Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Idaho "Citizen Science" Water Monitoring opportunity?

On March 29, 2010 Sara Cohn of The Idaho Conservation League created a Facebook comment and a blog post and on the ICL Community titled "Cutting Water Quality Monitoring is Pound Foolish." The thrust of the post is that the Idaho State Department of Water Quality has announced they are gutting its water quality-monitoring budget at least for the next two years. Sara notes that "Water is the lifeblood of our communities, offering recreation, enjoyment, and sources of drinking water. Without monitoring information about these precious resources, Idahoans will not be able to identify problem streams or sources of pollution."

In response I wrote the following comment on the ICL Facebook and Blog pages.

I would like to suggest that a new era of transformational Internet networking tools are becoming available to enable"Citizen Science" projects to monitor sensitive water resources and other environmental topics that affect the quality of life in our living

communities. At least in the interim period, until the State budget improves (and DEQ agency priority changes), I believe it is possible students and teachers, concerned citizens, scientists, retired people and others may be interested, and even excited, to have the opportunity to contribute to important water quality knowledge, especially as it relates to the specific geographical locations and time frames where they live, and recreate.

In Idaho and other states over several years I have been in the presence, and have videotaped high school science classes and other volunteer groups learning how to gather basic water quality monitoring data and create geo referenced and time dated reports for their communities. And I have also been actively involved with many others in learning how to initiate networking opportunities for environmental interest projects including the use of internet tools and initiatives including the GeoWeb, ImageWeb, MobileWeb, Interest/SocialWeb, OpenSourceWeb and Semantic/Linked Data Web.

If readers of this comment are interested in starting a discussion project or group about the Idaho citizen science water quality monitoring issue please leave another comment here or contact me through my profile or this blog site.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Read "Government Must Give a ****: A Lesson from @garyvee" (via @ timoreilly) Attitude of caring is important.
http://ping.fm/Xyosu

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Posting information online could preempt Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) queries. EPA reduced requests by 96%. http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0310/031810e1.htm
'Hell No You Can't' Vs. 'Yes We Can' Mashup: New Viral Video Starring John Boehner
http://ping.fm/qoWkS
iPhone being used in higher education experiment. Abilene Christian University Mobile Learning project. http://ping.fm/nJf0i

Saturday, March 20, 2010

RT @PulsonTech: Feds Deem Pedestrians, Cyclists and Motorists Equals http://bit.ly/bEj8Db

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Viewed Jon Stewart video explaining "Dodgy Wall Street Practices" even I could understand.
http://ping.fm/4LFIt
Found C-Span video archives since 1987 searchable and accessible to the public. Memorable moments examples highlighted. http://ping.fm/TFJBF

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Boise Airport and Air Force F-35 Noise and Public Comment closes March 25. Only link is to http://idahoF35.com site ! http://ping.fm/yO4Pz

Monday, March 15, 2010

"Merchants of Doubt" Handful of Scientists obscured Truth on issues from Tobacco Smoke to Global warming. (via @algore) http://ping.fm/bdBoD

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Joined Ushahidi Facebook page
http://ping.fm/MqcW2
Ushahidi /http://ushahidi.com/ Kenyon open source mobile tool to gather public testimony in Haiti, Chili, Wash DC etc http://ping.fm/rxBcm

Friday, March 12, 2010

A mobile version of the Consumer Broadband Test-- the FCC’s first
mobile app - available at Apple & Android app stores.
http://ping.fm/zORiQ
Preview The National Broadband Plan's Blueprint for Accessibility.
http://ping.fm/hlPPQ
Test your Internet broadband connection quality - and learn more about the FCC National Broadband plan.
http://ping.fm/sH0Gp
Gov 2.0 Expo May 25-27, 2010 / Participation, Collaboration, & Transformation. Wash. D.C.
http://ping.fm/CCdX2
Deal of the Day – Only $9.99! "Open Government" Ebook. http://bit.ly/crC3F5 Use discount code: DDGVN (via @timoreilly)
"So, What is Gov 2.0?" A good kind of revolution. (Via @You2Gov) http://ping.fm/ZKFd7
Gov 2.0 online conference held yesterday. Information, December 2009 videos and "Open Government" chapters available. http://ping.fm/2ikPl

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Noticed "Biking directions added to Google Maps" for Boise and 150 U.S, Cities. http://ping.fm/ZNoMx

Tuesday, March 09, 2010

Produced a "Hammer Flat" Google Earth Fly-in & fall 2005 Video with Tony Jones describing wildlife habitat values. http://ping.fm/dxD7B

Tuesday, March 02, 2010

Created experimental Google Earth tour of Alaska 1975 Denali Clean Climb & Ski Expedition Re: "Denali Diary" http://ping.fm/IcAuv