More than 485,000 low-birth-weight, premature babies are born in the U.S. each year. The increase in preterm births since 1990 may be due to assisted pregnancies and births to older mothers. Although their survival rates are improving, many premature infants experience long-lasting developmental and behavioral problems. The author describes recent…

The majority of the literature on contaminated communities indicates that environmental hazards lead to conflict and dissension. In this paper we examine the salient dimensions of conflict and factionalism in a rural Oklahoma community. The community is heavily contaminated from 80 years of commercial mining operations and was one of the first…

Dozens of countries have decentralized at least part of their natural resource policies over the last two decades. Despite the length of time that these policy experiments have been in force, there is little agreement about their effectiveness. We argue that part of this ambivalence stems from three limitations of extant studies, suggesting that…

"Universal Design in Higher Education" looks at the design of physical and technological environments at institutions of higher education; at issues pertaining to curriculum and instruction; and at the full array of student services. "Universal Design in Higher Education" is a comprehensive guide for researchers and…

Environment may be regarded as a form of communication, with environmental linguistics becoming a new discipline that will have to be explored. Its goal is to demystify some of the constructs that contribute to the built environment as a communication tool. Treating the built environment as a language requires a recognition of its dynamic nature.…

This paper articulates a framework for thinking about the role of place in human experience. The question of why physical place is important in all experience is dealt with through a review of recent work on the concept of place, including Keith Basso's ethnographic work with the Western Apache on their belief that an enduring sense of place…

In response to the global outcry for environmental information, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched its International Data Sharing Program in 1989 and began to forge information partnerships with developing nations. The three objectives of the program are to establish EPA as a partner in information exchange, to disseminate…

This document is a combined version of two papers originally presented at a 1990 European seminar on quality in services to young children. The papers, which considered the definition of quality in child services and the topics of quality assurance and monitoring, respectively, were revised in the light of comments made during and after the…

This collection of 17 conference presentations includes (1) "Project LOGO: A Study in Cognitive Enhancement Using Microcomputers," Henry Dobson; (2) "Tender Loving Care for Your Terrific Little Computer (TLC for your TLC)," Carol Dwyer and Karl Kelly; (3) "Teaching Micro-Literacy to Kids," Robert Gillingham; (5)…

Resources for the Future, Inc. (RFF) is a nonprofit, tax-exempt corporation headquartered in Washington, D.C. RFF's purpose is to advance research and education in the development, conservation, and use of natural resources, including improvement of the quality of the environment. Most of its programs are carried out by resident staff, but a few…

These essays are the first of an annual series that brings to the public the distinctive views and approaches of the humanities to urgent issues of the day. David Rothman, in "Lessons from an Opium Eater," examines how the nineteenth-century confessions of a famous English opium addict, Thomas De Quincey, has relevance to the present, how it might…

A booklet for farmworkers and employers uses illustrations and simple text in English and Spanish to inform about the dangers, precautions, and use of pesticides. Topics covered include methods of pesticide absorption; signs/symptoms of pesticide poisoning; first aid; residues; appropriate work clothes; safe and unsafe pesticide practices; how to…

This curriculum guide presents activities to help students understand the importance of cooperation between citizens and sanitation workers to keep the city clean. The booklet contains two types of activity sheets. Data-based activity sheets present students with current sanitation-related issues, such as garbage disposal, cleaning costs, and…

This paper describes some of the correct, missing, and alternative conceptions which students possess related to the Gulf of Maine. Students (N=226) from grades 4, 8, and 11 were interviewed on 15 major concepts involving geology, physical and chemical oceanography, natural resources, ecology, and decision-making. The mean interview scores of the…

The ecological theme of "We all need each other--the web of life" serves as the focus of Alaska's fourth annual wildlife week and as the emphasis for the activities in this guide for primary teachers. The packet of materials contains: (l) an introduction (explaining the theme); (2) table of contents (indicating each lesson's objective…