Purpose-The purpose of this study is to use ecological footprint analysis (EFA) in an interdisciplinary graduate level course on sustainable development to better how education can facilitate learning and transform the perceptions and behavior of class participants. Design/methodology/approach-This study uses an untreated control group research design with a pre-test and post-test to measure and explain the change in the EF of students enrolled in a graduate course on sustainable development taught at Texas A&M University in the spring of 2004. We uses the study test of means and multivariate regression analysis to make statistical conclusions about the degree to which education on sustainability affects the way students act and also to identify the major factors driving this behavioral change. Findings-Results indicate that that graduate-level education can significantly increase students' sustainable behavior as measured by their ecological footprints (EF) and that specific socioeconomic and proximity-based variables contribute to this observed phenomenon. Practical implications-This study provides insights into the effectiveness of teaching sustainable development courses at institutions of higher education by examining the change in specific EF components and identifying variables which help predict the change in EFs over the course of the semester. Originality/value-This study uses an empirically-driven, quantitative approach to understand the degree to which graduate-level coursework on the topic of sustainable development transforms the perceptions and behavior of class participants.

Inland flooding remains one of the greatest threats to the safety of human population in the United States (US). While few large-scale studies exist, the potential role of naturally occurring wetlands in mitigating flood duration and intensity has been widely discussed. This study examines the relationship between wetland alteration and coastal watershed flooding in Texas and Florida over a 12-year period. Specifically, we geo-reference wetland alteration permits required under Section 404 of the US Clean Water Act and correlate the number of granted permits with the degree of flooding measured by stream gauge data. Results indicate that specific types of federal permits exacerbate flooding events in coastal watersheds while controlling for various environmental and socioeconomic characteristics.

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