Financed by NASA, US Dept of Agric., an airline, & some foundations (incl
business), but appears positive to me. Of course, I haven't seen it yet. :-) The
second segment focuses on urbanization, population growth, & their impacts!
Co-ordinated educational materials are available for free as well.
Steve
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JOURNEY TO PLANET EARTH
- Tuesdays, April 6-20, 1999 -
JOURNEY TO PLANET EARTH, a bold new PBS miniseries, encourages
viewers to adopt a fresh perspective on the delicate relationship between
people and the world they inhabit. Narrated by Kelly McGillis (Witness, Top
Gun, The Accused), the three one-hour programs, airing on PBS Tuesdays,
April 6-20, 1999, 10:00 p.m. ET (check local listings), cut across the
traditional disciplines of earth sciences, providing information about
processes that govern the Earth's system as a whole and illustrating
interactions between land, ocean and atmosphere. Shot on location
throughout the world, the programs focus on river systems, sustainable
farming and rapid urbanization.
Working closely with computer visualization artists to develop stunning new
images, JOURNEY TO PLANET EARTH's Emmy Award-winning
producers bring audiences a sweeping panoramic view of Earth from
space. Political boundaries fade and natural geographic patterns emerge to
reveal landscapes in an exciting new light. Viewers see the breathtaking
vistas of the Bosphorous strait in Turkey, the Mississippi River basin,
Mexico's Popocat�petl volcano and the Valley of Mexico. Other images
include a mosaic of nighttime shots that reveal a majestic view of city
lights
outlining the continents and views never before seen of the Amazon and
Jordan rivers.
JOURNEY TO PLANET EARTH also studies the Earth from eye level,
focusing on the important issues that affect global change. Through
intimate
portraits of communities and people on different continents, viewers see
the
magnificently diverse life that shapes the land, from grasslands to
deserts,
from tropical forests to modern urban centers.
Each episode in JOURNEY TO PLANET EARTH explores the economic,
political and historical perspective of the increasing pressure from a
burgeoning human population on planet Earth.
"Rivers of Destiny" (4/6) The first program, shot in Brazil, Vietnam,
Israel, Jordan and the United States, looks at four major river
systems
around the world and the problems they face: the floods of the
Mississippi; the habitat destruction of the Amazon; the politics of
the
Jordan; and the management of the Mekong. This episode also
features local case studies, as well as interviews with renowned
scientists and world leaders.
"Urban Explosion" (4/13) The second episode of JOURNEY TO
PLANET EARTH travels to four great cities of the world: Mexico City,
Istanbul, Shanghai and New York. The show explores a major dilemma
of the 21st century: how to shelter and sustain the world's exploding
population without destroying the delicate balance of the environment.
"Land of Plenty - Land of Want" (4/20) The final program examines
the fundamental problems facing all farming communities around the
world: how to feed the world's growing population without destroying
natural resources. The film travels to the diverse farming locations
of
Zimbabwe, France, China and the United States.
Each program in the JOURNEY TO PLANET EARTH miniseries
explores new ways for individuals around the world to help their
communities cope with serious environmental threats. The programs
are accompanied by an extensive educational outreach initiative.
Underwriters: NASA, Kellogg Foundation, Arthur Vining Davis
Foundations, Continental Airlines, Rockefeller Foundation, American
Honda Foundation, Department of Agriculture and Public Television
Viewers. Producer: Screenscope, Inc. in association with South
Carolina ETV. Producers: Marilyn and Hal Weiner.
--
"To teach how to live without certainty, and yet without being
paralyzed by hesitation, is perhaps the chief thing that philosophy,
in our age, can still do for those who study it."
Bertrand Russell, "A History of Western Philosophy"
