ABSTRACT
A compreensive view of some important relationships among environmental research practice and the conceptual framework surrounding the use of electronic data processing is tried along this paper. In this regard, several aspects related to enormous and dispendious wastes, as well as to the presence of relevant opportunities of valid environmental research efforts are indicated, particularly in Brazil, where effects of the economic world control - the so-called globalization - are keenly felt. Some new concepts are mentioned (e.g. geodiversity, geotopology) and the position of an educator in relation to the need to continuous updating his methodological asset is indicated by considerations about distance education, the use of the Internet and new data processing technologies.
Key words
: environmental research; geoprocessing; GIS