Schools certified under the LEED [Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design] certification support educational programs are the beacons to sustain our Earth. Green schools are a mechanism for learning and their existence is pure example for the future of school facility planning. The purpose of this article is to discuss the various approaches…

This article is an excerpt from "Raising Elijah: Protecting Our Children in an Age of Environmental Crisis" (2011), by Sandra Steingraber. As a scientist, mother, and concerned citizen, Steingraber explores herein the damaging effects of the myriad and ubiquitous environmental pollutants--in homes, schools, and communities--on the lives…

This article presents an interview with Kathleen M. Reilly, author of "Planet Earth: 25 Environmental Projects You Can Build Yourself." Environmental awareness needs to begin in childhood, and, through this book, Kathleen M. Reilly encourages children to learn about ecology and ecosystems to begin conservation early in their lives. Children ages 9…

In a colonia in the border town of Nogales (Sonora, Mexico), a geographer gave cameras to children and asked them to tell about where they live. Reflects on the impact of globalization on these children and their environment, their experience of environmental education, and their attitudes toward the polluted environment of their neighborhood and…

Land is finite, and the earth's resources are limited. Environment is therefore not a matter of ethics or aesthetics alone but of economics. It is a necessity, not a luxury. We must work to understand the place of human beings in the environment. (CS)

The path from environmental regulation to sustainable institutions has not been a smooth one. By the 1960s, it was clear that the environment was in trouble, with severe air and water pollution, the casual disposal of toxic waste, mountains of garbage, and the loss of many species of plants and animals. The response was a series of restrictive…

In this article the author discusses how inadequate ventilation, poor air quality, mold and other conditions can have a detrimental impact on the health of students and school staff. She states that, these unsafe environmental conditions can cause a negative effect on students' health as well as their achievement. Furthermore, she discusses…

The focus of this paper is environmental issues facing Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union as they struggle with the momentous tasks of economic and political reform. Given the important role that environmental protest played in the upheavals, environmentalists have claimed a mandate for strong environmental controls. The state of the environment…

Focuses on the serious side effects produced by chemical pollutants from industry throughout the industrialized world. The author does not simply put the chemical and related industries in a bad light but suggests that the tragedies of pollution could have been avoided. (SA)

Stresses the value of silence, the right to have silence, and how technology has manipulated the sound environment and therefore taken silence out of common availability. Discusses noise pollution and the manipulative use of sound for private gain. Suggests taking action to restore the right to silence. (LP)

The purposes of the report are to assess international rules currently available for compulsory settlement of environmental disputes and to describe a basis for jurisdiction by United Nations agencies over disputes not covered by existing rules. A history of international concern with the environment since the Stockholm Conference on the Human…

Early in 1981 the chief executives of ten major environmental and conservation organizations began meeting for the purpose of enhancing the effectiveness of their organizations in helping to protect the nation's environmental quality. This agenda represents 4 years of work by these and other individuals, and it attempts to collectively reflect the…

Presents a subjective analysis of the status of United States' natural resources, reviewing 1985's key environmental events, problems, and successes. Reports current conditions and/or dilemmas concerning wildlife, air, water, energy, forests, and soils. Provides both a public rating of the quality of life and a priority ranking of environmental…

Alternatives to fossil fuels as energy resources are discussed. Energy from the sun and other renewable resources are cited as the alternatives. Constructed is a practical energy scenario for the year 2030 that involves a 55-percent cut in carbon dioxide emissions, greatly improved energy efficiency, and an energy production system that relies…

There are more people being affected by environmental change than ever before. The deterioration of the earth's physical condition appears to be accelerating. This sixth in a series of annual reports is a collection of 10 essays detailing the major threats to global environmental security and possible responses to them. Included are: (1) "A World…