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2. Our Changing Planet

Country Available: Canada, USA
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Our Changing Planet examines even more applications of earth observation satellites in our daily lives; beginning with forestry and forest fire detection and suppression.   On the other coin, satellites also reveal the rate of deforestation of the planet due to over logging, in the Amazon and the Queen Charlotte Islands on the Canadian West Coast.   Another recent use of satellites is mapping the earth's surface, showing how the maps of the future could be three-dimensional fly-through, and vacations could become virtual...taking a trip without leaving your home.

Disaster response is another vital application of observational satellites.   Besides their use for earthquake and volcano detection, satellites are the first line of response to floods and in particular, a looming global problem, at the Chernobyl nuclear reactor since satellites recent revealed that a cripple reactor was built on a hundred year flood plane.

Earth observational satellites are also telling us much about our global village, for example, a circumnavigating flight at night, vividly depicts who has the power through man's illumination set to the music of Beethoven.   But they also show our growing dependency upon this fragile technology, noting whoever controls the heavens, controls the planet.   This pint is dramatically punctuated by original footage from the US Defense Departments "Star Wars Strategy".

In short, satellites have become the microscopes of the new millennium with humankind on the examining table.   Because of satellite science can time-lapse years into minutes, we see with starling clarity our impact on the planet, from the drying up of the Aral Sea, to the spraying of Agent Orange in Vietnam - the flight lines of the denuded jungle are still visible today, thirty years late.   In conclusion, the show points out that satellites do little more than mirror ourselves.   They can alert us to problems, guide our response, and measure the success of our efforts.   But if we are the cause of the problems and do not address them, satellites will do little more than herald our failure.   The show ends with, a montage of spectacular satellite imageries taken form around the world, each depicting what a beautiful satellite, this planet Earth. 		View a printer friendly version of this page...Copyright Date: 2003 Length: 46 minutes Library Audience:
  • Young Adult
  • Adult
    •  School Audience:
  • Grades 8 - 12
    •  Subjects:
  • Environmental Studies
  • Science and Technology
    •  Formats Available:
  • VHS Tape
  • DVD
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