The stated mission for National Geographic is “to inspire people to care about the planet” which is greatly exemplified in a new project that looks to connect people with causes from around the world.
This new project is called the Global Action Atlas, and while it is still listed as being in beta, it is very easy to see the potential to do great things. The site is essentially a database of local cause-related projects from around the planet, with information on how concerned global citizens can get involved on some level, ranging from simply donating funds to volunteering to help in person. Likewise, by being listed in the Atlas, those causes have the ability to reach out to a wider audience that might never have known it existed, garnering support from new sources.
Some of the causes that are currently featured on the Action Atlas front page include rallying support to protect wetlands from the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, working to make Washington DC schools to be more energy efficient, and saving elephants in Mali. Geographically, the opportunities to get involved stretch across North and South America, Africa, Asia, and into Oceania, with projects that are diverse and rewarding on a variety of levels.
At the heart of the Global Action Atlas is the Action Map, powered by Bing. The Action Map shows all of the projects in the database graphically laid out by location around the globe. With multiple zoom levels, you can zoom in on specific areas of the planet to more closely examine local projects in that region, and a handy search function lets you find projects based on keywords or location. Add in the ability to filter the projects by category, such as “conservation”, “exploration”, or “energy”, and you have a powerful tool for finding important causes to participate in.
Looking at the Action Map, I personally couldn’t help but be impressed with all of the great projects that are underway all over the world. There really are some amazing things being done to improve the lives of people or to protect the environment, and the Global Action Atlas allows us to get involved with those efforts no matter where we live.