Which statement is not a key principle for transitioning to a low-waste society?

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

When examining the idea of transitioning to a low-waste society, it helps to identify core principles that promote waste reduction and resource stewardship.
Option 1: 'Economic growth and free markets reduce waste.' This statement asserts that growth and market dynamics inherently decrease waste, which is not a universally accepted core principle of low-waste transition. In reality, unrestrained growth or market-driven approaches can sometimes prioritize throughput and consumption, potentially increasing waste unless explicitly guided by policy and design.
Option 2: 'We can mimic nature by reusing, recycling, and composting.' This aligns with established circular economy and biomimicry concepts, emphasizing closed-loop materials, reuse, and returning nutrients to ecosystems—clearly a key principle in low-waste thinking.
Option 3: 'Everything is connected.' This reflects systems thinking, recognizing interdependencies across ecosystems, economies, and communities; it underpins holistic strategies for reducing waste by considering upstream and downstream effects.
Option 4: 'There is no "away."' This principle captures the idea that waste must be managed within a system and that disposal sites are not the end of a material’s life; it promotes responsibility for end-of-life outcomes and aligns with waste prevention and material stewardship.
Option 5: 'Polluters and producers should pay for the wastes they produce.' This is consistent with the polluter pays principle, internalizing costs to incentivize prevention, redesign, and accountability, which is a common policy tool in waste reduction efforts.
Based on these evaluations, the statement that does not fit as a key principle is the first one, since it asserts that economic growth and free markets inherently reduce waste, which is not a guaranteed or universally accepted mechanism for achieving a low-waste transition.

11:375:101:01 INTRO ENV SCIENCE Exam #3

Which statement is not a key principle for transitioning to a low-waste society?

View Explanation

Log in for full answers

Similar Questions

Which of the following were waste disposal systems discussed in Lecture 4?

Which strategy would be least effective for industry and communities in their efforts to reduce resource use, waste, and pollution?

Recycling of MSW in the USA _____.

Waste materials have limited investment recovery options.

Select the statements that are correct

What is the purpose of the waste management hierarchy?

According to the lecture, disposal is the most common waste management strategy for which parts of society?

What is the general focus of the unit Sustainable Waste Management?

More Practical Tools for Students Powered by AI Study Helper

Homework AI Solver

Stylized AI Paper Writer

Plagiarism Checker Assistant

Citation AI Academic Writing Tool

In-Class Translation Assistant

AI Note Generator

AI Quiz Answers

Past Exam Questions from University Test Bank

Smart Practice Assistant

Adaptive Practice

Making Your Study Simpler

11:375:101:01 INTRO ENV SCIENCE Exam #3

Which statement is not a key principle for transitioning to a low-waste society?

View Explanation

Log in for full answers

Similar Questions

Which of the following were waste disposal systems discussed in Lecture 4?

Which strategy would be least effective for industry and communities in their efforts to reduce resource use, waste, and pollution?

​Recycling of MSW in the USA _____.

Waste materials have limited investment recovery options.

Select the statements that are correct

What is the purpose of the waste management hierarchy?

According to the lecture, disposal is the most common waste management strategy for which parts of society?

What is the general focus of the unit Sustainable Waste Management?

More Practical Tools for Students Powered by AI Study Helper

Making Your Study Simpler

Recycling of MSW in the USA _____.