A Global Conversation

by Johanna Kato /
Johanna Kato's picture
Jun 20, 2008 / 1 comments

Gone is the day when talking about the environment was solely for hippy tree-huggers. The discussion has expanded from science labs and legislation to classrooms and the workplace. It’s on your morning news and has shaped a good part of our presidential election.

We are clearly at crucial time in the story of our earth. With much to be decided about the future for this mother of ours and with all of her children feeling like they know what’s best -- it was only a matter of time for the conversation to truly turn global for the everyman.

“Wherever communities exist… --conversation is the way in which people share the meaning of their endeavors. They float ideas, ask questions, define value and find commonality. In fact, "in common" is the root of both "community" and "communication." -Sheri Rosen, President of Rosen Communication Group, LLC.

Life has been breathed into conversations; on social networking sites like Wandering Educators, on blogs everywhere, and now in video format as well.

What Would You Do?

ABC News presents it’s viewers with a challenge: “In an unprecedented television and internet event, ABC News is asking you to help answer perhaps the most important question of our time — What will our world be like over the next one hundred years if we don’t act now to save our troubled planet?” Visitors to the Earth 2100 are invited to participate in a “game”, taking on the challenge of foreseeing, creating, and recording their take on the years 2015, 2070, and 2100, using briefings given on the site. In the fall, ABC News will use the web narratives alongside the discussion of scientists and economists as part of a special two hour presentation: Earth 2100.

It isn’t only large media asking us to challenge ourselves. Colin Carter, a 10th grader in Toronto, Canada, started a school project in 2006, which soon became a full documentary, Fight For the Planet.

In May of this year, Colin posted the conversation to YouTube, a well-known source of web-based video dialogue. Comments, rants, opinions carry on every moment of everyday on YouTube, and Colin would like to shape it by positing the foundation for the conversation most simply: What Would You Do? Viewers are invited not only to comment, but challenged to create a 5 minute video response to share with the world.

To get in on it, check it out yourself here:

So how about it? What do you envision? What are your ideas? Are you willing to put yourself out there and join in on the conversation?

Let's Hear Your Voice.
 

Comments (1)

  • Dr. Jessie Voigts

    16 years 5 months ago

    johanna - you're so right. it doesn't take much to get the ball rolling. thanks for the video links - i am off there next!

     

    what would i do? we need to talk about it, teach our kids, recycle in all sorts of ways. and that is just the beginning!

     

    Jessie Voigts

    Publisher, wanderingeducators.com

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