The Big Picture
Here you can get a quick but comprehensive overview of the current state of the planet. You can drill down on specific topics, or by Place, but ideally you need to think about these systems as systems in order to take intelligent action, maybe inspired by Eco-heroes and/or history .
Contents
Overviews/News
Global Warming in 7 Charts 5/19 see Global Warming.
What Will It Really Take to Avoid Collapse? * 1/18 see Consumption.
David Christian teaches an ambitious world history course that tells the tale of the entire universe -- from the Big Bang 13 billion years ago to present day. TEDtalk video. Other TEDtalk Big Picture videos (beware Lomborg BS).
NASA’s Time Lapse Video Shows Humanity’s Impact on the Earth 5/15. ***
Powerful video: She's Alive... Beautiful... Finite...Hurting...
300 Years of FOSSIL FUELS in 300 Seconds and what to do now ***
Carl Sagan's "Pale Blue Dot" video. alt link. 6/15.
Population/consumption (Animated video overview).
Big Picture, Small Planet excellent short video overview by Medard Gabel, creator of online World Game by Buckminster Fuller. Short animated video on hunger. Miniature Earth: what if the world were 100 people.
Advertising & the End of the World is a brilliant Big Picture analysis of how the culture of consumption drives eco-degradation. 2010 Update: Adverstising & the Perfect Storm: Global Warming, Peak Oil & Consumer Debt presented by Sut Jhally, Umass and Founder/Exec Director of the Media Education Foundation (MEF). Must See Videos See also Oil and Global Warming as well as Public Relations.
TEDtalks on the Big Picture (beware sellout BS by Lomborg).
Surviving Progress very smart big picture overview (BBC).
Climate change and resource scarcity (including food and water) will lead to war (again). 4/13
Global Issues presents numerous global issues, aiming to show how they are inter-related. UN list and overviews (and reports).
How do we set ourselves on the path to a truly sustainable future? State of the World 2013, the latest in the Worldwatch Institute's annual series, offers the latest and most comprehensive picture of how we can achieve it.
2009 State of the Planet from National Geographic (video). Worldwatch Institutehas yearly State of the Planet reports (more details).
4.5 billion years in 2 minutes, by Mitchell Moffit, claymation/magic marker video that compresses this lengthy history into a 24-hour period.
130 years of climate change in 30 seconds video. Global Warming page
Global Trends 2030: Alternative Worlds (audio). Climate change is having impact even more and faster than predicted, will lead to political instability. Military is concerned eg here. We overshot earth capacity a while back.
Environmental History timeline see also Eco-Elders.
The basics, good overviews and intros to various green topics from Grist, such as Keystone XL pipeline, sea level rise and Geo-engineering.
Interactive Data Visualization/Infographics
U.S. Wildfire Interactive Shows Rising Temperatures, Less Snowfall Are Leading To More Fires infographic 7/13.
Gapminder brilliantly allows you to visualize world demographic trends. ****
If the earth were 100 people video.**
Dashboard for the planet *** Realtime CO2.
Sea Monsters has hundreds of millions of years and cheesy but fun 3D] ***
Maps and Images
AAAS Atlas of Population & Environment
UCSC Atlas of Global Inequality
List of US environmental laws and versions in plain English, for example, Clean Air Act.
Earth at night more Earth from space (video).
The basics, good overviews and intros to various green topics from Grist, such as Keystone XL pipeline, sea level rise and Geo-engineering.
Reports
Earth Policy Institute's excellent Eco-Economy Indicators
How do we set ourselves on the path to a truly sustainable future? State of the World 2013, the latest in the Worldwatch Institute's annual series, offers the latest and most comprehensive picture of how we can achieve it.
List-o-mania
Top 10 greenest cities in the world and countries 10/14.How they did it.
5 worst US cities for pollution 11/13.
Top 10 polluted places Time Magazine version. Top 10 eco-disasters.
Top 10 Most and Least Green States.
Eco-disaster slideshow . Time Magazine's Top 20 green ideas.
List of CO2 emissionsby country. Top 10. In a new study, University of Michigan researchers accounted for both climate and GDP when looking at total emissions from each country. 7.12
Greenest U.S. cities and companies 6.12
The Cultural Landscape Foundation list of 12 threatened or at-risk landscapes 10/12
Anthropocene
The term refers to a geological period in time in which humans are the controlling factor: Human activities increasingly dominate and endanger nine crucial planetary systems. Along with the familiar ones---climate, biodiversity, and chemical pollution---we have to add atmospheric aerosols, ocean acidification, excess nitrogen from agriculture, too much land sacrificed to agriculture, freshwater scarcity, and ozone depletion. To secure what scientists are calling "a safe operating space for humanity" on Earth requires considerabe finesse to work within those systems. How we collectively step up to that responsibility will determine whether "the Anthropocene" (the geological era shaped by humans) will be a tragedy or humanity's greatest accomplishment. 5 min audio intro in gamer show style by Stanford.
Welcome to the anthropocene (video). ***
The Anthropocene—Coming Soon to a Theater (and Museum, and Bookshelf) Near You 12/18.Anthropocene: The Human Epoch, "Stunning,” “Ravishing, “Sobering," a combination of intimate detail and massive scale 9/19.
How humans kicked off the Pyrocene — a new ‘age of fire’ Grist 11/19.
Geologists: Anthropocene Started in 1950s 10/17.
The Latest Scary Evidence That Humans Have Created a New Geological Era: Roads * 11/17.
There's Now a Mathematical Equation Showing How Fast Humans Are Wrecking Earth: According to their formula, recently published in The Anthropocene Review, human activity is altering the environment 170 times faster than under normal circumstances. 4/17
The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History (book) by Elizabeth Kolbert, (video interview), as well as [audio interview). Also an extended video talk see Wildlife. *** 2/14.
Excellent video overview of our current status ****: Human growth has strained the Earth's resources, but as Johan Rockstrom reminds us, our advances also give us the science to recognize this and change behavior. His research has found nine "planetary boundaries" that can guide us in protecting our planet's many overlapping ecosystems. TEDtalk. This LongNow talk builds on Rockstrom. 3/12. Rio Summit talk 6/12 (audio). ( Another version of 9 boundaries.) We overshot earth capacity a while back.
Related: A seminal study last fall in Nature put climate in perspective of 10 biophysical systems crucial to human health -- and it found biodiversity loss more troubling than any other Link.
Eric Berlow and others ask if the earth has a tipping point. Some science says no.
British environmentalist Mark Lynas is the author of one of the finest climate books, Six Degrees, and a new work, The God Species: How the Planet Can Survive the Age of Humans, which spells out a cohesive Green program for this century guided by the nine boundaries. "The Nine Planetary Boundaries: Finessing the Anthropocene," Mark Lynas, Long Now talk on 3/6 link and video
Edward O. Wilson “The Social Conquest of Earth” (video)
Charles Mann, "Living in the Homogenocene: The First 500 Years" (video). audio interview. State of the Species: Does success spell doom for Homo sapiens? Orion magazine.
In Why Corporation 2020, Pavan Sukhdev examines the many critical planetary boundaries that we are approaching, from greenhouse gas emissions to the nitrogen cycle, freshwater and land use, and food security, and argues that sweeping changes are needed to reform the way we deal with the earth’s resources. Sukhdev makes an arresting case for including the private sector in these changes, arguing that a new corporate model is needed in the next decade to avert irreparable ecological harm. (free e-book).
History: "Complex civilizations have a bad habit of destroying themselves. Anthropologists including Joseph Tainter in “The Collapse of Complex Societies,” Charles L. Redman in “Human Impact on Ancient Environments” and Ronald Wright in “A Short History of Progress” have laid out the familiar patterns that lead to systems breakdown. The difference this time is that when we go down the whole planet will go with us. There will, with this final collapse, be no new lands left to exploit, no new civilizations to conquer, no new peoples to subjugate. The long struggle between the human species and the Earth will conclude with the remnants of the human species learning a painful lesson about unrestrained greed and self-worship." Hedges.
Earth
(see also Land)
Video overview Click on State of the Earth link in left navigation bar. 2009?
Soil
How You Can Help Regenerate the Planet in 2019, Starting With Soil 1/19.
How California's Fires Are Linked to Climate Chaos, Soil Health and Food Choices 1/18.
Healthy Soil: Good for the Farmer, Good for the Planet 5/18.
How Crushed Volcanic Rock in Farm Soil Could Help Slow Global Warming — and Boost Crops: A new study explores how planet-warming carbon dioxide could be absorbed using ‘enhanced rock weathering,’ a natural process sped up to fight climate change. Global Warming.
Monsanto's Roundup Destroys Healthy Microbes in Humans and in Soils 1/18. see Chemicals and GMO's.
Don't Believe These Dangerous Myths About Industrial Farming includes soil loss 11/17
Agribiz puts out 25% of GHG, but Soil can take CO2 out of atmosphere. Paris climate treaty builds on carbon sequestration 11/16.
Earth Has Lost a Third of Arable Land in Past 40 Years, Scientists Say 12/15.
How Healthy Soils Can Help in the Fight Against Climate Change 11/15.
Vandana Shiva: ‘All Life Depends on Soil’ 2/15.
Applying Compost To Soil Can Help Cut Carbon Pollution and save water 10/14.
Urban garden pioneer Will Allen explains how increasing soil fertility will ensure our future food security (video).
Iowa Is Getting Sucked Into Scary Vanishing Gullies 2/14.
Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations by David R Montgomery (book trailer) professor of geomorphology, University of Washington discusses the problem of global soil degradation and soil erosion and why it is one of the most significant environmental crises that face our species and planet for the next 400 years to come. another talk. The worst case scenario for soil is desertification, often as the result of deforestation (and probably intensified by climate change). Being fought in China 9/14.
Nearly 16 Percent Of China's Soil Is Polluted, Government Says 4/14. see China.
Update on soil 8/12.
Peak Farmland is here 12/12.
What is Land? big picture.
Soil: From Dirt to Lifeline Fred Kirschenmann TEDx.
Allan Savory fights desertification. TEDtalk. [http://www.npr.org/2013/11/15/243721657/how-can-deserts-turn-into-grasslands audio).
Discovering a whole new universe in the soil 6/13.
Air
(More in-depth content)
Video overview (basic, National Geo) 11/19.
95% of World's Population Breathes Unsafe Air map, 4/18 see Air.
25 Most and Least Polluted Cities in America 5/15.
Fire (climate change and wildfires)
(metaphorically, Global Warming)
The basics, good overviews and intros to various green topics from Grist, such as Keystone XL pipeline, sea level rise and Geo-engineering.
Firestorm new book from Island Press 7/18.
How humans kicked off the Pyrocene — a new ‘age of fire’ Grist 11/19.
Global ripple effects by Michael Mann 10/16.
The Goat Brigade: Preventing Wildfires in Southern California 6/14.
10 Best US Cities to ride out global warming and 10 worst 5/13.
Climate change and resource scarcity (including food and water) will lead to war (again). 4/13
Bottom line, we have about five years, unless we've already hit hit the tipping point
Al Gore TEDTalk 20 min. video.
Wildfires
See also Forests and main Fire
How humans kicked off the Pyrocene — a new ‘age of fire’ Grist 11/19.
The Amazon fires are raging. This excerpt from Tony Juniper's Rainforest will help you understand what the world is losing. Read Chapter 4: Evolutionary Treasures 9/19.
Californians are now lab rats for the long-term effects of toxic wildfire smoke As air quality hits hazardous levels in the Bay Area, scientists say we’re descending into unknown territory 11/18 see California and air.
How California's Fires Are Linked to Climate Chaos, Soil Health and Food Choices 1/18.
Worst Wildfire in California History Threatens State's Climate Goals 12/17.
As 'Epic Winds' Drive California Fires, Climate Change Fuels the Risk current record Thomas fire in SoCal will not be contained till January.12/17
How smoke affects the most vulnerable 12/17 see Air.
How suburban sprawl makes wildfires more deadly see alsohere, 2017 Sonoma/Napa fires, editorial on policy.
Record-Breaking Drought and Wildfires Plague Southeast 11/16.
Climate Impacts Double U.S. Forest Fires.
LongNow talk February 9, 02016 Stephen Pyne "Fire Slow, Fire Fast, Fire Deep."
Living with Fire Guy McPherson talked about the book he co-authored with Sara Jensen, Living With Fire: Ecology and Policy for the Twenty-First Century; 2009 CA U press.(video interview).
Threat to agriculture: A deadly mix of prolonged drought and wildfire, driven by climate change, could do more than just lay waste to crops and woodland in the western US. It could scorch the earth and trigger ever greater levels of soil erosion. See (earth above). 11/15.
10/15 update : two fires cost CA $2 billion.
UC Scientists Have Found a Link Between Amazon Wildfires and North Atlantic Hurricanes.
Bark Beetles Are Decimating Our Forests. That Might Actually Be a Good Thing. alt link 3/15.
Yosemite fire 9/14.
Washington Wildfire Season One Of The Most Destructive On Record, Officials Say 9/14.
Explained in 90 Seconds: How Climate Change Fuels Wildfires: Higher temperatures, prolonged drought, and fire suppression policy combine to make fires worse. video.
Thanks to climate change, the world is going to need a lot more firefighters 12/13.
Colorado plan 11/13.
Yosemite Is Burning...Here's How Climate Change Makes Wildfires Worse 8/13. virtual flythrough
Nation on Fire: Climate Change and the Burning of America 8/13.
U.S. Wildfire Interactive Shows Rising Temperatures, Less Snowfall Are Leading To More Fires infographic 7/13.
Wildfire Activity Is Heating Up In The Yukon Flats Of Alaska
Actual fire and forests (will be an effect of global warming). See Scorched Earth.
Tar balls from wildfires worsening global warming 7/13
Climate Change And Wildfires: Bigger, Fiercer Blazes Expected In West 7/13 not unrelated, 19 brave hotshots die. context on how fires have changed (op-ed).
Wildfire season is 2 months longer, two times more destructive now than in the 1970s due to global warming.
U.S. Wildfires: Burn Area Expected To Double By 2050 12/12.
NASA images and info [global tour video].
The Big Burn Timothy Egan talked about his book The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt & the Fire That Saved America (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; 2009). He talked about the largest forest fire in American history. video interview.
Native American use of wildfire (audio).
Life in fire country (audio). 2013.
Water
(More in-depth content)
Video overview, another one, a video infographic, and one from National Geographic. The Cycle of Insanity: The Real Story of Water is a short, animated film made by the Surfrider Foundation on the broken water cycle. Greenpeace on rivers.
Brock Dolman (College Eight '92, Environmental Studies/Biology), Director of The WATER Institute Ecologist Permaculture Program. Bioneers interview video. Bio TEDx video: Watershed City 2.0 (Re-thinking and Retrofitting for Resilience). ***
Earth Policy Institute overview/stats/status Link 2006
Extensive coverage of the California drought and climate change.
CBS News segment 1/10
video overview Click on State of the Earth link in left navigation bar, then water.
How farms create Dead Zone in the Gulf of Mexico (good overview) *
E-waste
(see also main page, Consumption and Chemicals)
11/08 CBS 60 Minutes segment (video).
Wildlife/ Biodiversity
The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History (book) by Elizabeth Kolbert, (video interview), as well as [audio interview). Also an extended video talk see Wildlife.
Overview from the National Resources Defense Council.
General Environmental Websites
Some environmental organizations.
Journalist toolbox massive but a mashup.10/15.
What the World Could Be has short videos that explain our daunting challenges and shows that they can be countered by simple decisions by all of us.
Environmental Defense Fund works to preserve the natural systems on which all life depends, focusing on the most critical environmental problems. EDF's Climate Corps: Each summer, EDF selects and trains top-tier graduate students to build energy management plans for leading businesses and organizations like AT&T, Google, and FedEx. See Internships.
Google green index seems to be greenwash now?
Yahoo index seems to havve moprhed into science news and [1]
Natural Resources Defense Council
United Nations environmental info, as well as UN list of global problems and overviews (and reports).
Environmental Clearinghouse has info on a variety of topics.
Worldwatch Institutehas yearly State of the Planet reports
The PostCarbon Institute has great resources about how to build a resilient future, including videos on fracking etc.
Books
Ecosystems and human well-being By Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Program et al. 2005 Very detailed
Humanity's Footprint : momentum, impact, and our global environment / Walter K. Dodds New York : Columbia University Press, c2008 McHenry Stacks - GF75 .D65 2008 Link
Magazines/Journals
Yes Magazine ***
Time Magazine on science and environment.
(must be logged into UCSC computer to access:)
OnEarth from NRDC.
Online Courses
Environmental Health from Johns Hopkins University gives a good overview of different kinds of exposures to different toxins and their effects.
