Subject Guide for Environmental Issues -- Science and Policy

Brief Description: Environmental research includes aspects of the following areas of study: air and water pollution, environmental engineering, human health effects, natural resources, biological resources, conservation, law, policy, international relations, economics, and other topics.

Because environmental research is interdisciplinary, choosing the right database is key to efficient research. Use the database descriptions to help you make an informed choice. Please contact the appropriate department in the Libraries if you need additional assistance. For more information, contact the Earth Sciences Library.

CU = Resources marked with this symbol are available on campus and to students, staff, and faculty from an off-campus location. Use of these resources is subject to copyright laws and license limitations.

Abstracts and Indexes | Dictionaries | Directories | Encyclopedias | Handbooks and Manuals | Internet Links

Abstracts and Indexes to Academic or Scholarly Articles, Government Information, and Statistics
Although many databases contain links to full-text articles, when you find article citations in the index databases, you need to search Chinook to see if University Libraries own that periodical title.

CU Agricultural and Environmental Biotechnology Abstracts
An index and abstract service for agriculture and biotechnology. Use this database to research environmental issues relating to agriculture. For example, genetic engineering of animals, plants and microorganisms or waste treatment and bio remediation. Coverage: 1993 - present.

 

CU Biological Abstracts
A comprehensive index and abstract for the life sciences. Use this database to research environmental issues relating to plants, animals, microorganisms, and natural habits. For example, to research the habitat of the wolf. Coverage: 1969 - present.

 

CU Biological Sciences
An index and abstract service for biological sciences. The database serves as an umbrella for databases on ecology, biotechnology, bioengineering, agriculture, and other topics. The various databases can be searched individually or in combination. Use this database to research topics in ecology. For example, coral reefs as indicators of climatic changes. Coverage: 1982 - present.

 

CU EIS: Digests of Environmental Impacts Statements

Index and abstracts for environmental impact statements (EIS) produced by the federal government. Use this database to identify EIS statements. . For example, the proposed restrictions on use of snowmobiles in Yellowstone park. Although the database does not include links to full text, the complete report is often available online. Use an internet search service such as Google to locate full text. Coverage: 1985 - present.

 

CU Engineering Village 2—Compendex, INSPEC, and NTIS
Compendex is a comprehensive bibliographic database of engineering research literature. Contains references and abstracts to engineering journals, conferences and technical reports. Subject areas include: chemical and process engineering, computers and data processing, applied physics, electronics and communications as well as civil and mechanical engineering. Use this database to research engineering solutions to environmental problems. For example, the use of scrubber devices to reduce air pollution. Coverage: 1970 - present.

INSPEC is a bibliographic database that indexes physics, astronomy and astrophysics, electrical engineering and electronics, computers and control engineering and information technology. The database contains full-text links when available. Subscription restrictions to full-text may apply. Use this database to research the chemical and physical interactions in the environment. For example, the effect of chorofluorocarbons on the ozone layer in the stratosphere. Coverage: 1968 - present.

 

The National Technical Information Service (NTIS) database from the U.S. Department of Commerce provides access to unclassified reports from influential U.S. and international government agencies. The database contains over two million critical citations from government departments such as NASA, the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Defense. Most items cited in this database are available in microfiche format in the Government Publications Library. Coverage: 1964-present.

 

CU Ethnic News watch
News, culture, and history from publications of the ethnic, minority, and
native press. Use this database to find minority perspectives on
environmental issues. In both English and Spanish.

 

CU Environmental Sciences and Pollution Management
An index and abstract database for collection of multidisciplinary databases. This database serves as an umbrella for databases on pollution, water resources, toxicology, environmental engineering, ecology, energy resources, and other topics. The databases can be searched individually or in combination. This database is useful for a wide range of topics. Dates of coverage vary.

 

CU GeoRef
GeoRef is a bibliographic database that indexes geosciences, including geology, geophysics, geochemistry, paleontology, hydrogeology, hydrology, and mineralogy. The database contains over 2.1 million references to geoscience journal articles, books, maps, conference papers, reports and theses. The database contains full-text links when available. Subscription restrictions to full-text may apply. Use this database to research environmental issues in the earth sciences. For example, the effects of acid mine drainage. Coverage: 1789 - present.

 

CU Historical Abstracts and America: History & Life
Bibliographic indexes to the history of the United States and Canada
(America History and Life) and the world (Historical Abstracts). One or
both databases may be searched from the same interface. Use this
database to research the historical roots of environmental issues.
Coverage: 1964 - present.

 

CU LexisNexis Congressional
Provides access to congressional bills and bill status, debate, testimony presented at hearings, legislative histories, congressional reports and documents, laws, proposed and existing regulations, and biographical, financial and voting record information for members of Congress. Use this database to research US environmental laws, proposed legislation, and the politics of environmental issues. For example, to find testimony, congressional debate, and voting records on the shipment of nuclear waste to Yucca Mountain in Nevada.Coverage: varies.

 

CU LexisNexis State Capital
Status of bills, state statutes, summaries of state laws, summaries or the
full text of state regulations,articles about issues affecting states,
information about state legislators, their staffs and state offices, and links
to other Web sites with useful information about the states. Coverage: varies.

 

CU LexisNexis Statistical
An index to statistics published by states, the US government, international organizations, research centers, and trade groups and others. Many statistics are available online. Others are available in print and other formats. Ask for assistance with this database in the Government Publications or Business Libraries. Use this database to find statistics on environmental issues. For example, air pollution trends in the United States. Coverage: varies.

 

CU Meteorological and Geoastrophysical Abstracts (MGA)
An index and abstract to literature on meteorology, climatology, atmospheric chemistry and physics, astrophysics, hydrology, glaciology, physical oceanography and environmental sciences. Use this database to research the physics and chemistry of the physical world. For example, the chemical components of acid rain. Coverage: 1974 - present.

 

CU PAIS International
A bibliographic database that indexes books, periodicals, and publications of international bodies, U.S. and other governments on global policy and social issues. Use this database to research the policy aspects of environmental issues. For example, the U. S. decision not to participate in the Kyoto Protocol to reduce overall emissions of greenhouse gases. Coverage: 1972 - present.

 

PubMed: Medline
A bibliographic database that indexes and abstracts articles on all aspects of medicine, including dentistry and nursing. Use this database to research the health implications of environmental issues. For example, the health effects of hexavalent chromium--the toxic chemical featured in the movie Erin Brockovich. Coverage: 1965 - present.

 

CU Social Sciences Full Text
A bibliographic and full text database that indexes articles on the social sciences, including political science, sociology, economics, geography, and law. Use this database to research social aspects of environmental issues. For example, to research environmental justice. Coverage: 1983 - present. Abstracts since 1994. Selected full text since 1995.

 

CU Web of Science
Provides access to current and retrospective bibliographic information, author abstracts, and cited references found in 5,700 of the world's leading scholarly science and technical journals covering more than 164 disciplines. Use this interdisciplinary database to identify research from a broad range of scientific disciplines. Coverage: 1970 - present.  

Abstracts and Indexes to Magazine & Newspaper Articles--Use these for introductory material, industry perspectives, and local press coverage of environmental issues.
Although many databases contain links to full-text articles, when you find article citations in the index databases, you need to search Chinook to see if University Libraries own that periodical title.

CU General Science Abstracts Full Text
Abstracts popular and scholarly journals in the fields of astronomy, atmospheric science, biology, botany, chemistry, conservation, earth science, environment, food, genetics, health, mathematics, medicine, microbiology, nutrition, oceanography, physics, physiology, and zoology. Use this database to find information from multiple scientific disciplines on environmental issues, for example, how health researchers, economists, and physical scientists consider the greenhouse effect. Coverage: May 1984 - present. Selected full text 1995 -present.

 

CU EBSCOhost Academic Search Premier
Provides citations and full text for more than 3,430 scholarly publications covering academic areas of study including social sciences, humanities, education, computer sciences, engineering, language and linguistics, arts & literature, medical sciences, and ethnic studies. Use this database for a quick overview of current environmental issues, for example, glaciers as an indicator of global climate change. Updated daily. Coverage: varies.

 

CU Expanded Academic Index
An interdisciplinary database that contains citations, abstracts, and links to selected full-text articles from general interest magazines, scholarly journals, and newspapers. Use this database to find a quick overview of current environmental issues, for example, newspaper and magazine coverage of the city of New York's decision to eliminate recycling programs. Coverage: 1980 - present.

 

CU LexisNexis Academic
An interdisciplinary database that contains the full text of national, international, and regional news, newswires, transcripts, magazine articles, legal and business information, public opinion polls, and other sources. Use this database to find local newspaper coverage of an environmental topic or public opinion on environmental issues. For example, local newspaper stories on a Superfund site or public opinion on recycling. Coverage: varies.

Dictionaries
These publications provide background information, definitions and explanations of terms.

A Dictionary of Ecology
Science Reference QH540.4 .C66 1998

 

Dictionary of Ecology and the Environment
Science Reference QH540.4 .C65 2001

 

The Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Environmental Change
Science Reference GE10 .E536 2001

 

The Facts on File Dictionary of Environmental Science
Engineering Library Reference TD9 .W95 2001

Directories

Conservation Directory--National Wildlife Federation
Online.

 

National Environmental Directory
Online.

 

Encyclopedias
These publications provide background information, definitions and explanations of term.

CU Access Science: McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia Of Science & Technology

 

CU Alternative Energy

 

CU Beacham's Guide to the Endangered Species of North America

 

Encyclopedia of Earth

 

Encyclopedia of Environmental Analysis and Remediation
Earth Sciences Library Reference GE10 E49 1998

 

Encyclopedia of Environmental Issues
Science Library Reference GE10 .E52 2000

 

Encyclopedia of Environmental Pollution and Cleanup
Engineering Library Reference TD173 E53 1999

 

Encyclopedia of Environmental Science

Earth Science Library Reference GE10 .E528 1999

 

CU Encyclopedia of the Atmospheric Sciences

 

CU Pollution A to Z

 

CU Water: Science and Issues

 

CU Water Encyclopedia

 

Wiley Encyclopedia of Energy and the Environment
Engineering Library Reference TJ 163.235 M55 1997

 

Handbooks and Manuals

Cooper's Comprehensive Environmental Desk Reference
Science Library Reference GE123 .C64 1996

 

CU EnviroNetBase
Over 280 CRC handbooks online.

 

Standard Handbook of Environmental Science, Health, and Technology
Science Library Reference GE123 .S73 2000

Internet Links

Environmental Resources on the Internet--Center for Environmental Journalism/University Libraries

 

Government Publications Library Subject Guide to the Environment and Energy

 

National Library for the Environment