PBS and HBO Examine Global Warming, Dimming of the Sun and Vanishing Species

TV Review 'Dimming the Sun,' 'Journey to Planet Earth' and 'Too Hot Not to Handle'


PBS and HBO Examine Global Warming, Dimming of the Sun and Vanishing Species

By NED MARTEL
The global temperature is rising. As the poles become warmer, the domain of birds and insects is expanding. As humans take up — or mess up — more terrain, the habitat of large predators is shrinking.

And get this: From the latest measurements, all that new heat in the atmosphere is being matched with an equal decline in the rate of sea evaporation.

When television is such a mathematical word problem, it hurts the idle brain. But idling is exactly the problem, and three nationwide Cassandra cries dominate this week's public-affairs programming, with urgent calls for action. "Journey to Planet Earth: The State of the Planet's Wildlife," being shown tonight on PBS, explains the increasingly inhospitable outlook for all earthly creatures. The "Nova" report "Dimming the Sun," also on PBS tonight, complicates matters with the latest findings about how pollution has masked the effects of global warming. And on Saturday HBO declares the whole climate-change crisis "Too Hot Not to Handle."

Even if you delight in scientific method or visions of whiskered things, PBS's wildlife report is a chore. Nothing is objectionable in terms of imagery, nor are there facts to dispute, and the message of crisis is drummed all the way home. The problem is that the show hopscotches from one trouble spot to the next.
Somehow the makers of a program about interconnectedness must have assumed a narrative cohesion would just emerge. It didn't, and the voiceover, by a sleepy Matt Damon, goes on and on about "the timeless rhythms of nature." When malevolent images show up on screen, like elephant poachers or grassland turning into desert, they are accompanied by music straight out of Ed Wood's horror films.

HBO's program is hardly more subtle, but it is more comprehensive and comprehensible. Environmental advocates chime in, with their own statistic-spewing verve, to explicate what has gone wrong. Then a healthy dose of can-do ingenuity follows all the bad news, as prescriptions follow diagnoses. There are suggested changes for behavior at the household and industry levels.

"Too Hot Not to Handle" is shrewd for not insisting at every moment that all these changes are central to human beings' long-term survival. You would think that would be enough, but it tends to help when individuals can see short-term benefits: investment in green industries, renewable energy companies and less wasteful vehicles and appliances can put money in pockets, after all.

The first two programs are not only accessible, but their contents will also sound familiar to anyone who has listened to cycle-of-life eco-lessons from an early age. The "Nova" report on so-called "global dimming," however, is arresting, and not merely because its dynamic photography enlivens the soberness of academia. More important, recent and startling findings that "Dimming the Sun" describes subvert assumptions about global warming without discrediting them. On the contrary, it seems, the phenomenon is proving more nuanced and more dire.

Essentially the planet's particulate pollution has made clouds slightly more solid, and they now can act like big mirrors that keep the Sun's rays from reaching Earth. Beyond that, though, global temperatures will still rise as we reduce particulates. Why? As we stop sending particulates into the air, we remove a shield that has lessened the severity of observable global warming. That's right: we're worse off than we thought.

By the end of "Dimming the Sun" viewers will be able to talk about pan-evaporation, air streams above the Maldives and the potential for conflagration in the Amazon. It's an altogether more frightening hour than the others, even though it's more technical and less anecdotal.

None of these programs, timed to the annual Earth Day hand wringing — this year it's on Saturday — is overtly political. That is left to the new melting-Arctic books, special green issues of national magazines and the Al Gore documentary "An Inconvenient Truth," about global warming.

"Too Hot Not to Handle," like the Gore film, lists Laurie David, a celebrity Earth Mother, as a producer, but unlike the Gore film, the HBO one aims to inspire the grass roots without criticizing the nation's leaders. In a brief instance when it does wade into politics, "Too Hot Not to Handle" hears from a hybrid-car enthusiast who says it's conservative to conserve fuel.

Essentially, these three television programs are still preaching mostly to the choir. The environmental movement used to accumulate irrefutable evidence that all living things are interconnected, and present the ripple effects of disrupted patterns in the public forum. But in that forum, facts did not always speak for themselves. Now celebrities are recruited and attention-getting analogies written, but still no uprising occurs. These films are themselves interconnected, part of an orchestrated moment of public discussion, instead of waiting for the next specific crisis of oily cormorants or Category 5 hurricane to arrive.

Read an Interviewwith executive producer Laurie David who discusses the film and how you can help.

Learn moreabout curriculum to use in the classroom and organizations. Get Involved!

Watch a Previewof this important new movie from HBO Documentary Films. Watch Video

25 Things You Can Do

The Citizens for Planet Earth website at TryScience.org will lead you on a voyage of discovery to evaluate environmental quality near your home, school or science center. You’ll find a variety of simple field activities you can do to learn more about environmental issues in your community. You will also be able to share your discoveries with us and learn about what other communities have done. Read more... The Programs provides more detailed information for purchasing and using the television series in educational settings. Find the right video to use with specific teaching standards. You can also enjoy our Photo Gallery.

The Journey to Planet Earth Action Kit explores the issues raised in the television series through hands-on activities for middle school students in and out of the classroom.

Journey to Planet Earth Clubs exist in communities all over the country. Find a club near you or learn how to start your own with free materials from Journey to Planet Earth.

Teachers Guides developed for the classroom provide numerous activities and lessons to use with the television series. For students in middle school through college.

The After-School "Sustainable Agriculture" brochure, developed by the National 4-H and South Carolina ETV, is designed for use in after-school programs, local Boys and Girls Club programs, 4-H or Future Farmers of America programs, or with similar groups.


Resources are available for Rivers of Destiny, The Urban Explosion, Land of Plenty, Land of Want and The State of the Planet. The last section offers environmental Internet sites that apply to all of the programs.Rivers of Destiny To learn more about topics addressed in "Rivers of Destiny" — water quality, flooding, the rain forest, wetlands — visit the following Internet sites.

American Rivershttp://www.amrivers.org/Their mission is to protect America's river systems and to foster a river stewardship ethic. The American Rivers site index offers information on dams, flood plains and a glossary of river-related terms.

Exploring the Environment Home Pagehttp://www.cotf.edu/ete/main.htmlThis page links to NASA's Classroom of the Future, the Middle School Earth Science Explorer, and other NASA links. It offers students an opportunity to examine Experimental Earth Science modules that make use of remote sensing technology and the Internet. Two of the teaching modules on this site explore water quality and the rain forests of the Pacific Northwest.

Live from the Rainforesthttp://passporttoknowledge.com/rainforest/intro.htmlSome of the world's leading biologists introduce students to the planet's largest rain forest.Mississippi River Basin Alliancehttp://www.mrba.org/The Alliance is a citizens' coalition that unites environmental justice organizations and traditional conservation groups around issues impacting the Mississippi River. The page entitled "About the River" offers good statistics and facts about this mighty river.

National Audubon Society700 BroadwayNew York, NY 10003-9501212-979-3000http://www.audubon.org/Solid science, policy research, forceful lobbying, litigation, citizen action and education are the tools used by the Audubon Society to protect the air, water, land, and habitats that are critical to human health and the health of the planet. The Society offers activities for middle school students that teach them the importance of preserving habitats to protect bird species.

National Geographic Society "Xpeditions"http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/main.htmlThe Atlas feature on this site offers access to 600 National Geographic maps. Visit this site to see the locations of the states, countries and rivers discussed in "Rivers of Destiny.

"Natural Resources Defense Council40 West 20th StreetNew York, NY 10011212-727-2700http://www.nrdc.org/NRDC is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the world's natural resources and ensuring a safe and healthy environment for all people. NRDC's guides offer tips on cleaning up water, reducing garbage and curbing over-fishing, along with a host of other topics.

NOVA Online — Floodhttp://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/flood/This Web site was developed to accompany the NOVA public television program examining the 1993 Mississippi floods.

Rainforest Action Networkhttp://www.ran.org/ran/This network works to protect the Earth's rain forests and support the rights of their inhabitants through education, grassroots organizing, and non-violent direct action. The "Kids Corner" on this site answers questions about the rain forest and introduces students to the animals and native peoples of the rain forest.

The Izaak Walton League of America, Inc.707 Conservation LaneGaithersburg, MD 20878-2983800-bugiwlahttp://www.iwla.org/The organization's "Save Our Streams" program has been teaching people of all ages how to adopt and protect streams and rivers. Activities include making observations, stabilizing stream banks, planting trees, and organizing cleanup campaigns.

U.S.G.S. Water Resources Informationhttp://water.usgs.gov/This site takes teachers to the U.S. Geological Survey's "Water Science for Schools" pages. They offer information on many aspects of water, along with pictures, data, images, and an interactive center where teachers and students can give their opinions and test their water knowledge.

Water Environment Federation601 Wythe StreetAlexandria, VA 22314-1994(800) 666-0206http://www.wef.org/wefstudents/Teachers/index.htmFounded in 1928, the goal of this organization is to preserve and enhance the global water environment. The Water Environment Web provides student materials and activities (K-12) concerning the water environment.The Urban Explosion To learn more about the issues explored in "The Urban Explosion" — drinking water quality, the effects of urbanization, creating sustainable communities — visit the following Internet sites or write to the organizations listed.


American Water Works Association (AWWA)6666 West Quincy AvenueDenver, CO 80235800-926-7337http://www.awwa.org/The American Water Works Association (AWWA) is an international nonprofit scientific and educational society dedicated to the improvement of drinking water quality and supply. Its Blue Thumb Project is an ongoing campaign to raise public awareness and understanding of drinking water issues.

The Blue Thumb Youth Activities (http://www.awwa.org/youthact.htm) and Educational Sheets (http://www.awwa.org/educatio.htm) can increase your students' understanding about these issues, too.

CARE International660 Fifth AvenueNew York, NY 10016(212) 686-3110http://www.care.org/This is a good source of information on agencies that deliver relief assistance to people in need and long-term solutions to global poverty.

Earthwatch680 Mount AuburnBox 403Watertown, MA 02272(617) 926-8200http://www.earthwatch.org/This organization's mission is to build a sustainable future through partnerships between scientists and citizens.

Friends of the Earth218 D Street, S.E.Washington, DC 20003(202) 783-7400http://www.foe.org/Dedicated to protecting the planet from environmental degradation, Friends of the Earth is a good source for student reports and information for awareness of urbanization issues.

Global Action Center
http://www.global-act.org/
The Global Action Center provides current information on world activities in areas including air, water, climate and habitat.


National Geographic Society17th and M StreetsWashington, DC 20036(202) 857-7000http://www.nationalgeographic.com/resources/ngo/mapsMaps, facts and profiles of the countries that serve as home to the mega-cities profiled in "The Urban Explosion" can be found here.

Population Reference Bureau, Inc.1875 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 520Washington, DC 20009(202) 483-1100http://www.prb.org/This is a source of information on specific statistics on population and population growth.

Sierra Club530 Bush StreetSan Francisco, CA 94108(415) 776-2211http://www.sierraclub.org/Students can request information about the Club's efforts to protect the environment against problems cause by urbanization.

Sustainable Communities Networkhttp://www.sustainable.org/This site links people to resources and one another to create healthy, vital, sustainable communities. It covers a host of areas, from smart growth and creating community to protecting natural resources and living sustainably. In the "Education, Training and Lifelong Learning" section, there are specific activities for grades K-12.

The United Nations Environment ProgrammeRm. DC2-0816United NationsNew York, NY 10017(212) 963-8138http://www.unep.org/This is a good source of information on the environment and how it is affected by population growth and/or urbanization of cities.Urbanization and Water Qualityhttp://wwwga.usgs.gov/edu/urbanquality.htmlThe U.S. Geological Survey's Water Science for Schools site examines the effects of urbanization on water quality.U.S. Agency for International DevelopmentState Department Bldg.2201 C Street N.W.Washington, DC 20520(202) 634-3600http://www.usaid.gov/This department is a good source of information on urban development in the United States and in countries around the world.Water Environment Federation601 Wythe StreetAlexandria, VA 22314-1994(800) 666-0206http://www.wef.org/Founded in 1928, the goal of this organization is to preserve and enhance the global water environment. The Water Environment Web provides student materials and activities (K-12) concerning the water environment.

World Affairs Council1726 M Street N.W. #800Washington, DC 20036(202) 293-1051http://www.world-affairs.org/This is another good source of information on the environment and how it is affected by the population growth and/or urbanization of cities.Land of Plenty, Land of Want To learn more about farming and technology, the Dust Bowl and El Nino, and other subjects raised in "Land of Plenty, Land of Want," visit the Internet sites listed below.
Agriculture for Kidshttp://www.ars.usda.gov/is/kidsThis site, under the name Sci4Kids, is a series of stories about what scientists do at the Agricultural Research Service.

The page entitled "Play Move the Cow Space-Age Style" (http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/kids/farm/story1/farmwinframe.htm) explores how technology is helping farmers to protect the environment. The site is geared toward students eight to thirteen.

Agriculture in the Classroomhttp://www.agclassroom.org/As the number of children living on farms and ranches decreases, it becomes more important than ever that students learn about our food and fiber systems through classroom curriculum. The "Ag in the Classroom" program offers teachers educational materials to integrate into their classroom lessons. There are also links to other ag sites on this page.

The American Experience: Surviving the Dust Bowlhttp://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/amex/dustbowlThis Web site was developed for the PBS program "Surviving the Dust Bowl," part of The American Experience series. It contains an eyewitness account of the Dust Bowl, New Deal remedies and a teachers guide.

Crop Productionhttp://www.farmland.com/Farmland Cooperative System is a highly diversified company with major business lines that include crop production. This Web site contains information about the production, processing, and marketing of agricultural products.

Dust Bowl Sitehttp://www.usd.edu/anth/epa/dust.htmlThis introduction to the Dust Bowl of the 1930s on the southern plains of the United States also includes a movie of a dust storm during that era.

El Niñohttp://pbs.org/wgbh/nova/elninoCreated by the producers of the PBS series NOVA, this Web site is entirely devoted to this weather phenomenon. Sections of the site include "Dissecting El Niño — to "Chasing El Niño.

"Making Sense of the Weather — El Niñohttp://kids.earth.nasa.gov/archive/nino/index.htmlThis explanation of El Niño and La Niña from NASA is geared to students in grades 6-12. The site also features weather-related science activities.

National 4-H Council Home Page
http://www.fourhcouncil.edu/
Teachers can find environmental stewardship publications on topics ranging from biotechnology to transportation and the environment listed under Curriculum in the "Programs" section of this site.

National 4-H Home Page
http://www.fourhcouncil.edu/
This 4-H site offers teachers access to curriculum that has been reviewed by Cooperative Extension staff nationwide. The National Juried 4-H Experiential Learning Youth Development Curriculum Collection (http://www.reeusda.gov/4h/curricul/curricul.htm) includes educational material on environmental education and earth sciences.

-->Sustainable Agriculture Networkhttp://www.sare.org/The Sustainable Agriculture Network is the communications and outreach arm of the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program. SARE works to increase knowledge about practices that are economically viable, environmentally sound, and socially responsible. The online brochure, "Exploring Sustainability in Agriculture," offers a comprehensive explanation about sustainable agriculture. It can be found at http://www.sare.org/htdocs/pubs/explore/.

The State of the Planet
To learn more about issues faces population, food and water and the effects of climate change examined in “The State of the Planet,” visit the Internet sites below:

Human Population Issues
Population Action International (PAI)http://www.populationaction.org/This organization sees the connection of human population to many other issues including reproductive health, policy, environment, gender and society, economics, etc. The web site provides useful links to all of these topics.

Population Connection (formerly Zero Population Growth or ZPG)http://www.populationconnection.org/This site includes fact sheets, factoids, educational resources, and lots of general information on population issues.
Population Reference Bureauhttp://www.prb.org/This web site is a tremendous source for data, population facts, and research, which is organized by issues as well as by region. The data base provides information on 220 countries, 28 regions, and the world as a whole.

Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS)http://www.ucsusa.org/Do a keyword search for “population” and you can explore many records including answers to frequently asked questions.

United Nations Development Program (UNDP)http://www.undp.org/Do a keyword search for “Human Development Index” to retrieve a data table with data on life expectancy, educational attainment, and adjusted national income for any country.

The World Game Institute (name may change to o.s. Earth, Inc.)http://www.worldgame.org/This web site describes workshops and materials related to a global role-playing simulation game that allows participants to see human population dynamics.

World Resources Institute (WRI)http://www.wri.org/The World Resources Institute offers much demographic and environmental information on countries around the world, with excellent charts and maps. The Earth Trends section presents individual country profiles.

Worldwatch Institutehttp://www.worldwatch.org/Click the research area for “people” and then “population and gender” to get a list of related Worldwatch papers and links to other sites.

Food Issues

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)http://www.fao.org/This organization leads international efforts to defeat hunger, and helps developing countries improve agriculture.
Food Firsthttp://www.foodfirst.org/The goal of this organization is to eliminate the injustices that cause hunger.

Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS)http://www.ucs.org/Visit the food issues part of this site to find out what food-related issues the UCS is involved with, especially related to sustainable agriculture.

United National Development Programme (UNDP)http://www.undp.org/Visit this site to find out how the United Nations brings together governments, multinational corporations, and citizens to address development concerns.
World Food Programme of the United Nationshttp://www.wfp.org/The World Food Programme combats hunger, promotes economic and social development, and provides relief assistance in emergencies.

Worldwatch Institutehttp://www.worldwatch.org/Click the “people” research area and then “food” issues to get a list of related Worldwatch papers and links to other sites.

World Resources Institute (WRI)http://www.wri.org/Visit the Earthtrends section of this web site and click “agriculture/food” to access related data, charts, and graphs for various countries.
Water Issues
International Water Resources Associationwww.iwra.siu.edu/worldwater/This site includes a guide to international water organizations.


The Nature Conservancy’s Sustainable Water’s Programhttp://www.freshwaters.org/This site provides a lot of background information on various fresh water issues around the world, and also offers lists of U.S. Federal and State, international, and non-governmental organizations committed to fresh water issues. This is an excellent site to visit to find organizations focused on specific issues or regions of interest.

Worldwatch Institutehttp://www.worldwatch.org/Click the “people” research area and then “water” issues to get a list of related Worldwatch papers and links to other sites.

World Resources Institute (WRI)http://www.wri.org/Visit the Earthtrends section of this web site and click “water rescources” to access related data, charts, and graphs for various countries.
Climate Change

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)http://www.ipcc.ch/This site offers baseline and scenario data for representing climate conditions. Click the “Global Climate Data Set.”

Worldwatch Institutehttp://www.worldwatch.org/Click the “Energy” research area and then “climate change” to get a list of related Worldwatch papers and links to other sites.

World Resources Institute (WRI)http://www.wri.org/Visit the Earthtrends section of this web site and click “climate” to access related data, charts, and graphs for various countries.

Environmental Internet Sites

EElink-Environmental Education on the Internethttp://eelink.net/ee-linkintroduction.htmlConsistent with key principles of environmental education, this site's mission is to spread information and ideas that will help educators explore the environment and investigate current issues with students. This site is a gateway to more information about fresh water, coasts and oceans, air and climate, waste, population, forestry and agriculture.

Environmental News Networkhttp://www.enn.com/The mission of this network is to create environmental awareness on critical issues through the presentation of fair and balanced daily news and information products.EPA Curriculum and Resourceshttp://www.epa.gov/teachers/curriculum_resources.htmResources for teachers on topics ranging from conservation, air and water pollution to waste and recycling are found here.

EPA Student Centerhttp://www.epa.gov/students/At the student center, youngsters in the middle and high school grades can explore a wide range of environmental issues — from air and water pollution and ecosystems to waste and recycling.

The GLOBE Programhttp://www.globe.gov/The GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment) is a hands-on environment science and education program that unites students, educators, and scientists from around the world in studying the global environment. Their teachers guide focuses on topics discussed in Journey to Planet Earth — soil, water and global positioning system technology. Their "Resource Room" in their online library offers teachers additional materials.


Medical Mysterieshttp://medmyst.rice.edu/MedMyst is a web adventure that engages players in problem-solving activities in a quest to uncover the cause of an infectious disease and to prevent it from spreading. Each online missions accompanied by a MedMyst Magazine and Hands-on Activities correlated to the National Science Education Standards.

North American Association for Environmental Educationhttp://www.naaee.org/The North American Association for Environmental Education is a network of professionals and students working in the field of environmental education through North America and in over 50 countries. It offers guidelines to teachers for selecting environmental education materials.

World Resources Institutehttp://www.wri.org/WRI is an environmental think tank that goes beyond research to find practical ways to protect the earth and improve people's lives. Their publication World Resources 2000-2001 — People and Ecosystems: The Fraying Web of Life is the definitive guide to the global environment. The millennial edition presents a comprehensive assessment of five of the world's major ecosystems.

Earth Island Institutehttp://www.earthisland.org/Earth Island Institute (EII), founded in 1982 by veteran environmentalist David Brower, fosters the efforts of creative individuals by providing organizational support in developing projects for the conservation, preservation, and restoration of the global environment.The Nature Conservancyhttp://www.nature.org

The Nature Conservancy is a leading international, nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the plants, animals and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive.

Wildlife Conservation Societyhttp://www.wcs.org/The Wildlife Conservation Society saves wildlife and wild lands through careful science, international conservation, education, and the management of the world’s largest system of urban wildlife parks, led by the flagship Bronx Zoo.