’t know | 24 |
| 6. Ozone forms a protective layer in the earth’s upper atmosphere. What does ozone protect us from? Is it … | |
| a. Acid rain | 4 |
| b. Global warming | 27 |
| c. Sudden changes in temperature, or | 6 |
| d. Harmful, cancer-causing sunlight? | 54 |
| Don’t know | 9 |
| 7. Where does most of the garbage in the U.S. end up? Is it in… | |
| a. Oceans | 5 |
| b. Incinerators | 4 |
| c. Recycling centers, or | 4 |
| d. Landfills? | 85 |
| Don’t know | 2 |
| 8. What is the name of the primary federal agency that works to protect the environment? Is it the… | |
| a. Environmental Protection Agency (the EPA) | 72 |
| b. Department of Health, Environment, and Safety (the DHES) | 3 |
| c. National Environmental Agency (the NEA), or | 4 |
| d. Federal Pollution Control Agency (the FPCA)? | 6 |
| Don’t know | 15 |
| 9. Which of the following household wastes is considered hazardous waste? Is it… | |
| a. Plastic packaging | 16 |
| b. Glass | 3 |
| c. Batteries, or | 67 |
| d. Spoiled food? | 10 |
| Don’t know | 5 |
| 10. What is the most common reason that an animal species becomes extinct? Is it because… | |
| a. Pesticides are killing them | 8 |
| b. Their habitats are being destroyed by humans | 74 |
| c. There is too much hunting, or | 6 |
| d. There are climate changes that affect them? | 5 |
| Don’t know | 6 |
| 11. Scientists have not determined the best solution for disposing of nuclear waste. In the U.S., what do we do with it now? Do we… | |
| a. Use it as nuclear fuel | 7 |
| b. Sell it to other countries | 3 |
| c. Dump it in landfills, or | 12 |
| d. Store and monitor the waste? | 57 |
| Don’t know | 21 |
| 12. What is the primary benefit of wetlands? Do they… | |
| a. Promote flooding | 7 |
| b. Help clean the water before it enters lakes, streams, rivers, or oceans | 53 |
| c. Help keep the number of undesirable plants and animals low, or | 7 |
| d. Provide good sites for landfills? | 3 |
| Don’t know | 30 |
