Earth Links
I keep this little vial of fine gray ash sitting on the bookcase. It is from the 80’s when Mt. St. Helen’s blew. I had an old friend who took off cross-country on his Harley the day it did. He was driven to see it first hand. He felt drawn to the fire and the power of the mountain. That little vial of ash stands as a testament to the passion that we all have within us, and how we all have an elemental nature. Vampire or not, we are all tied to the Earth in a very personal manner. We stand in awe of the power and furry of a thunderstorm – have a spiritual appreciation for the beauty of the autumn landscape and feel at ease with the womb-like sounds of gentle ocean waves caressing a warn beach on a summer night. We and the Earth are one. As we pause and give thanks this month to the changing of the seasons, let us remember the Earth from whence we came and to which we all return.
This month’s website review takes a look at our ever changing Earth and its power and majesty.
Earth
http://www.terradaily.com
http://www.world.org
http://www.Earthnews.com
Part of being good to the Earth is being aware of is going on in the environment both on a local and international level. These sites help you do just that. Terra Daily is a daily dose of Earth news from around the planet. While they tend to dramatize the subject a bit, they do provide a global vignette of issues that are affecting the well being of this rock we call home. World Org provides global news from a much more balanced perspective. Like Terra Daily they report the environmental battles that are being lost, but balance with reporting the ones that are being won as well. Earth News is a companion site to World Org that acts as resources reference. There you will find listed in Top 100 format scores of major environmental organizations all categorized by subject and special interest. Together these three give you the news & resources you need for most environmental related issues.
Air
http://www.globalwarming.org
http://www.climatehotmap.org
http://www.ucsusa.org/global_environment/global_warming/index.cfm http://www.sierraclub.org/globalwarming
Global warming has gone from the subject of supposition and debate to the subject of fact. As the world heats up, the Earth changes that at one time would have occurred over many generations will now happen within our lifetimes. Global Warming, Climate Hot Map, and UCUSA all tackle global warming via the analytical approach. The Sierra Club site gives you the wealth of information for which they are famous. The reports there on the various aspects of global warming are quite impressive. The site covers the subject down to the personal level with information on how global warming affects you and things you can do to help make a difference. Please note that many of the reports on the site are in .PDF format and you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access them.
Fire
http://www.volcanolive.com
http://volcano.und.nodak.edu/vwdocs/volc_images/img_colima.html
http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/mexico-volcanoes.htm
This past month, volcano news made the news headlines in both the US & Mexico. While Mt St. Helens’ rumbled and groaned; Mexico’s Volcano of Fire staged what can only be described as spectacular eruption. From ash and lava to pyroclastic flows, Mt. Colima is one of the more active volcanos on our planet. It has erupted over 25 times the past 500 years. For a volcano that in an incredible amount in such a short span of time. The two sites listed here give you a good overview of the history and power of this mountain of fire.
At Volcano Live, Australian vulcanologist. John Search gives you the tools to stay well informed and up to date on volcano activates worldwide. There is a wealth of information on this well laid out informative site. From volcano cams to a live news ticker, there is much here to explore and like. You will defiantly spend some time here learning about the power and majesty that is a volcano.
Water
http://www.gma.org/undersea_landscapes/Bay_of_Fundy
http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/nb/fundy/index_e.asp
http://nsidc.org/news/glaciers
http://www.waterconserve.info/articles/reader.asp?linkid=35257
All living things a dependent on water, it plays an important roll in our daily lives. Sometimes we almost take it for granted. The sites listed here show you some of the extremes of this basic fluid of life.
Canada’s Bay of Fundy is one the natural wonders of the world. Daily some of the highest tides on the planet flow in and out of this unique shaped bay. It is an incredibly elemental rush to watch the tide flow in at the Bay of Fundy. What seems like a slow moving wall of water rises to a depth of more than 50 feet in a relatively short time. It is truly awesome and breath takingly powerful.
The last two sites listed are reports that are ringing environmental warning bells around the globe. The glaciers of the Earth are meting at an alarming rate. The highest one on Earth, found in regions of Tibet & China, may melt as much as 68% by the turn of the next century if present melting rates continue. Once again, global warming is at play and the Earth is changing in a dramatic way. Just a few inches rise in sea levels could have an impact on a global scale.
We and this planet are one. Honor it and care for it, for we are all linked in a very intimate way.
Until next time.
Veritatem dies aperit.
LA. Judge