German (n=610) and Russian (n=610) adolescents in 3 age groups, 12, 15, and 18 years, were given a questionnaire assessing their feelings towards environmental destruction, their readiness for pro-environmental action, and their ethical attitude toward nature. In both nationalities anxiety, sadness, and anger about environmental destruction were high, but hopelessness was rejected. German adolescents expressed more readiness for pro-environmental action and more consideration in human relations with living things than Russians. While German adolescents were willing to perform small-scale pro-environmental actions, with age they became increasingly reluctant to accept greater commitments for ecology. Females of both nationalities agreed more strongly to emotions and actions than males, particularly males aged 15 or above. Results are interpreted in terms of differences in environmental values and education in the two countries and in terms of females' higher prosocial attitudes. (Author)