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Suggests that U.S. classrooms sometimes provide a forum for distorted views of environmental problems, noting that all those involved in education, from kindergarten through the graduate level, should be concerned about such distortions. Discusses the importance of providing students with accurate information and recommends that people directly involved in environmental education at any level should look for ways to improve on this process. (SM)

Explains free-market environmentalism, demonstrating how it is integral to environmental economics. Discusses issues such as market and government failures; the "tragedy of the commons"; and how to avoid said tragedy, focusing on the role of private property rights. Provides suggestions for history, social studies, and economics teachers on introducing economics into environmental issues. (CMK)

Reviews the theories of 18th-century social scientist Thomas Malthus regarding population and his predictions of massive worldwide famine. Maintains that countries with a tradition of private property rights can sustain a dense population and food supply. Examines the relationship between low birth rate and economic prosperity. (MJP)

Argues that well-intentioned government policies, such as the Endangered Species Act, can actually cause harm to endangered species by creating disincentives to preserving the habitat for endangered species. Maintains that the use of incentives can lead to voluntary species protection. Includes instructions for an in-class teaching activity. (MJP)

This article focuses on improvements in environmental education in the U.S. In the past, there is evidence that environmental education has gone awry. It provided environmental information through textbooks with inaccurate science, skipping the basics and pushing students into complex and controversial topics without establishing a sufficient scientific basis. However, this has changed. Nowadays, environmental education offers a way to combine enjoyment of the outdoors while learning about nature. In addition, a growing number of balanced and accurate resources are being produced that can make environmental education a valued part of growing up.