A view of the southern lights between Antarctica and Australia captured by Dutch astronaut Andre Kuipers on board the International Space Station on March 3, 2012. (ESA/NASA via AFP/Getty Images)
Earth Day was yesterday. And it wasn’t just about wearing tie-dyed shirts made of hemp and talking about recycling. It was and always will ALSO be about ruminating on how much cool, beautiful, amazing shiznit there is on this planet. The kind of stuff that makes you want to stop and take a picture because it’s so freaking gorgeous. Using the image tabs abvoe, scroll through 9 stunning photos of the Earth…some illustrating good and beauty. Others illustrating the horror.
And please consider this: as a community of photographers, let’s strive to continue to photograph the Earth in her grandeur throughout the year and beyond April 22nd. Have some epic Earth photos to share? Feel free to post a link below. Many thank yous, #MuchRespect.
Boston.com’s The Big Picture recently rounded up some of the most incredible shots on Earth, of Earth, and about Earth. I just plucked some of my favorites from their gallery–but you really should look at the whole thing, and think about how awesome the planet is. No Birkenstocks required, I promise.
You know what bothers me about these photographs. They perpetuate the idea that third world countries are the cause of all our environmental problems. Many of the photographs are of Asian developing nations (or caused by Asian developing nations – ie the NZ shipwreck). Easy targets because they are graphic and repulsive photos which just reinforce our perception that China et al is a big bad polluting giant with no regard for the environment. From my experiences in China this is not true. In many ways for a country that size they have a light touch on the environment and are actually trying very hard to improve.
Not to say that China can’t improve but the real environmental tragedy is much more surreptitious and dangerous. First world countries (of which I’m a resident) consumption, energy use etc. The Mum in the SUV the disposable goods which we buy from Chinese manufacturers and then discard. Photographs that show this kind of environmental destruction are much less graphic and much less eye-catching but maybe that is the real story worth telling.
I believe that someday, someone will take a picture or make a film that will wake us up. I’m trying to raise awareness with my photos. http://www.flickr.com/photos/60773459@N05/sets/72157629520902516/
Remember people, everthing you buy, everything you consume is bringing this world one step further to an collapsed environment! Use you stuff as long as possible. Copper ,as an example,(like in the picture) isn’t for the “bad industries”, its for your new iphone, tablet and whatever eletronical device you will buy because you don’t like you old one anymore.
Great photos. I’ve been a huge fan of the Big Picture for a long time. I visited Salt Lake city this spring and was stunned by the environmental devastation done to the great salt lake. There were thousands of dead animals on the beaches, much like this photo I took of a bird: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nlongtin/7064512023/in/set-72157629407729358
If you don’t know Edward Burtynsky ‘s work, particularly his work on the oil industry, don’t miss it.
http://www.edwardburtynsky.com/Introduction/Works_Intro/Oil_Intro/Oil_Intro.html