As the largest state in the continental U.S., Texas presents the full range of environmental challenges and natural resource blessings. Despite rapid population and job growth during the 1990s, most measures of pollution in Texas are flat or falling. In short, environmental quality is improving in Texas. These favorable environmental trends refute the popular perception that population and economic growth must inevitably degrade the environment.
Amarillo teachers make the most of high-quality instructional materials
At Eastridge Elementary School, Principal Genie Baca’s teachers have enough challenges. Their students are mostly refugees, recent immigrants from countries such as Somalia, Yemen, Vietnam and Burma, among many others. The parents are often shift workers at local meatpacking or poultry processing facilities, meaning that no one’s home to ensure the children are fed and...