The International Year of Planet Earth is a collaboration of the United National Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and International Union of Geological Sciences (IGUS). The two organizations are working to ensure the knowledge of 400,000 Earth scientists worldwide is used to build safer, healthier and more profitable societies across the globe for future generations. Their efforts are currently reinforced by twelve founding partners, 26 associate partners and a growing number of international partner organizations from all continents and who represent all major geoscientific communities in the world.
The International Year of Planet Earth is more focused on creating an initiative that changes how scientists and the community work together than capturing a year of attention. Striving to ensure collaboration between science, community and commerce and to preserve and improve the quality of life on our planet through the development and implementation of sustainability strategies, the participants ask: how do we make what we have last long enough to feed our kid's kid's kids?
Events for the International Year of the Planet Earth began in January 2007 and will continue through December 2009. The main activities are grounded in the initiative's scientific and outreach programs. One project has collected all the maps of earth into one database. The Onegeology project has made the earth transparent and students are able to view it in 3D. Other points of interest include:
• Geo-bus tours offered in several countries
• Teacher/journalists workshops and trainings
• New Earth Museum opening in Brazil
• Geology and wind excursions in Australia
• Several books, publications, and articles
• Geo-poetry and Geo-art competitions
• Musical symphony: Planet Earth.
The UN claimed 2008 to be the official International Year of Planet Earth, so be sure to check out their website for information on how you can participate!
Source: BecauseAction.com
