After a brief examination of the concept of "quality of life," the paper explores research related to the concept in geography, the environmental education movement, and problems involved in implementing relevant programs. It is suggested that "quality of life" is a shifting concept. At a basic level it is concerned with conditions that make survival possible; as one moves up the income scale, the concept relates to various conditions which enhance the environment in a social and aesthetic sense. A brief overview of current related work in geography focuses on peoples' perceptions of natural hazards; a model, for decision-making purposes, to measure objectively the value of a landscape; and studies of general environmental processes. The section on environmental education points out that teachers of geography at all levels have begun to slant some of their work toward the objectives of environmental education with a goal of helping students develop an environmental ethic. Problems in implementing programs are noted: teaching about the quality of life involves a wide range of disciplines; a multi-disciplinary topic involves cooperation among teachers, departments, and students; and teaching about the quality of life may be considered an unnecessary luxury given the economic situation of the 1980s. (KC)