World Environment Day 2012

The annual World Environment Day (WED) is humanity’s global day for positive environmental action. WED activities take place all year round but climax on 5 June every year, involving everyone from everywhere. WED celebration began in 1972, and has grown to become the one of the main vehicles through which the UN stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and encourages political attention and action. Through this initiative, the UN Environment Programme personalizes environmental issues and encourages individuals to realize not only their responsibility, but also their power to become agents for change in support of sustainable and equitable development.

Further, WED is a day for people from all walks of life to come together to ensure a cleaner, greener and brighter outlook for themselves and future generations. Everyone counts in this initiative and WED relies on you to make this happen! Organize a neighborhood clean-up, stop using plastic bags and get your community to do the same, plant a tree or better yet organize a collective tree planting effort, walk to work, start a recycling drive… the possibilities are endless. For more information and ideas, please visit http://www.unep.org/wed/

Joe Hutto, Passion Pictures and PBS: Thanks for the documentary

Watch My Life as a Turkey on PBS. See more from Nature.

Almost eleven years ago, my wife and I moved from Los Angeles to North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains and the small college town of Boone, North Carolina, which is home to Appalachian State University. Among many new family-focused joys of life we’ve experienced here, this move has truly immersed us in mother nature’s richness. Many species of wild flora and fauna flourish in the sprawling patch of woods right outside our windows. We can view wilderness each day, and when we’re especially lucky, we see wild turkeys.

Until recently, most of what I’d learned about these creatures had come from my personal observations of them; through different seasons over the years, our homestead has been a regular daily stop for flocks (sometimes with dozens of members), as well as the occasional lone wanderer. My basic curiousities were extremely well rewarded when I watched “My Life as a Turkey” late last year on PBS. Produced for the network’s award-winning Nature series, I highly encourage you to watch the complete episode now available online (in the U.S. and its territories), which I have embedded above. I promise you, it is a fascinating window into a secret world. Read more

Earth Day 2012 and beyond

“Our planet, our home is being neglected. Climate change continues unabated. It seems there’s a new ecological disaster happening almost daily. This Earth Day it’s time to mobilize the planet from the ground up to send a message that the Earth won’t wait! Learn more at
www.earthday.org/2012”

Also check out: Earth Day 2010 and beyond

CES 2012 Spotlight

Every year, the International Consumer Electronics Show unites tens of thousands of consumer electronics industry leaders, journalists and fans in Las Vegas, and most major news outlets mount impressive campaigns to cover and analyze the most interesting new products, developments and hype. While I have yet to attend a single CES, I do follow much of the news that comes out before, during and after the festivities. Now that CES 2012 is behind us, here are a few highlights I thought you might appreciate. Read more

Good works from Thornberg & Forester

Ever since DreamWorks Animation and Conservation International commissioned the principals of award-winning design and production company Thornberg & Forester (T&F) to create a special feature PSA for the DVD release of Kung Fu Panda back in 2008, the NYC-based group has kept on applying its diverse talents to the needs of worthwhile nonprofit and non-governmental organizations and environmental causes. Videos from those projects now appear on T&F’s Good Works channel on Vimeo, and more project information is available at www.thornbergandforester.com.

Ready for 24 hours of climate reality?

I wrote a few weeks ago about Nobel Laureate and former U.S. Vice President Al Gore and The Climate Reality Project. Guided by the knowledge that the climate crisis is real and we know how to solve it, more than 5 million members and supporters worldwide are about to launch their campaign to bring climate crisis facts into the mainstream, with the goal of engaging the public in conversations about real solutions. As recently reported by Morgan Clendaniel for Fast Company, the project’s 24 Hours of Reality event is sending clear signals:

Please visit climaterealityproject.org and consider joining the fight.

Forces for Good: Al Gore

Three years ago, Nobel Laureate and former U.S. Vice President Al Gore issued a powerful challenge to America: “Today I challenge our nation to commit to producing 100% of our electricity from renewable energy and truly clean carbon free sources within 10 years.”

Please visit climaterealityproject.org and consider joining the fight to help citizens around the world discover the truth and take meaningful steps to bring about change.

Killer reels: Thornberg & Forester