Chief Scientist’s Message
Earth Day 2000 and GLOBE-A-Thons
Let’s Celebrate!!

Earth Day 2000 will mark the fifth anniversary of GLOBE in action. Everyday for five years there has been more data about our environment thanks to GLOBE students and their teachers! Gradually, by working together, GLOBE students have shown that they can take research quality measurements and strengthen their education in the process.

Earth Day is celebrated in many ways with frequent emphasis on raising environmental awareness and accomplishing something good for the environment. We can celebrate in both ways by organizing GLOBE-A-Thons for Earth Day and the days and weeks surrounding it.

GLOBE-A-Thons are intense, collaborative, data-collection efforts involving multiple schools. These special measurement campaigns, which may cover one or more of the GLOBE investigation areas, result in data being collected above and beyond the regular efforts of the individual participating schools.

Is your school the only one in your community involved in GLOBE? Then invite other schools to work with you for an Earth Day Thon. You can share your measurement expertise by working with non-GLOBE students to take data. Are there multiple GLOBE schools in your area? Then join together in celebration. Don’t forget to include other members of your community in your measurement celebration. I have some example ideas for GLOBE-A-Thons which I have outlined in an appendix to this message. Check them out on the Scientist’s Corner. Please share your plans with me through GLOBEMail, and ask for help when you need it.

Cooperative efforts are needed where the environment is concerned. Earth Day GLOBE-A-Thons can provide students with the context for all the data they have been faithfully collecting in and around their school. Through these efforts we can make this fifth anniversary the most intense period of GLOBE measurements ever and show what the future holds as this program continues to grow. What better way is there to celebrate Earth that to learn more about the environment while documenting its current state.