A new resource for environment information has recently been set up and is now available on line at www.earthportal.org . Recent web material is timely, thoughtful and thought provoking, with contributions from well known contributors. There will be opportunities for you to contribute too!
Earth Portal is a comprehensive, free and dynamic resource for timely, objective, science-based information about the environment built by a global community of environmental experts: educators, physical, life, and social scientists, scholars, and professionals who have joined together to communicate to the world. In contrast to information from anonymous sources with no quality control, the Earth Portal is created and governed by individuals and organizations who put their names behind their words and where attribution and expert-review for accuracy are fundamental.
This is NEW and is expected to grow rapidly over the next few months, hoping to become a significant source of up to date information on the environment as well as providing links to many other sources.
The Earth Portal includes:
§ Encyclopedia of Earth (www.eoearrh.org ) has an initial 2,300 articles from over 700 experts from 46 countries, as well as such content partners as the World Wildlife Fund and the United Nations Environment Programme. The Encyclopedia is a means for the global scientific community to come together to produce the first free, comprehensive expert-driven information resource on the environment. The Encyclopedia includes articles, e-books and reports, interactive maps, and biographies, and will eventually be published in other major languages. Environmental scholars and experts are invited to become contributors to the Encyclopedia.
§ Earth News (www.earthportal.org/news ) includes breaking news updates from many sources, with links from key words to Encyclopedia articles, enabling readers to learn about the science behind the headlines.
§ Earth Forum (www.earthportal.org/forum ) allows the public to engage in discussions with experts, ask questions and get answers, and to participate in community debates about issues that matter to them.
§ Environment in Focus (www.earthportal.org/?page_id=70 ) provides an exploration of a major issue each week - energy, climate change, environmental economics and other topics - led by a prominent expert in the subject and involving articles, news, places, discussions, Q&A, interesting facts, and more.
The National Council for Science and the Environment (www.NCSEonline.org ) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the scientific basis for environmental decision-making. The NCSE specializes in programs that foster collaboration among diverse institutions, communities and individuals. The NCSE serves as secretariat for a growing Environmental Information Coalition of environmental experts and organizations, which is building the Earth Portal.
ManyOne Networks, an innovative IT firm based near San Jose, California, has provided engineering and vision for the Earth Portal.
Have a look.........it just might be worthwhile!
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