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The international talks in Paris (COP21) seem to be all about carbon - how much there is in the atmosphere, the ocean, the plants, the permafrost and fossil fuels. How much carbon is moving, where, when, what can we do to alter the amount being released by human activity, how much do we need to reduce, etc. So, it seems an appropriate time to post a list of resources about carbon!
Here are a number of NASA resources on carbon, including short and long articles, short and long videos, visualizations and graphics. All are free, but please credit NASA if you share or use in your products/programs.
Feature Articles About Carbon
A Breathing Planet, Off Balance
As carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere continue their rapid, man-made rise, NASA scientists and others are confronted with important questions: How long can this balancing act continue? And if forests, other vegetation and the ocean cannot continue to absorb as much or more of our carbon emissions, what does that mean for the pace of climate change in the coming century? This article explores this line of research and includes several downloadable visualizations.
More Articles
- Seven Case Studies in Carbon and Climate
- Seeing Forests for the Trees and the Carbon
- Carbon Content of Forests Overestimated
- Feature: The Carbon Cycle
- Carbon Emissions and Drought
- Carbon Dioxide Controls Earth’s Thermostat
Multimedia and Interactives
- ClimateBits: Carbon Dioxide (3 min) A nice explanation of the reason why carbon matters, stepping through seasonal and annual changes in atmospheric CO2 , consequences of added CO2 and actions people can take. Illustrated with visuals of the global greening and browning overlaid with the data from Mauna Loa.
- Fast and Slow Carbon – Banana vs. Coal (aka Carbon Crisis in 90 Sec.) A short, clear explanation of the carbon cycle, why it is out of balance, and why that matters.
- A Breathing Planet, Off Balance Video (3 min) A video that accompanies the article listed above.
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Earth to Sky Climate Change Science and Communication - A Regional Approach
October 14-16, 2015
This course focused on climate science and communication as it applies to Alaska. The heart of the course was comprised of three days of face-to-face sessions held at the Bureau of Land Management's Campbell Creek Science Center in Anchorage, AK. It also featured one evening session, and a field trip to Portage Valley as a case study for climate change effects and communication practices.
The course preparatory assignments, video-taped presentations and all course materials are available on the course home page. We plan to conduct additional regional courses in a variety of locations in coming months and years.
Target Audience:
Federal, State, Municipal agency, as well as non-profit and private organization science communicators, interpreters, environmental educators and education specialists. Participants should have some experience with communication principles and techniques. Knowledge of climate science is not required. Partners and collaborators are especially encouraged.
Participants in this course:
- Met with world-class scientists and communicators to discuss their best practices and the latest insights about understanding and responding to changing climate.
- Heard about the latest research in carbon and energy systems, specific to Alaska; learned the latest about NASA’s 9-year ABoVE campaign from the scientists themselves.
- Joined interactive sessions with specialists on many climate topics, including thawing permafrost, changes in hydrology, and new wildlife dynamics.
- Experienced climate research first-hand on a field-trip to Portage Glacier where researchers engaged directly with workshop participants.
- Became part of an engaged community of interpreters and educators, statewide, who are working on communicating about climate to audiences on-site, in communities, and virtually.
- Walked away with a customized plan for developing a climate program or product which, with partners, will be used at their sites with their audiences.
- And they learned how to stay connected to these scientists and communicators over the long term.
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Earth to Sky Alumnus Named as a White House Champion of Change for Climate Education and Literacy
We are extremely excited that Earth to Sky alumnus John Morris (National Park Service, retired) has been honored as one of eight people selected as White House Champions of Change for Climate Education and Literacy. On February 9, 2015, a ceremony was held at the White House offices, to honor these leaders in climate communication/education.
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NEW Online Graduate Courses in Interpretation THIS FALL at SFA
Tuition Assistance Available
This Fall, Stephen F. Austin University (SFA) is piloting a year-long series of online courses, Science and the Public Interface, centered on the topic of effective communication of controversial science (such as evolution, climate change, nanotechnology, stem cell therapy, etc). The courses are developed by state, federal, museum, non-profit and university partners.
The 5-course sequence is designed to help you facilitate audience connections to science, place, each other and community, and provide opportunity to master 21st century science communication/interpretation skills including citizen science, framing, crucial conversations, facilitated dialogue, and community engagement.
SFA states that the courses will
- strengthen your ability to engage audiences about the process of science and what makes science controversial
- explore emerging techniques that lead to such outcomes as self-discovery, mutual understanding, respect, care, community capacity building, and stewardship
- outline a framework within which collaboration can emerge, helping audiences move from awareness to action.
Courses can be taken online through Stephen F. Austin State University at the 1-credit workshop or 3-credit graduate course level. Tuition assistance is available.
Apply/Register Now to join in the first semester of courses, beginning August 26, 2014 (Tuesday) and ending on or before December 12, 2014 (Friday)
Additional course information, registration procedures, timelines, tuition and contact information.
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$2500 Minigrants Offered to the ETS Community by the NASA Global Precipitation Mission (GPM)
This archived Blackboard Collaborate session provides information about this great funding opportunity and excellent examples of how last year's recipients used the funding to create Climate Change Interp/Education products and programs.
Mini-grant proposals are due COB June 13, 2014!
This session features NASA Global Precipitation Mission Education and Outreach lead, Dorian Janney, who describes this great opportunity for you to propose for funding your climate change project. Dorian outlines the requirements for the short proposal, including deadlines and funding levels.
ETS Alumni Leah Eskelin (Kenai NWR) , Susan Sachs (Great Smoky Mountains NP) and Tim Taglauer (Shenandoah NP), who received grants last year describe the projects they have been working on or completed. These projects are wonderful examples of work within our community that any of us can draw from for ideas, best practices and lessons learned, even if you are not seeking funding.
View the Webinar Here
ETS-GPM Mini-grant Application Form ETS-GPM Mini-grant Application Form (pdf)
Session Powerpoint (PDF version)
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On May 15th 2014 Emily Cloyd shared the 2014 U.S. National Climate Assessment key findings, useful features, and associated education and outreach products and activities for us to use in climate communication. Below is a collection of links to resources, and the powerpoint.
Here's the link to the Google+ Hangout - you can watch it there and still make comments or ask questions and we'll try to answer for you. http://bit.ly/GPlusEarthtoSky
Or you can watch it here on our site (see below).
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The Third National Climate Assessment (NCA) Released
The NCA is the official US Federal Government report on climate for our nation, mandated by the Global Change Research Act of 1990, and vetted by 13 Federal Departments and Agencies and the Executive Office of the President. The assessment is an ongoing compilation of the state of knowledge about climate change for the United States. A written report is produced every four years, and this is the third such report.
Watch the archive of the White House event marking the release of the report, at 2 PM ET.
http://www.c-span.org/video/?319224-2/white-house-unveils-climate-assessment-report
What’s the Big Deal about yet another Climate Change report?
It's a treasure trove of information and graphics about Climate Change in the United States!
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Climate Change 2014: Mitigation of Climate Change (the IPCC Working Group III contribution to the 5th Assessment Report) was released April 13, 2014.
In a previous post we alerted you to the Working Group Two report on Climate Change Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability (which very clearly stated the problem we all face). Now, this latest IPCC report from Working Group Three assesses the options for mitigating climate change and their underlying technological, economic and institutional requirements (helping us to see possible solutions). It's directed at policymakers, and highlights the need for international agreement on mitigation efforts. It's chock full of info about sources of energy, carbon in our atmosphere, renewable energy, the ethical dilemmas that result from climate change, options for industry, etc.
IPCC Working Group III Summary for Policy Makers
Some video statements really humanize the report as well. This is a good effort to improve communication of these reports to the public. What can we do to relate this informtion to our sites and our audiences?
Mitigation 2014 video statements