A search for an environment-friendly ("green") canoe looked at the environmental impact of the production of different canoes. The production of aluminum, synthetic, and wood canvas canoes created negative environmental impacts, including exposure of people to toxic chemicals, emissions into the atmosphere, and imbalances in the…

The Environmental Protection Agency's regulations on use of asbestos in school buildings are not based on an "acceptable level of risk," require action by the consumers rather than by the producers of the hazardous substance and do not extend to other public facilities that theoretically place citizens in similar danger. (Author/PGD)

Gerald Scott's favorable evaluation of the foamed polyurethane roofing system is based on experiences with 55 buildings at Texas A & M. Michael Kinzer, an architect at Colorado State University, disagrees and claims that the system is difficult to install and maintain, and the cost prohibitive. (MLF)

Children can suffer serious injuries in falls from standard playground equipment, especially if they land on a hard surface. Parents can: (1) form safety committees; (2) demand safer playground surfaces; (3) remove equipment deemed hazardous according to Consumer Product Safety Commission guidelines; and (4) support the purchase of safer…

Charles Boney, Jr., Director of Boney Architects, offers his views on school districts that build schools that have to be replaced too soon, general problems concerning renovation of older buildings, and keeping maintenance costs down. He discusses the types of flooring materials school districts should consider using to lower maintenance costs…

Discusses the problem of using asbestos to insulate heating and air-conditioning systems in schools and mixing asbestos into ceiling plaster for fireproofing and noise control. Suggests that the Environmental Protection Agency's plan for asbestos removal may be causing problems where none exist. (TW)

During the energy crisis of the early 1970s, there was a drive to conserve energy in every segment of society. Citizens were encouraged to insulate their homes and tighten them up to avoid loss of energy. One of the products to emerge from this crisis was urea formaldehyde foam insulation. (Urea formaldehyde is a well-known agent for preserving…