Are We Building Environmental Literacy?

The Independent Commission on Environmental Education, a panel of scientists, economists, and educators, reviewed some 100 K-12 environmental education teaching materials used in America's classrooms. Its report has received considerable attention. This essay discusses the commission's formation, goals, findings, and recommendations, with special emphasis on areas within the report that have been a source of discussion within the environmental education field. Additional informationNotes on contributorsJeffrey Salmon Jeffrey Salmon is the executive director of the George C. Marshall Institute in Washington, DC, and a senior fellow with the Environmental Literacy Council.