Changing Planet is a series of three, televised Town Hall meetings, hosted by Tom Brokaw and Anne Thompson of NBC News, on what climate change means. The first event was held at Yale on January 25th and the just-broadcast video of that program is posted above. It first aired this past weekend on the Weather Channel. A feature article appears in the June issue of Discover Magazine (available on newsstands in mid-May).
The second event was held at George Washington University on 4/12 (thanks to all of you who came to the event!). The final, televised Town Hall meeting will be held at AZ State University on 8/25. The series can be followed on Twitter using the hashtag, #ChangingPlanet.
This series is produced by Discover Magazine and NBC Learn in conjunction with the National Science Foundation, Planet Forward and Science for Citizens. Visit NBC for more videos about climate change.
There are many ways you can get involved in climate-related research, including our current featured project to help researchers track the presence of American robins (Turdus migratorius). Rsearchers will combine your observations with with other environmental data, including climate and weather changes.
American robins are arriving in the Colorado Rockies 14 days earlier than they did 30 years ago and have been spotted in parts of Alaska for the first time. Because robins consume a wide variety of foods, an increase or decrease in their population may indicate (or impact) changes in other animal and plant species. It’s time for you to get involved and help the planet!
Here’s how:
1. Spot a robin
2. Record the date and location
3. Take note of its activity (what is it doing? what is it eating? is it near other birds?)
Then, share your observations, and, in the process, help researchers at Nature’s Notebook, a project of the USA National Phenology Network. The scientists will report back to you regularly!