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[[Category:Transportation]]
[[Category:Transport]]

Revision as of 15:00, 13 August 2008

Google earth lets you navigate anywhere on Earth to view satellite imagery, maps, terrain, 3D buildings. You can explore rich geographical content, save your toured places and share with others. You can download Google earth for free here

Applications of Google Earth to Sustainability

Mapping Environmental Problems

David Tryse has done some excellent work here including:

  • Disappearing Forests of the World: Shows deforestation data for countries around the world including a live ticker for each country.
  • Black Tides: Worst Oil Spills in History: Maps 50 of the worst oil spills (accidental and intentional) from around the globe.
  • Edge of Existence: Mammals: 100 of the most endangered mammal species from around the world
  • Edge of Existence: Amphibians: 100 of the most endangered amphibian species from around the world
  • Survival International: Tribes: Maps 33 indigenous tribes around the globe which are in jeopardy from ranching, logging, mining, and just outright stealing their land.
  • Biodiversity Hotspots: 34 locations around the world where great numbers of indigenous species exist no where else–and are at risk of losing their homes
  • National Park Overlays: Maps protected lands around the globe.

Mapping used to Reduce Transportation Energy

In the paper 3D-Mapping Optimization of Embodied Energy of Transportation several methods were explored to use google earth to reduce energy use.[1]


Abstract:

The recent development of Google Earth, an information service that provides imagery and three dimensional data depicting the entire Earth, provides an opportunity to use a new method of navigating information to save energy in the real world. Google Earth uses Keyhole Markup Language (KML) for modeling and storing geographic features and information for display in the Google Earth Client. This paper will analyze the potential of this novel and free geographic mapping service to reduce embodied energy of transportation in two ways. First, at the consumer level, Google Earth will be studied to map the automobile route that uses the least fuel and maintains vehicles at their individual maximum fuel efficiency velocities. The same analysis for single destination trips could be used to optimize fleet vehicle routes such as garbage or recycling collection trucks. The secondary benefit of ecological education will also be explored. Fuel used could be converted into monetary units based on the current price of gas, pollution/ greenhouse gas emissions, or ecological footprints to improve driving habits. Secondly, KML overlays will be analyzed for use of determining: i) raw material and products availability as a function of location, and ii) modes of transportation as a function of emissions. These overlays would enable manufacturers access to an easily navigable method to optimize the life cycle of their products by minimizing transportation embodied energy. The most efficient transportation methods and travel routes could be calculated. This same tool would be useful for architects to obtain Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating points for the green design of buildings. Overall, the analysis completed finds that the flexibility and visual display of quantitative information made available by Google Earth could have a significant impact at conserving fuel resources by reducing the embodied energy of transportation on a global scale.

Mapping Urban Sprawl

This research [2] employed the Google Maps API and developed a web prototype that disseminates spatial information of urban sprawl in Mundy Township, Michigan. The results revealed that both vector and raster data could be effectively represented by using the Maps API. Moreover, the Geographic Markup Language (GML) approach illustrated great potential for developing Internet GIS solutions around open specifications. This research suggested several potential solutions to expand the spectrum of GIS operations of the Maps APIs by incorporating the XML-related technology and extending the JavaScript library.


See also:

Help:Maps for integrating Google Maps into your Appropedia Page.

References

  1. Joshua M. Pearce, Sara J. Johnson, and Gabriel B. Grant, “3D-Mapping Optimization of Embodied Energy of Transportation”, Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 51 pp. 435–453, 2007. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2006.10.010
  2. Edwin Chow, (2008) "The Potential of Maps APIs for Internet GIS Applications" Transactions in GIS, Volume 12 Issue 2, Pages 179 - 191.
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