The promotion of education for sustainable development (ESD) is likely to be constrained by its compatibility with other missions and objectives of higher education institutions (HEIs). Finding space for ESD in the Enterprise Economy invites consideration of opportunities for increasing the visibility and audibility of environmental messages in HE…

A field and laboratory exercise for an undergraduate geomorphology class is described that focuses on the beach. The project requires one day of fieldwork and two laboratory sessions. In the field, students measure water surface fluctuations (waves) with a pressure sensor, survey beach profiles, collect sediment samples, and observe the beach…

Describes the work of Friends of the Los Angeles River (FoLAR) in local environmental education. Discusses the creation of educational programs that celebrate and study the river and explain the importance of the river, its tributaries, and watershed. (Author/MM)

Provides written tour of Colorado Rockies along San Juan Skyway in which the geological features and formation of the mountain range is explored. Discusses evidence of geologic forces and products such as plate tectonic movement and the Ancestral Rockies; subduction and the Laramide Orogeny; volcanism and calderas; erosion, faulting, land…

The beach and sand dunes are the first line of defense protecting the land from the sea. The effectiveness of the beach is caused by its sloping surface which dissipates the energy of waves and by the flexibility of the slope which changes as the waves change. The process and rate of accretion and erosion are dependent on the size and frequency of…

Presents fault activity with an emphasis on earthquakes and changes in continent shapes. Identifies three types of fault movement: normal, reverse, and strike faults. Discusses the seismic gap theory, plate tectonics, and the principle of superposition. Vignettes portray fault movement, and the locations of the San Andreas fault and epicenters of…

Introductory college physical geography courses can be made more relevant by starting with environmental problems of social concern and going on pertinent subject matter to explain the problems. The implications of a problems approach to teaching-learning processes are also discussed. (NH)

Presents an aerial view of a portion of Saudi Arabia as an example of how graphs taken by "Landsat" can provide new information to geographers about topography. (Author/DB)

This bibliography presents a modern definition of the conceptual framework from which to view natural resources, and affords access to information which examines resources from the social scientists point of view. It presents five broad divisions of activity or variables which include (1) Natural and Human Resources, (2) Epistomological and…

Suggests that geographers can serve their communities as Boy Scout merit badge counselors. Identifies several merit badge projects that are closely related to geography topics. Discusses projects involving (1) environmental science; (2) geology; (3) oceanography; (4) orienteering; (5) weather; (6) U.S. cultures; (7) community citizenship; and (8)…

Discussed are beach replenishment, and hard structures in relation to the sand transportation system. Failures of current engineering practices and the resulting costs to the taxpayer are stressed. Equations and parameters used to make predictions of beach durability are criticized. (CW)

A computer modeling course in environmental systems and dynamics is presented. The course teaches senior undergraduates to analyze a system of interest, construct a system flow chart, and write computer programs to simulate real world environmental processes. An example is presented along with a course evaluation, figures, tables, and references.…

The North American prairie ecosystem is unique. Comprised of tall grass, mixed grass, and shortgrass communities, the acreage this ecosystem once covered is incredible 400 million acres (pre-settlement times), accounting for 40% of North America's landscape. Prairies are home to a great diversity of animal life, such as cottontail rabbits,…

Part of the Understanding Our Environment project that is designed to engage students in investigating specific environmental problems through concrete activities and direct experience, this unit places Earth in the context of its environment-the Universe-then focuses on Earth as seen from satellites. Students analyze patterns formed by the…

An integration of human geography concepts and physical geography concepts into one course is proposed; and the conceptual framework, teaching strategies and materials, and difficulties of introducing an innovative course are discussed. (ND)