Today is World Environment Day, so a big shout out to everyone who is taking steps for positive change. Here in Curitiba, it is also the birthday of the amazing space UNILIVRE – Universidade Livre do Meio Ambiente, Parabens amigos.
Not only is working for true sustainable change the challenge of our times, it is also a means to have a truly beautiful, exciting, passionate and creative existence… PURA VIDA.
VIVA LA PACHAMAMA…

The above image was the first image we, the public, got of our home, thanks to the struggle by the legendary all round eco hero; Stewart Brand.
Brand was responsible for pushing, through public pressure, on National Aeronautics and Space Administration – NASA to open up and release something very special for all the world to see, the most magical artistic creation of all.. Planet Earth…
In 1966, Brand campaigned to have NASA release the then-rumored satellite image of the entire Earth as seen from space. He distributed buttons for 25 cents each[5] asking, “Why haven’t we seen a photograph of the whole Earth yet?”[6] He thought the image of our planet might be a powerful symbol. In 1967 a satellite took the photo. It adorned the first (Fall 1968) edition of the Whole Earth Catalog.[7] Later in 1968, a NASA astronaut took an Earth photo[6] from Moon orbit, which became the Catalog’s next front image in spring 1969. In 1970 Earth Day began to be celebrated.[5] During a 2003 interview, Brand explained that the image “gave the sense that Earth’s an island, surrounded by a lot of inhospitable space. And it’s so graphic, this little blue, white, green and brown jewel-like icon amongst a quite featureless black vacuum.” During this campaign Brand met Richard Buckminster Fuller, who offered to help him in his projects.


Brand’s meeting with Richard Buckminster Fuller, led to the classic text: Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth

The Huffington Post: WARNING: This may blow your mind.
Some Strange Things Are Happening To Astronauts Returning To Earth
– Here’s what most astronauts will never tell you.Who would have thought traveling to outer space could be such a profound experience? OK, probably everybody, but these former astronauts really articulate it in a way that was just a little mind-blowing.
HP link: http://www.upworthy.com/some-strange-things-are-happening-to-astronauts-returning-to-earth?c=huf1
Vid: OVERVIEW
http://vimeo.com/55073825
via PLANETARY COLLECTIVE
On the 40th anniversary of the famous ‘Blue Marble’ photograph taken of Earth from space, Planetary Collective presents a short film documenting astronauts’ life-changing stories of seeing the Earth from the outside – a perspective-altering experience often described as the Overview Effect.
The Overview Effect, first described by author Frank White in 1987, is an experience that transforms astronauts’ perspective of the planet and mankind’s place upon it. Common features of the experience are a feeling of awe for the planet, a profound understanding of the interconnection of all life, and a renewed sense of responsibility for taking care of the environment.
‘Overview’ is a short film that explores this phenomenon through interviews with five astronauts who have experienced the Overview Effect. The film also features insights from commentators and thinkers on the wider implications and importance of this understanding for society, and our relationship to the environment.
Carl Sagan A Pale Blue Dot
The Pale Blue Dot is a photograph of planet Earth taken in 1990 by the Voyager 1 spaceprobe from a record distance of about 6 billion kilometers (3.7 billion miles, 40 AU) from Earth, as part of the solar system Family Portrait series of images. In the photograph, Earth is shown as a fraction of a pixel (0.12 pixel in size) against the vastness of space. The Voyager 1 spacecraft, which had completed its primary mission and was leaving the Solar System, was commanded by NASA to turn its camera around and to take a photograph of Earth across a great expanse of space, at the request of Carl Sagan.

Live_ISS_Stream
Live video from the International Space Station includes internal views when the crew is on-duty and Earth views at other times. The video is accompanied by audio of conversations between the crew and Mission Control. This video is only available when the space station is in contact with the ground. During “loss of signal” periods, viewers will see a blue screen. Since the station orbits the Earth once every 90 minutes, it experiences a sunrise or a sunset about every 45 minutes. When the station is in darkness, external camera video may appear black, but can sometimes provide spectacular views of lightning or city lights below.
View live ISS (International Space Station) stream here:


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