This paper puts forward an alternative view on sustainable development, arguing that the separation between the economy, the environment and the social in the Brundtland model obscures the societal character of the economy, the economic bases of the social, and the fact that the environment is a societal product. We differentiate between strong…

Gottlieb's (1991/2007) study on social malleability of ducking response to maternal calls is perhaps a paradigmatic example of research within the transactional approach to behavioral development--an approach which has fundamental links with the ecological approach to perception-action (Gibson, 1979). This commentary fleshes out these links…

The good, bad and ugly gifts from the mother earth are highlighted. Olive oil, rice seedling blight, and Borrelia burgdorferi, respectively are the good, bad and ugly gifts from the mother earth.

Alkaloids are part of the chemical arsenal designed to protect plants against an adverse environment. Therefore, their synthesis and accumulation are frequently induced in response to certain environmental conditions and are mediated by chemical signals, which are formed as the first responses to the external stimulus. A set of experiments using…

Sustainable consumption is gaining in currency as a new environmental policy objective. This paper presents new research findings from a mixed-method empirical study of a local organic food network to interrogate the theories of both sustainable consumption and ecological citizenship. It describes a mainstream policy model of sustainable…

This paper explores competing stories around consciousness, ecology and education, with particular reference to conceptual refinement of the idea of an "ecological consciousness." Phenomenological and functional models of consciousness are examined in terms of their implications for developing ecological consciousness in and for education.…

This center is an outdoor instructional resource center in San Diego County. Primarily designed for elementary and junior high students, it can be used by all county schools for class field trips or individual student projects.

An ecological view of the world is necessary to avoid the destruction of the environment. (MF)

This study examines the factors influencing language and script choice in instant messaging (IM), a form of real-time computer-mediated communication, in a multilingual setting. Grounded in the New Literacy Studies, the study understands IM as a social practice involving texts, encompassing a range of literacy practices, within which a subset…

Disturbance-generated biomass results from endogenous and exogenous natural and cultural disturbances that affect the health and productivity of forest ecosystems. These disturbances can create large quantities of plant biomass on predictable cycles. A systems analysis model has been developed to quantify aspects of system capacities (harvest,…

Demonstrates the relevance of ecology to sociological research and discusses some of the theoretical perspectives embodied in ecology. Examines ecology's emphasis upon the population rather than the individual as the unit of observation and on organizations as products of the interaction of population and environment. (DB)

In the beginning of the 21st century, the advancement of science and technology, and communications in particular, made possible for one to know how human activities affect ecosystems and the biosphere. Knowing the increasingly larger scale and volume of the planet occupied by the human species, it would be absolutely reckless on one's part not to…

The work described in this paper on natural environments is designed as an aid in conceptualizing preventive interventions. Primary interest is centered on such questions as: (1) What types of psychological treatments are relevant for social settings?; (2) What are the effects of such treatments upon the behavior of participants in social…

Reports the chemistry of saxitoxin, a paralytic shellfish poison, and other toxins, including the structure of aplysiatoxins. Discusses the chemical signals and defense agents used in intra- and inter- species communication; anticancer agents; and organometallics in the marine environment. (MA)