The three themes identified within the interview data lead us to suggest three
important context variables:the environment, the school system andtheGovernment.
The findings are summarised in Figure 1. Perceptions of the environment
and environmental issues reflect a tension between wildlife interests concerned
with habitat loss and pollution with ecological and Gaian view points, on the one
hand, and on the other, environmental health interests concerned with providing
healthy surroundings for the building of the economy and the nation
which is underpinned by utilitarian concepts of environment and technological
solutions. This dilemma exists both between government departments and
NGOs and between more conservative and more progressive socially critical
teachers, where it is most obvious, but also within individual government officials
and teachers.