Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the rural housewives' recognition and practice on environmental preservation. The subjects of this study were 300 rural housewives living in Chung-buk province. Questionaires were distributed to them during a week from August $25^{th}$ to August $31^{th}$ in 1995. Major findings were as follows: 1. The saved water quite well in washing their faces and the dishes compared with urban housewives, but they did not save water so well in using the lavatory. They used synthetic detergent, one of water pollutants, more often than natural soaps in shampooing and laundering. In addition, they did not use a measuring cup. It resulted in the waste of detergent and aggravation of water pollution. 2. Food waste was disposed of properly, but used batteries were not collected separately. A disposable vinyl bag was more commonly used than a reusable shopping basket. The reason for not using a shopping basket was bothering or uncustomary. Since most of them did not know refillable products of goods with environmental mark, they did not use those. Therefore, housewives should be educated in order to prevent soil pollution. 3. The use of spry-type pesticide and hair treatment, one of air pollutants, was wide-spread among them. They hardly recognized and practiced saving of electric power when they used household electric appliances. 4. The major source of environmental knowledge was mass media like TV of radio. Many of them did not know the practical ways to solve the environmental education program. In conclusion, low level of recognition and practice of rural housewives on environmental preservation indicated that a systematic environmental education program should be developed and implemented.