Cornell University (New York) plans to use the icy waters of nearby Cayuga Lake to air-condition the campus, but recognizes they can do so only with the community's cooperation. Critics fear the move will change the lake's ecological balance. The university's decision and a subsequent public relations campaign is viewed by some as arrogant. (MSE)

This issue contains five articles that address environmental concerns. "Poverty and Environmental Decline" (Alan Durning) analyzes accelerating environmental decline and discusses the need for action at every level to reverse global deterioration. "Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Made Easy" (Cesar Galvan, Peter Kenmore)…

Control of urban development and preservations of open space have become increasingly controversial issues in recent years. This booklet was prepared to help citizens and local officials resolve these types of issues. It is intended to provide a framework for positive discussions between citizens and local officials, and includes an introduction…

Recounts some of the progress that has been made in the field of population biology. Presents some of the important advances made in the field, along with some of their applications to societal problems. Calls for more cooperation between population scientists and social scientists, and more environmental education for the public. (TW)

Examines some of the traditional and new methods that have been devised to harness energy from the sun in the form of heat. Discusses some current research and developments underway which are lowering the costs of equipment and installation. (TW)

States that tidal power projects are feasible in a relatively limited number of locations around the world. Claims that together they could theoretically produce the energy equivalent to more than one million barrels of oil per year. (TW)

Discusses the continual decline in the quality of the environment. Questions why this decline continues, considering the increased awareness of environmental problems by the general public. Concludes that those efforts have not been inadequate, but have been misdirected. Promotes increasing the relationships between economic and ecological…

Discusses some of the ecological variables involved with plant and animal survival during the winter months. Addresses the effects of changing climatic conditions on habitats, foot-loading indexes, and the overall concept of adaptation. Provides some simple teaching activities dealing with winter survival. (TW)

Environmental economists propose that the value of clean air, land, and water should count as part of the national bottom line for gross national product (GNP) considerations. Discusses the harmful effects of the present national accounting system that omits environmental costs and the efforts of environmental economists to produce an accounting…

This booklet is about the disposal of high-level nuclear waste in the United States with a particular focus on Yucca Mountain, Nevada as a repository site. Intended for readers who do not have a technical background, the booklet discusses why scientists and engineers think high-level nuclear waste may be disposed of safely underground. An…

During the 1986 Coastweek, a national event dedicated to improvement of the marine environment, a large beach cleanup was organized on the Texas coast. The goals of the cleanup were to create public awareness of the problems caused by marine debris, and to collect data on the types and quantities of debris found on the Texas coastline. The…

The post-World War II era is commonly described as the age of oil. Petroleum has fueled the industrialization process and has helped to raise living standards around the globe. At the same time, the current era has been referred to as the age of efficiency. Since 1973, it is estimated that the world saved far more energy through improved…

This document provides a review of the United States' progress in improving the condition of its environment and the management of its natural resources, as well as a global perspective with regard to this country's policies. The report is divided into two parts. The first five chapters describe and analyze a wide range of environmental conditions…

Rural regional planning that will satisfy man's real needs, and not merely those of an economic nature, must take into consideration all factors, all possible interactions, and most important of all, those values which cannot be expressed in terms of money. The report details the functions and problems of rural areas revealed by analyses of rural…

The College of the Atlantic (COA) developed a broad-based, interdisciplinary curriculum in ecological policy and community planning and decision-making that incorporates two primary computer-based tools: ARC/INFO Geographic Information System (GIS) and STELLA, a systems-dynamics modeling tool. Students learn how to use and apply these tools…