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Term	Definition	See Also	Related Terms
Environmental influences	influences of the physical environment		biological influences climate, climate change, climate control, crowding, environmental research, hazardous materials, physical environment, pollution, radiation effects, sanitation, thermal environment, weather
Environmental research	study of the physical environment		environmental influences, physical environment, scientific research, use "studies"
Environmental standards	laws, rules, or regulations relating to the quality of the physical environment	standards	environmental criteria, air pollution, ecology, energy audits, energy management, hazardous materials, motor vehicles, noise (sound), occupational safety and health, pests, physical environment, poisons, pollution, public health, quality of life, waste disposal, water pollution, water quality.
Ecology	study of the interrelationships between organisms and their environment	ecosystems	adjustment (to environment), air pollution, area studies, biology, botany, climate, conservation (environment), ecological factors, energy conservation, entropy, estuaries, ethology, evolution, habitats, human geography, marine biology, mycology, noise (sound), ocean engineering, pests, photosynthesis, quality of life, radiation biology, recycling, social biology, soil conservation, sustainable development, waste disposal, wastes, water, water pollution, water quality, weather, wetlands, wilderness, wind (meteorology), zoology
Ecological factors		influences	conservation (environment), crowding, ecology, energy conservation, poisons, pollution, radiation effects
Earth science		geochemistry, geology, geophysics, hydrology, meteorology, oceanography, physical geology, seismology, soil science, physical science	astronomy, cartography, chemistry, climate, crystallography, physical environment, physics, planetariums, plate tectonics, satellites (aerospace), space sciences, topography, water, wind (meteorology)
Energy education	learning/teaching activities, often interdisciplinary in nature, that focus on such topics as energy, resources, conversions, conservation, forms, uses, and issues--including both general and technical educational programs		alternative energy sources, conservation education, consumer education, energy, energy conservation, energy occupations, fuels, science education, technology education, utilities
Endangered species		wildlife	animals, conservation (environment), natural resources, physical environment, plant pathology, plants (botany), wildlife management
Forestry		technology	agriculture, botany, conservation (environment), conservation education, forestry aids, forestry occupations, land use, lumber industry, natural resources, nurseries (horticulture), soil conservation, soil science, trees, wildlife management
Global approach	approaches to social, cultural, scientific, and humanistic questions involving an orientation to the world as a single interacting system.	International approach, world mindedness, worldwide approach, global education, holistic approach	cultural awareness, group unity, intercultural programs, interdisciplinary approach, international cooperation, international relations, social sciences, world affairs, world problems
Global education	learning/teaching activities across all grade levels that focus on the interrelatedness of peoples, cultures, and nations--subfields include world geography, world history, and international relations	global studies education, world studies education, international education, global approach	area studies, citizenship education, cross cultural studies, economics education, ethnic studies, multi cultural education, peace, world geography, world history
Global warming	gradual increases in the earth's temperature (if appropriate, use the more specific term "greenhouse effect")	greenhouse effect, climate change	heat, temperature, world problems
Geothermal energy	power derived from the earth's heat		alternative energy sources, electricity, geology, geophysics, groundwater, heat, power technology, water resources
Greenhouse effect	global warming caused by atmospheric gases and particles that trap heat and radiate it tack to the earth--of concern is possible run away warming due to buildups of carbon dioxide and other gasses through fossil fuel burning and deforestation	global warming	air pollution, solar energy
Habitats	places where animals or plants normally live		animals, ecology, estuaries, natural resources, physical environment, plants (botany), wetlands, wildlife, wildlife management
Hazardous materials	ignitable, corrosive, infectious, reactive, or toxic materials that pose a threat to living things	dangerous materials, hazardous waste, poisons	asbestos, environmental influences, environmental standards, laboratory safety, occupational safety and health, physical environment, physical health, pollution, public health, radiation, safety, sanitation, school safety, wastes
Land use		land settlement, soil conservation	agriculture, agronomy, community planning, educational facilities planning, facility planning, forestry, land acquisition, landlords, mining, real estate, road construction, soil science, turf management, underground facilities, urban planning, use studies, wetlands, wilderness, zoning.
Marine education	interdisciplinary group of learning/teaching activities concerning the earth's waters and seas	marine science education, maritime education	estuaries, hydrology, marine biology, oceanography, science education, underwater diving, water, wetlands
Meteorology		earth science	acid rain, climate, climate change, humidity, physics, solar energy, temperature, thermal environment, water, weather, wind (meteorology)
Natural resources		coal, fossil fuels, oil, water resources	agricultural education, agriculture, alternative energy sources, asbestos, community resources, conservation (environment), conservation education, depleted resources, endangered species, energy conservation, environmental education, forestry, habitats, minerals, mining parks, physical environment, recycling, soil conservation, sustainable development, wilderness, wildlife.
Nature centers			aquaria, education service centers, educational facilities, natural sciences, science teaching centers
Outdoor education	utilization of the outdoor environment to promote experiential learning and enrich the curriculum	adventure education	conservation education. Experiential learning, field trips, interdisciplinary approach, outdoor activities, rural education, summer programs, trails, wilderness
Pollution		air pollution, water pollution	bacteria, chimneys, climate, disease control, diseases, ecological factors, environmental influences, environmental standards, hazardous materials, health, lead poisoning, noise (sound), physical environment, physical health, poisonings, poisons, public health, radiation effects, recycling, solid wastes, urban environment, viruses, waste disposal, waste water, wastes
Population growth	Increase in the number of individuals in a given area due to either natural reproduction or resettlement	Demography, Development	Baby boomers, Birth rate, Community size, Population distribution, population trends, Social influences, Urbanization
Solar energy	light and heat radiation of the sun--also the energy collected as heat or converted to electricity from this source	solar heating, solar radiation, solar radiation energy, radiation	alternative energy sources, climate, climate control, electricity, green house effect, heat, light, meteorology, power technology, radiation effects, temperature, thermal environment, wind (meteorology)
Solar system	the sun and all the celestial bodies that revolve around it (including the planets and their moons, the asteroids, comets, and meteoroids)		astronomy, planetariums, satellites (aerospace), space exploration, space sciences, stars
Solid wastes	unwanted solid or semisolid materials discarded by farms, businesses, communities, or individuals (note: use "waste water" for sewage)	garbage, litter, trash	pollution, recycling, sludge, waste disposal, waste water, water treatment
Space exploration	scientific investigations of areas beyond the earth's atmosphere (note: use "lunar research" for studies referring to the earth's moon)	extraterrestrial exploration, outer space research, planetary exploration	aerospace technology, astronomy, planetariums, satellites (aerospace), solar system, space sciences, stars
Space sciences		sciences	aerospace education, aerospace technology, astronomy, earth science, lunar research, navigation, physical sciences, planetariums, satellites (aerospace), solar system, space exploration, stars
Stars	self luminous celestial bodies of hot gas held together by gravity--their energy is produced by nuclear-fusion reactions	astronomy, light, planetariums, solar system, space exploration, space sciences