 Your new post is loading...
Want to know where the poor live? Look at where the light isn’t.
"Satellite photos of Earth’s artificial lights at night form a luminescent landscape. But researcher Chris Elvidge of NOAA and colleagues from the University of Colorado and the University of Denver realized that they could also illuminate something much darker: the magnitude of human poverty. By comparing the amount of light in a particular area and its known population, they realized that they could infer the percentage of people who are able to afford electricity and the level of government spending on infrastructure development. This allowed them to extrapolate levels of human development—a measure of well-being that includes such factors as income, life expectancy and literacy."
|
Scooped by
Seth Dixon
|
CFR experts examine the science and foreign policy surrounding climate change, energy, and nuclear security.
|
|
Scooped by
Seth Dixon
|
In a world where photoshop has made the unreal seem ordinary, these unearthly seemingly landscapes might seem likely fakes. The world can be that extraordinary. Pictured above is the "Door to Hell" in Turkmenistan. Rich with natural gas, Soviets were drilling in 1971 when the drilling rig collapsed and left a huge (230 feet wide) hole. In an attempt to stop gas leaks they hoped a fire would burn off any discharge, but it is still burning today. Enjoy this gallery of 25 'unnatural' images.
|
|
Scooped by
Seth Dixon
|
It is increasingly clear that we already live in the era of human-induced climate change, with unprecedented weather and climate extremes. I don't delight in sharing the bad news. So is this drought just a freak anomaly or a sign of a new normal?
|
|
Scooped by
Seth Dixon
|
Animated time-lapse video of anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions in map form, spanning the 18th century until this current first decade of the 21st centur... This is not a complete data set, but the video still shows the striking connection between CO2 emissions and the historical geography of industrialization.
|
|
Scooped by
Seth Dixon
|
The second day of India's power grid failures were worse than the first. Nearly 1900 miles of India went dark, an area that is home to nearly half of India's... How is this issue geographic? What themes are present in this issue and how are they interrelated?
|
|
Scooped by
Seth Dixon
|
Cambridge University physicist, David Mackay, in a passionate, personal analysis of the energy crisis in the UK, in which he comes to some surprising conclus... This is a great video to show students the amount of energy they use, both at an individual level and at the national scale (this video is from the U.K.) To 'flip' this Ted-Ed talk, visit it's homepage at: http://ed.ted.com/on/MVwtmMV5
|
|
Scooped by
Seth Dixon
|
|
|
Scooped by
Seth Dixon
|
What factors lead to high pollution rates in Bakersfield, Los Angeles and Fresno? How are economic, industrial, political and environmental factors contributing to or mitigating the situation?
New data shows Shell dramatically under-estimated the damage of a 2008 spill that devastated the lives of tens of thousands of people in Niger Delta. Shell has yet to compensate victims. The volume of oil spilt at Bodo was more than 60 times the volume Shell has repeatedly claimed leaked. This is but one example of a international corporation exploiting the natural resources of a developing country.
Via John Peterson
|
|
Scooped by
Seth Dixon
|
A 3-minute journey through the last 250 years of our history, from the start of the Industrial Revolution to the Rio+20 Summit. The film charts the growth of... This video is a great primer for discussing human and environmental interactions as related to industrialization, globalization and climate change.
|
|
Scooped by
Seth Dixon
|
50 Pictures Of Chernobyl 25 Years After The Nuclear Disaster: Today marks the 25th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. ... A haunting gallery that displays the effects of environmental and political mismanagement.
|
|
Scooped by
Seth Dixon
|
"Teaching sustainability invariably involves teaching about energy – its use, its sources, its environmental impacts, and its social implications. This paper explores how one renewable energy alternative – biogas – is adapted and applied across scale and culture." This scholarly article (produced by an outstanding AP Human Geography reader and Penn State Geographer) in the Journal of Sustainability Education has many different applications: development, renewable energy usage and environmental sustainability.
|
|
|
Scooped by
Seth Dixon
|
A TV program about firewood, mostly showing a fireplace in use, has aroused passions in Norway.
Energy conservation starts at home....
This interesting National Geographic article emphasizes how consumption patterns in the home are connected to some of the serious global issues that we currently face. This article becomes an exploration into how to go about creating a more environmentally sustainable home.
|
Suggested by
Tara Cohen
|
|
|
Scooped by
Seth Dixon
|
A new global survey suggests world's the most wasteful countries feel the least guilty—and vice-versa. Our consumption patterns, ecological footprint and lifestyle choices have a significant impact on how we feel about sustainability initiatives and human/environmental interactions.
"The final 32 generators went into operation this week, making it the world's largest hydropower project, pictured, built on the Yangtze River in China." This photo gallery has a tremendous video at the end that displays vividly the raw power that moves the turbines. Economically, what are the benefits? Environmentally, what are the costs?
Via John Foden
|
|
Scooped by
Seth Dixon
|
The new Blackfriars station, which is being built on a bridge spanning the River Thames, is on its way to becoming the world's largest solar bridge after Solarcentury begun the installation of over 4,400 solar photovoltaic panels... "The solar panels will generate an estimated 900,000kWh of electricity every year, providing 50% of the station’s energy and reducing CO2 emissions by an estimated 511 tonnes per year. In addition to solar panels, other energy saving measures at the new station will include rain harvesting systems and sun pipes for natural lighting."
|
|
Scooped by
Seth Dixon
|
By importing goods from polluting factories in Asia, Americans and others in developed countries underwrite carbon emissions... This is a compelling question: are reductions in greenhouse gases best measured by production or consumption? The question that this article is posing is essentially trying to find blame for greenhouse gas emmision, but thinking geographically, ponders where along the commodity chain should the bulk of the blame be placed. What do you think?
|
|
Scooped by
Seth Dixon
|
Socks is a online magazine about Media, Art, Architecture, Cities, Design, Technology. Our society is obviously heavily dependent on oil. Yet we often don't see the environmental impacts of our collective oil consumption on the landscape because the negative impacts have been spatially separated away from oil consumers. This is an excellent compilation of photos by Edward Burtynsky that makes the connection between oil consumption and changes to both the physical and cultural landscapes explicit. For more images by this artist, see: http://www.edwardburtynsky.com/ ;
|
Suggested by
Glenis Joyce
|
Conflict and intrigue over valuable energy supplies have been features of the international landscape for a long time.
|
|
Scooped by
Seth Dixon
|
http://www.ted.com Jaime Lerner reinvented urban space in his native Curitiba, Brazil. Along the way, he changed the way city planners worldwide see whats po... Jaime Lerner does not see cities as the problem; he sees urbanism as the solution to many global problems. This video outlines practical plans to rethink the city to be more sustainable. To see an trailer for a documentary about the urban changes in Curitiba, Brazil, see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swQTTG3NcYY
|
|
Scooped by
Seth Dixon
|
The carbon emissions produced by electric cars vary depending on how a given region generates its electricity. If a consumer is trying to assess the environmental impact of their automotive/transportation practices, that answer may vary according to wher they live; the type of driving, the regions energy source and local air quality all need to be factored in. Geography always matters.
|
|
Scooped by
Seth Dixon
|
Rising gas prices make people unhappy, but the pain is felt most acutely in states where it is unlikely to make an electoral difference. There are numerous geographic themes that make this article a worthwhile read. The evidence suggests that states the vote more solidly Republican are being hit hardest at the pump. Gasoline expenditures as a share of personal income are higher in pro-Republican states than pro-Democrat states. Understanding the demographic base of each party as well as population density explains much of this issue: states that are very rural drive greater distances with less public transit option, spending more per capita on gasoline. Also, since the most affluent urban centers are Democrat-leaning, they spend a less sizeable portion of their income on gasoline. This article would be a nice resource for a classroom/small group discussion.
|
