Planet Earth Shows Earth Day is Every Day

Planet Earth is a ground-breaking series that was more than five years in the making and features amazing never-before-seen footage of animal behavior, astonishing views of locations filmed for the very first time, and unparalleled high-definition production techniques.

Planet Earth takes the viewer on an 11-part journey narrated by Sigourney Weaver, the award-winning actress and well-known conservationist. Strap yourself into your seat and be prepared for the ride of your life as you visit out-of-the-reach places on Earth as featured in the following Episodes:

Planet Earth is a true testament to the powerful forces of nature, and doesn't need to be viewed on Earth Day in order to appreciate the interconnected lives of all existing creatures on this planet. Planet Earth can be viewed in HD on Discover Channel.

• Pole To Pole
"Pole to Pole," prepares the viewer for what is to follow by bringing a new appreciation of how life in every corner of the planet is intertwined. The most spectacular scenes from this episode highlight how the nature of seasons affects us all and causes the mass migration of animals.

• Mountains
"Mountains" takes the viewer on a tour of some of the most majestic mountain ranges in the world, including an incomparable view of the Himalayas while flying by the side of bar-headed geese as CGI time-lapse footage brings an unprecedented view of the mystifying physical narration of mountains. "Mountain" sports the most extreme of animals, including the rarely-filmed mountain lion, puma, and snow leopard.

• Deep Ocean
"Deep Ocean" is a sober memento of the vastness of one of the most unexplored areas of Earth. From life among the hot vents on the bottom of the ocean floor to surface daytime hunters and night feeders, this episode illustrates the energy connection between sharks, lantern fish, tuna, whales, and sea birds.

• Deserts
"Deserts" reminds us that while they united by their lack of rain, deserts are the most varied of the planet's ecosystems. Animals have learned to adapt in the differing harsh desert environments by obtaining water from unlikely sources, such as the wild Bactrian camels of Mongolia's Gobi Desert that eat snow and the guanacos of Chile that lick dew from cactus spines.

• Ice Worlds
"Ice Worlds" takes us on a trip to the polar ends of Earth. CGI time-lapse show the polar ice coming and going over the years while Emperor penguins settle in to breed in Antarctica. With bone-chilling temperatures and fresh water being locked away in the ice, life is painstakingly hard at the poles. This makes the fact that life even exists in this forsaken climate all the more impressive.

• Shallow Seas
"Shallow Seas" follows a humpback whale mother and her calf on their grand voyage to the most fertile feeding grounds that border the coasts. Brilliant footage of the shallow seas illustrates how immense schools of fish act like magnets for predators, and how the shallows that lie above the continental shelf are the most prolific in the ocean and harbors coral reefs and fishing grounds.

• Great Plains
"Great Plains" navigates through the Great Plains of North America, grasslands of Mongolia, and the flooding plains of Papua New Guinea. Featuring animals such as wildebeests and gazelles, "Great Plains" brings knowledge to the fact that a quarter of the world's surface is covered with grass.

• Jungles
"Jungles" features gorgeous aerial shots that introduce the world's most impressive forest vistas, and high-definition cameras facilitate unmatched footage of the species that live on the shadowy jungle floor. Penetrate a world of predator and prey, and observe powerful rivalry between the food and the feaster.

• Freshwater
"Freshwater" illustrates how precious this valuable resource is; only 3 percent of Earth's water is fresh. The powerful earth-sculpting force of fresh water in the form of lakes and flowing rivers has over time created inspiring gorges, valleys and waterfalls.

• Forests
"Forests" tells the tale of seasonal woodlands and plant endurance. Vast areas of the Earth are covered in forests, and yet still remain for the most part unexplored. Infrared and low-light cameras give an intimate view of some of the animals that have taken up residence in forests, including snub-nosed monkeys, Amur leopards and Siberian tigers.

• Caves
"Caves" explores one of Earth's only habitats not directly driven by sunlight. Life abounds in the dark descents of caves, and this episode bears witness to bizarre behavior by even more peculiar animals, such as the cave angel fish that attach themselves to walls and swiftlets that build nests from saliva. Watch as base jumpers parachute deep down into the dark confines of Mexico's 1100-foot-deep Cave of Swallows, and observe the largest pile of bat guano you could ever hope to see.

Earth day. The very name of the day designated to bringing awareness of the Earth makes me think of one of the most visually stunning shows of all time: Planet Earth. From the Arctic Tundra to the Sahara Desert, Cable HDTV's Discovery Channel brings pictures to life in breathtaking clarity.

Hugo Grosz loves internet culture. Although he only recently began writing about the internet, if it's been blogged about, dugg, tumbled or tweeted he has seen it. Relying solely on his laptop powered by satellite internet Hugo travels to the four corners of the World Wide Web, exploring digital tourism, geocaching, telecommuting and every other meme imaginable. His travels don't keep him from kicking back either. If it has to do with HD TV and is interesting, he's also probably watched it.

Celebrate Earth Day Every Day

April 22nd will bring with it a day to remember that the Earth needs to be cared for as well as everything else in our lives. What can we do help you may ask? Where did Earth Day come from?

Earth day actually started with a number of events, which led to the official formation of Earth Day in the spring of 1970. For more detailed information about the formation of this important day, Google Earth Day or Senator Gaylord Nelson, the founder of Earth Day.

Many communities across the nation and worldwide have various activities that you can join in. Why not try to do something with your children or even as a family? What is your school doing? To find out what your community is doing on this special day go to EarthDay.Net enter your zip code or State and click search. If you do not find an activity near you just create one.

Activities you might do with children:

1. Go to the local grocery store before the 22nd and ask for some brown grocery bags. Have your family, friends, and schoolmates decorate them for Earth Day. Return them to the store so that they can be used on the 22nd to remind people to use paper or clothe bags.

2. Attend a local Earth Day Fair. Most colleges will have a fair with lots of information and free activities for the kids to do.

3. Plant a tree or spread some grass and/or wildflower seeds in areas that need some "life".

4. Pick up trash and debris along the rivers and beaches. Please be sure to use gloves. Parents, please supervise your children.

5. For really little ones, you might just take them to the park and read them a wee story on creation or mother earth. They can play in the grass, feel the sand in their feet, watch the birds sing, and if old enough pick up after themselves after a lovely picnic. (speak to your toddler about the importance of picking up after ones self and the effect it has on the environment)

6. Walk to school or work.

7. Ride your bicycle.

8. Make a bird feeder out of a toilet tissue roll by covering it with peanut butter and then adding some birdseed. Hang it on a tree with some string.

9. Take the Ecological Foot Print quiz on this site MyFootPrint.Org.

10. Home Educators, Moms, Dads, and Teachers: Make a solar oven with your children and bake a pizza or grilled cheese sandwich for lunch!

11. Adopt a rainforest animal at Kids Domain. (Search: Earth Day, Adopt, Rain Forest)

12. Go to Kids Club at EPA and request a free Planet Protectors Club Kit! I did this with my eldest when he was about 5 years old and he really enjoyed it. [EPA.GOV]

Above all, enjoy yourself. Spend time with your children and the Earth.

(c) 2009

Sara Duggan writes for various publications including independent Zines. She blogs at http://momwithahook.blogspot.com and http://snailmailpals.net