In a globalized world, our world view can impact our ability to get along peacefully and to share the planet's resources in a way that is sustainable.
Trends in transportation, computers, resource allocation, youth culture, economics, and even issues like pollution and terrorism all point to a world in which everything is interconnected. An action in one part of the world, whether harmful or helpful, increasingly has an impact on other parts of the world.
The astronaut’s view of Earth from space -- small, beautiful, fragile, without boundaries -- is symbolic of this world of the future.
We've found that young people, especially, have an affinity for this new global world in which we live. They intuitively understand that we are all crew members of the same planet, and that as crew members, we must take the responsibility to be knowledgeable, caring, and protective of all living things and each other.
What can you do to make the Earth a better place for everyone? Tell us by emailing crew@earthseeds.net.
Seeing the World from Space
The image of the Earth is an icon for the future, and as part of our curriculum we've developed a fun, inflatable globe made up of over 2000 NASA photos from space. EarthSeeds posters and globes create breathtaking views for earthbound astronauts to enjoy. See our online EarthSeeds store for details.
The free public domain photos from NASA shown at right are smaller, lower resolution photos that you can download on your computer. Click on the image, then right click (Windows) on the larger version that appears to save, print, set as your background, etc.
Light years from Earth to the Sub-Atomic: The Power of Ten
Florida State University produced this amazing java applet tour of the cosmos, macro to micro, with each artist conception changing in size by a factor of 10. Travel from 10 million light years away to our galaxy, solar system, earth, a tree leaf, and eventually to the sub-atomic level. The Power of Ten.
The Astronauts' Point of View
"Astronauts who see Earth from space come back as changed people," says Carnegie Mellon University mapping specialist Randy Sargent in the January 2006 National Geographic. Find out about National Geographic and Google Earth.
We can't all go up into space, but many astronauts have returned from space to tell us how their view of the world has changed. Here are some of the things they had to say about their remarkable views of the spaceship we call Earth:
"Suddenly, from behind the rim of the moon, in long, slow-motion moments of immense majesty, there emerges a sparkling blue and white jewel, a light, delicate sky-blue sphere laced with slowly swirling veils of white, rising gradually like a small pearl in a thick sea of black mystery. It takes more than a moment to fully realize this is Earth . . . home."
- Edgar Mitchell, Astronaut, USA
"For the first time in my life I saw the horizon as a curved line. It was accentuated by a thin seam of dark blue light - our atmosphere. Obviously this was not the ocean of air I had been told it was so many times in my life. I was terrified by its fragile appearance."
- Ulf Merbold, Astronaut, Federal Republic of Germany
"Sometimes you can see how there is erosion, and you can see how there is deforestation. It's very widespread in some parts of the world. We would like to see, from the astronauts' point of view, people take good care of the Earth and replace the resources that have been used. The atmosphere almost looks like an eggshell on an egg, it's so very thin. We know that we don't have much air, we need to protect what we have."
- Eileen Collins, Astronaut, USA
"The first day or so we all pointed to our countries. The third day we were pointing to our continents. By the fourth day we were only aware of one Earth." Bin Salman aI-Saud, Astronaut, Saudi Arabia
"The Earth reminded us of a Christmas tree ornament hanging in the blackness of space. As we got farther and farther away it diminished in size. Finally it shrank to the size of a marble, the most beautiful marble you can imagine. That beautiful, warm, living object looked so fragile, so delicate, that if you touched it with a finger it would crumble and fall apart. Seeing this has to change a man, has to make a man appreciate the creation of God and the love of God."
- James Irwin, Astronaut, USA
"A Chinese tale tells of some men sent to harm a young girl who, upon seeing her beauty, become her protectors rather than her violators. That's how I felt seeing the Earth for the first time. I could not help but love and cherish her."
- Taylor Wang, Astronaut, China/US
Imagine Seeing the World as an Astronaut
Do you think your experience viewing earth from space would change how you see the world? What would you have to say about our planet when you returned?
At EarthSeeds we like to say that in a way we are all astronauts, because we are all crewmembers of spaceship earth. Though we all can't go into space, we can use our imaginations to see the earth as it really is.
Global Youth Voice
How can you use art, poetry, stories, theater, music, images or other creative techniques to help show your conception of the planet? Show us your view of the planet by entering the Global Youth Voice project, and we'll share your view with the world.
Help Young People and Our Planet
EarthSeeds is looking for volunteers to help us connect with partner organizations involved in planetary education as well as research funding sources, find sponsors, reach out to youth educators, and add content to our website and monthly e-newsletter.
We also encourage you to get involved by helping young people in your area learn about our planet and communicate what they have learned through our Global Youth Voice program. Or visit a classroom with our inflatable globe and accompanying teaching tips booklet. We can even help you become a singing astronaut!
A Planet in Every Classroom
You can also help us achieve our goal of getting Earth images up in classrooms around the world. We're always looking for people who can help us make a gift of curriculum, globes or posters to schools of their choice.
We would enjoy hearing your ideas and how we can work together to help kids and the planet. Contact us at info@earthseeds.net.
EarthSeeds Home
Click image to enlarge,
then right click to save.
Click image to enlarge,
then right click to save.
Click image to enlarge,
then right click to save.
Click image to enlarge,
then right click to save.
Astronaut Russell Schweickart
Apollo 9 Pilot & Founder of the Association of Space Exploration
We all travel the milky way together, trees and men...
Tug on anything at all and you'll find it connected to everything else in the universe.
John Muir
Now that you've read what astronaut have to say about Earth, listen to a humorous lecture from a talking wombat telling us how we humans should view our planet.