I’d like to highlight this comment from one of our readers,”Brian”: Hello, I’m a father of two and a high school history and geography teacher. You may be interested to know that there are a fair number of educational games out there for the iPhone that do a good job of making it fun for students and people of all ages to improve their knowledge … Continue reading Geography: There’s an App for That
Read the May 2009 Newsletter: “‘Doing’ Geography on Your Vacation This Summer.”
Inside
GeoFeature: The New Geotourism Movement
Geography in the News: Demystifying the Swine Flu Pandemic
Blog: Summer Travelpalooza
Associate Director Ann Nygard learned of the geotourism concept, defined as tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place–its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage, and the well-being of its residents; when working in partnership with National Geographic in her native Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom on a Geotourism MapGuide. Now part of the Center for Sustainable Destinations at NG headquarters in Washington, D.C., she works with destinations to help tell the story of their place.
Northeast Kingdom, Vermont –The seasons shape how folks experience this tri-county region of Vermont. Winding dirt roads pocked by potholes from the winter freeze were filled with spring mud when the local Geotourism Stewardship Council began community forums. Maneuvering around these craters was a welcome change from avoiding snowdrifts blown across the roads; potholes don’t move. Hopes were high that mild weather would encourage Kingdom residents to nominate sites for the Geotourism MapGuide at town hall style meetings, through emailed nomination forms, and in special kiosks set up in individual rural communities.
All winter, the Geotourism Stewardship Council workgroup got together every other Tuesday at the Hardwick Village Restaurant to plan the three-month outreach sessions. We had added incentive to brave the wintry conditions: arrive early and French toast from homemade bread was still available on the slate chalkboard menu. Maple syrup from a local sugarhouse, however, was always available. Unlike in the rest of the country, syrup goes beyond breakfast: Maple-glazed salmon, Maple cream pie, Maple smoked ham, Maple buttered baby carrots, Maple pumpkin bread. You get the idea.
Continue reading “The Geotourism Approach – Inspiring Sustainable Travel”
Citizens around the world are concerned about the swine flu (H1N1) virus, which has been most insidious in Mexico but is also affecting travelers in the U.S., Canada, Europe, New Zealand, and a growing number of nations. As of May 11, 3 U.S. deaths and upwards of 4,700 cases had been confirmed, with hundreds more suspected; as shown on Google
and Rhiza Lab’s Swine Flu incidence map.
Amid all the hype, assessing the real risks posed by the global spread of the disease can be daunting. Terms like “outbreak,” “epidemic,” and “pandemic” are often used liberally and interchangeably, infecting listeners with fear and confusion. Luckily, My Wonderful World is here to the rescue! The distinctions among these terms, and their implications, are–you guessed it–geographic.
Here’s a quick primer: An outbreak occurs when the reported cases of a disease are greater than the levels predicted for a given area or period of time. That means that if one person is predicted to get the flu in your town, and two become ill, it’s an outbreak! Outbreaks are usually, but not always, limited in geographic scale. The current swine influenza was considered to have reached outbreak status in April as a result of growing numbers of cases in Mexico.
Technically, the term epidemic can be used synonymously with outbreak, but it typically refers to a larger-scale incident affecting greater numbers of people in a more expansive geographic area. Confirmed reports of swine flu in the United States and Canada signaled an epidemic.
A pandemic is an epidemic that has reached global proportions. The World Health Organization recognizes six stages or “phases” in the development of pandemic flu (these stages largely replace use of the terms outbreak and epidemic). The phases are categorized according to several factors including (1) virus presence in animals and/or humans, (2) rate of transmission, (3) geographic extent of the disease and (4) response recommendations.
Continue reading “Demystifying the Swine Flu Pandemic…with Geography!”
During Earth Week, I described steps National Geographic is taking to green its facilities, corporate practices, and all-round image. It’s one thing for a mammoth organization (pun on May mag cover story intended) with man and purchasing power, and the benefits of things like “strategic subcommittees” to tackle such an endeavor, but it can be downright overwhelming for an individual. At nearly every go-green event I attend, participants ask for advice on HOW to sort through the seemingly limitless abundance of information and demands on their time and attention–much of it conflicting–to identify green action steps that make sense for THEM.
Start small! Just like training for a marathon, going green is a lifestyle change that requires both physical and mental commitment, and it is most easily accomplished gradually. Once you start making minor adjustments, I bet you’ll be surprised by how far you can go, and the impact you can have over a time frame as modest as a year.
Of course “small” is a relative term, so I thought I’d share five steps I’ve taken to green my own life by way of example:
1. Shop local. I visit my local farmer’s market once weekly, where I buy the majority of my produce. When shopping at the grocery store, I try to buy local when it’s offered. I also make an effort to patronize locally-owned restaurants, clothing stores, and other retail outlets. This significantly reduces my share of the fuel used to transports goods, and I value developing a rapport with people who have a vested interest in the community they serve.
2. Minimize meat consumption. I like to think of myself as not
so much of a vegetarian as a “meat minimalist.” I eat meat sparingly, a
couple times a week, and try to get the majority of my protein from
plant sources and dairy. When I do eat meat, I opt for organic,
ethically produced varieties. We can all reduce our meat consumption,
saving food, water, and oil resources (Did you know that it takes 2.5 –
5+ pounds of grain and 435 gallons of water to produce a pound of beef?
Check out the new film Food, Inc to learn more about food choices and
the food industry).
3. Travel sustainably. When traveling home from D.C. to Boston,
I take the train instead of flying. It takes a bit longer, but it’s a
significant carbon savings and a pleasant, scenic ride through coastal New England. I walk and bike around D.C. and take Metro as a last resort.
Continue reading “Five for Friday: Five Ways Sarah Jane is Going Green”
