Sun-Earth Day - NASA Web Site and Web Cast - March 20, 1:PM EDT

In March of 2007 I wrote a blog post about the Vernal Equinox and noted the creation of an Idaho Common Adventure Network to coincide with the warming spring season when new plant and animal life begins to flourish. Given the current knowledge about global economic and ecological crises I am certain it is important for many more (most) citizens to try understand the complex relationship of our human actions on the environment. Opportunities to learn more about the Sun and Earth is part of this process.

A SpatialNews.com Press Release today (March 19) is titled "NASA Celebrates Sun-Earth Day with Illuminating Webcast." " NASA scientists will reveal new information and images about our sun and its influence on Earth and the solar system for Sun-Earth Day, recognized each year in conjunction with the spring equinox. The highlight of this year's celebration is a webcast for students and teachers around the world beginning at 1 p.m. EDT, Friday, March 20."

On the NASA Sun-Earth Day: 2009 web site the theme this year is "Our Sun, Yours to Discover." The web site provides information about how to Subscribe to the Live Web Cast and how to Get involved.

There are many other valuable educational and environmental projects inviting public participation. I will attempt to identify some of these I find most interesting as time permits in the future.

Equinox today / Announcing Idaho Common Adventure Network

Vernal Equinox - Today or Tomorrow - March 20 or 21, 2007 ? Natalie Angier in the New York Times today, has written a good article explaining the variation in dates for the spring Equinox.

Today, also I am announcing the first phase of the Idaho Common Adventure Network - for Earth and Climate Opportunities.

Over the past several months I have experimented with various social networking applications that I have noted earlier in this Blog. I thought a Wiki, that anyone could edit, would be the best approach. However, I found myself trying to structure a complicated beginning outline of topics and locations. As I noted in my post of February 14, I found that the local.wikia project for Idaho had already created a very interesting logical structure that can also be used. The Earth 911 -Making Everyday Earth Day web site also has created a structure for finding, and submitting environmental events and resources in Idaho.

And, I believe there are probably other similar Internet networking efforts that can be located by others. The Idaho Common Adventure Network is an available web site space where resource lists, topics and discussions can be initiated by anyone who wants to participate.

Finally, a few days ago, I decided to start out using one of the new 2nd Generation of Social Networking applications that are emerging. Ning.com - Create Your Own Social Network for Anything is one of these new user friendly applications that promises to evolve with useful features as needed. I created a network using the Ning template to create an experimental Common Adventure "Bulletin Board" discussion project where people can discuss social environmental networking, start topics and invite others to add comments and resources. Over time this project will probably change as people use it. And I expect other people to develop similar projects using other applications. My hope is that we can create a communication network to share our efforts. The experimental Idaho Common Adventure Network is my personal contribution at this time.

Please feel free to join in the discussion or to start your own projects. I welcome any comments.

Gary Grimm