Impact of Population Growth on Education in Ecotopia

Abstract

The western edge of the United States is the region Joel Garreau called “Ecotopia” in his 1981 book titled The Nine Nations of North America. He explained his use of the name, “Ecotopia,” as coming from a novel by Ernest Callenbach (1975), but originally from the Greek combination of the words “ecology” and “utopia.” Garreau selected this as the best descriptor for the western United States; the concept of an “ecological utopia” serves as the over-arching organizer for this vast and varied region (Garreau, 1981, p. 251). In 1981, Garreau described the region as a dynamic area, closely connected to environmental issues, and amazingly complex in terms of differences among its fast-growing population. The changes that have occurred since 1981 are staggering. This article describes these changes and examines their impact on rural education.