The selections in this theme all touch upon the relationship between people and their environmentwhether a local environment or the global environment. Three of the selections illustrate different ways of looking at and reacting to the environment. For this assignment, write an essay comparing the outlooks and perceptions of the narrators and other characters in "My Daily Dives in the Dumpster," "Two Views of the River," and "Mountain Music." For example, compare and contrast the outlook described in the final paragraph of "Two Views of the River" with that of the narrator of "Mountain Music" and the narrator of "My Daily Dives in the Dumpster."

Then look at the web sites of a number of environmental organizations. What sort of outlook toward the environment do these sites express? In which organizations would the narrators and other characters in the three selections from this theme feel most comfortable? Here are some web sites to consider:

Greenpeace: http://www.greenpeace.org/
The Sierra Club: http://www.sierraclub.org
The Appalachian Mountain Club: http://www.outdoors.org/
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals: http://www.peta.org
The Forest Action Network: http://www.kickinterfor.com/index.html
Gaia Webring: http://www.kheper.auz.com/gaia/