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I'm a Weather Channel junkie.
There's something about
watching an F-5 tornado rip through a cornfield that makes me wish I was Helen
Hunt, chasing those twisters with Bill Paxton at my side. I could watch my "Local on the 8s" every 10
minutes for an hour and be perfectly content.
And seriously, who doesn't love Jim Cantore?
So when I read that TWC had re-launched its content Web
site focused on climate change, I thought I would check it out. Forecast Earth is touted by TWC as a
combination of its program of the same name, its weekly show “The Climate Code”
and its former climate Web site, One Degree.
The new site is supposed to bring all of its climate content together
under one brand.
After a little confusion about the Web address – it’s climate.weather.com
(don’t even bother trying to figure out what’s going on at www.forecastearth.com)
– I found what is, in my opinion, a pretty decent content site. But then, as I mentioned above, I am a bit
partial.
My favorite part of the site is the video page, which
categorizes its library of videos under the themes of Causes, Effects and
Solutions. The selection of videos is
extensive, and the segments are engaging.
The only feature I feel is missing is a comments section for people to
discuss the videos, as is available in the blog section. The blogs are written by climate experts and
others who are “responding to global warming’s challenges,” and their postings
often begin conversations that are carried on in the comments section.
Climate change and global warming are certainly hot
button issues that people have strong opinions about. In fact, Forecast Earth’s mission is to “present
an open, balanced dialogue around the scientific facts concerning global
climate change” as well as “offer a forum where all people can question and
debate all points of view.”
Presenting a “balanced dialogue”
is a little idealistic, I suppose, especially when you’re talking about
something as political as global warming.
More importantly, however, is the word “dialogue” itself. Forecast Earth is a great resource for people
who are interested in learning about climate change. It’s also a great place for people to discuss,
debate and interact. Isn’t that what Web
2.0 is all about?
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