Earth Day 2011

Tomorrow is Earth Day!!  And the culmination of Earth Week.  I love having time set aside to honor our planet.  The weather could be better (cool and wet), but I'll head outdoors to enjoy a brief time.  Maybe I'll head toward Governor Nelson State Park for some peace.  As John Muir once claimed, "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks"  (Actually today marks the birthday of Wisconsin's own John Muir, a pioneering environmentalist and founder of Sierra Club, so of course I had to sprinkle in a couple quotes from him.)

Did you know Gaylord Nelson actually started Earth Day in Wisconsin in 1970?  Since then it has grown into a worldwide celebration - very cool!  Our state has a proud history of environmentalism that I hope continues towards the future.  

I've been following NASA and their planet Earth news all week.  I'm continually amazed that an agency that is about space does so much studying of our own planet.  A couple great Earth websites from NASA to check out:  NASA: Earth and NASA Global Climate Change.

Also watched the free online documentary, the 11th Hour earlier this week.  Very interesting and worth watcing if you haven't seen it.  There's another one called Home, also free, but I haven't seen that one yet.  I have seen that it has gotten some great reviews though.  I also saw it on sale the other day in the store - why would anyone buy this (or sell it for that matter) as it was intended to be free for the entire planet to see.  Seems wrong somehow.

I've had a YouTube account for what feels like forever, but I've never really made a video before.  NASA is having an Earth Day video contest through May called the Home Frontier to make a video short honoring Earth.  That sounds like fun.  Plus they give you pretty much everything you need to start.  If only I could find the time and expertise.  Still, I think they should have a prize for the winner.  Currently it's just the glory of being featured as the top video on NASA.

Enjoy our planet.  Currently it's the only one we got.  Here is a NASA image of Home from earlier this month courtesy of the GOES Project.

This weekend should be even nicer - maybe additional hiking and nature appreciation are called for then. (Great way to avoid all that grading that piles up this time of year.)  After all "We all travel the Milky Way together, trees and men." —John Muir

Eyes to the skies!  You'll be amazed by what you see!!  AstroChick.