Describes a class activity designed to aid students in grasping the scope of time involved in man's carelessness towards the environment. Suggests that teachers provide examples of environmental mismanagement and of conservation practices from history and asks students to identify similar problems or practices in contemporary life. Examples are…

Asserts that water pollution is a global problem and presents statistics indicating how much of the world's water is threatened. Presents three elementary school classroom activities on water quality and local water resources. Includes a figure describing the work of the Global Rivers Environmental Education Network. (CFR)

Suggests a strategy for sustainable living that stresses the need for both national support and international cooperation. Proposes that the goal of creating a "sustainable society" includes improvement in the quality of human life and conservation of the Earth's vitality and diversity. (MCO)

A study of English students' concepts of pollution (n=122) indicates students understand pollution in two distinct ways: pollution that goes into the atmosphere and pollution that damages or destroys. Concludes that to the students' minds it seems that both these definitions can only be valid if associated with human-made activities. (Author/MCO)

Discusses the application of artificial intelligence to online information retrieval systems and describes several systems: (1) CANSEARCH, from MEDLINE; (2) Intelligent Interface for Information Retrieval (I3R); (3) Gausch's Query Reformulation; (4) Environmental Pollution Expert (EP-X); (5) PLEXUS (gardening); and (6) SCISOR (corporate…

How state agencies have addressed privatization in a service setting (municipal wastewater treatment) is discussed. The implications for evaluations of many types of programs, particularly those of local service programs regulated by the states, are explored. Data from a national survey of state environmental regulatory agencies are highlighted.…

Discussed is the idea that the use of fossil fuels could render Earth uninhabitable long before supplies of them are exhausted. Possible solutions to this problem are described and include a revolution in technology, worldwide economic strategies, and a change in the way people think. (KR)

By focusing on a polluted river and a visit to a rural Tennessee town, sixth-grade students from suburban Asheville, North Carolina, learned more about this controversy than many of their well-informed parents and teachers. Steps for creating similar interdisciplinary thematic units are described, along with the benefits of team teaching and…

This second in a series of articles about online sources of environmental information describes scientific and technical databases that are useful for searching environmental data. Topics covered include chemicals and hazardous substances; agriculture; pesticides; water; forestry, oil, and energy resources; air; environmental and occupational…

Montana State University conducted a voluntary, private well water test program (n=3400) to direct public attention to water quality education. Eighty-four percent of the respondents to an impact assessment questionnaire indicated that the program was moderately to very effective. Other results involved user awareness and understanding, and…

Presents discussions on the top 10 issues facing colleges and universities in 1998 and beyond. Issues include the impact of the Americans with Disabilities Act, new construction and renovation in response to facility demands, facility maintenance within tightening budgets, energy costs, school funding needs in the face of rising enrollment,…

Timber operators, ranchers, corporate timberland owners, environmentalists, state government, and local schools in rural northern California formed an alliance to save the local salmon from extinction. The community's struggle toward consensus was an attempt to abandon the polarization that arises from power struggles. Local nonprofessionals were…

Explains instructions for creating an oil-spill simulation activity in which students are challenged to clean up the spill. (WRM)

School personnel must know which students have asthma, typical warning signs, and appropriate actions in an emergency. Administering appropriate medication and reducing environmental triggers are not enough. Policymaking in schools and workplaces and legislation to increase health care access and eliminate substandard housing and air pollution are…

Comparative trend analysis shows striking improvements in all major societal indicators as electricity becomes available to developing nations. Discusses the linking of electrical grids between countries and across continents and the ramifications for standards of living, sustainable development, and world peace. (PVD)