What environmental threats and issues does environmental sociology and environmental sociologists try to solve? List some. Which are short-term and long-term issues? Pick one of these threats and or issues and describe how you would try to solve it as an environmental sociologist.

Describe what materialism is and how someone can be materialistic. Give a few detailed examples. Identify why environmental sociologists are so interested in studying materialism. What are some ways our society can be less materialistic? What are some of the positives and negatives of materialism?

Describe the economics and politics of implementing green technology in our society. Why are we so slow to move toward this type of green technology and away from petroleum? Compare and contrast which forms of green technology might realistically be built in the next 10 years. Which ones do you think need to wait until a future to be built, and why?