Sea Change: How High Will Waters Rise?

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Our planet is precious ~

We are but custodians of an Earth that feeds us, nourishes our bodies and souls and gives us a precious life.

So when a scientific research project to study past shorelines around Australia (in relation to climate change) approached me requesting the use of my pictorial Australia map to illustrate the progression of their quest, I was more than happy to oblige.

Australia pictorial map

The team, lead by Maureen Raymo a geologist from Columbia University, USA, started off in Melbourne, Victoria and travelled over 8,000km (5,000 miles), first crossing the Nullarbor Plain to Perth…

Australia pictorial map

…then up the coast of Western Australia, through Geraldton to Exmouth.

The purpose of the expedition was to search for geological evidence dating from the Pliocene period, which occurred between 4.5 to 2.5 million years ago when the world’s temperature was 2 – 3 degrees hotter than it is now. Upon locating areas dating back to this era Maureen Raymo and her team explored for past shorelines, measuring and recording the elevation of these shorelines above today’s sea level.

Australia map

In the last 130 years the world’s temperature has warmed by one degree Celsius and at the Arctic and Antarctic the temperature has warmed nearly three times that – the potential of the icecaps melting, resulting in sea-levels rising, could be as dire as a two metre rise by the end of this century.

Sea Change: How High Will Waters Rise?

Studying how nature behaved under the warmer conditions of the Pliocene period will potentially offer insights as to what our planet faces if we allow the temperature of our Earth to continue to rise from the effects of global warming.

Project funded with a grant from:

United States Geological Survey and United States National Science Foundation 

Video produced by:

Daniel Grosman, American science journalist

Global warming is a hot topic -

What are your views?

Are you taking any actions to reduce your impact? 

Journey Jottings... highlights your holiday adventures

History in the Making

Western Australia pictorial map
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Here on the blog over the last few weeks, I’ve been highlighting adventures from my road trip through Australia’s red centre. So far I’ve shared photos from my first ever trip to Uluru and Kata Tjuta , followed by the drive out of Alice Springs along the West MacDonnell Range…

But this week, we’re taking a break from travel, as my attention has been taken by an Annual Report that came through my letter box yesterday.

An Annual Report?  I hear you utter.

Yes, and when you look below you may see why…

Western Australia pictorial map

It’s not often that I (or for that matter, you) see a Journey Jottings map gracing the cover of an annual company report (other than our own!). But, as part of our corporate social responsibility, Journey Jottings is a partner to the ‘Our Page in History’ project and is permitting the use of our pictorial map of Western Australia as part of our contribution to its on-going success :)

The W.A. State Library Foundation was created a little over two years ago (mid 2009) and supports a variety of projects (this year includes activities around the National Year of Reading 2012)

The Executive Director, Bronwyn Lewis approached me regarding the use of Journey Jottings Australia map as the basis to their on-line Our Page in History project.

“Our Page in History collects Western Australian history and also captures what life looks like today for future generations.”

Our Page in History Australia Map

Click on the image to see the book come to life :)

“Our Page in History is an interactive web based project encouraging indviduals, families, groups and businesses to record their histories by lodging their photos and stories on a digital platform. We want you to record and digitise your history through the creation of your own personal “Page” in history.”

The website was awarded a Highly Commended in the MAPDAs (Museums Australia Multimedia & Publication Design Awards, which celebrates excellence in design and communication in the museum and collections sector across Australia) in 2010.

And when launched in November 2009, the invitation to the launch party won the 2010 Museums Australia Publications and Design Award.

Museum Australia Award

At this stage the uploading of personal histories is confined to just WA based stories, however the long term plan is to roll out the project right across Australia so all states and territories can participate.

Journey Jottings pictorial map

It’s exciting to be a part of history in the making.

Also fun to be connected to a State Library initiative as we supply our Journey Jottings Map Journals and Mail-It Maps to so many of the State Library bookshops ~

The State Libraries run fabulous programmes and exhibitions.

Do you make the most of them?

 Tell me in the comments below…

Do you use your local library?

Journey Jottings... highlights your holiday adventures

Let’s Not Beat About the Bush – We’ve got a New Website!

Featured_Image
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Are you reading this in your Inbox?
Or scrolling down your RSS feed?

Well today, I suggest you read it on the Journey Jottings website ;)

WHY?

Because we’ve got a NEW website full of eye candy.

If you’d dropped by our website this time last week, this is where you’d have landed -

Old Home page Journey Jottings

Plumb bang in the middle of the Introduction page – where we left you to flounder around to see how many of you could find your way to the map product you’d come looking for – Surprise, surprise, through no fault of your own, most didn’t do too well, to the point you’d have to email us to ask just how could you buy one of our products!

Not what you’d call user friendly.

Drop by today and you’re greeted by this navigation panel asking…

New Home Page Journey Jottings

  • Do you need to know more about Journey Jottings, by way of an Introduction?
  • You simply want to cut to the chase and Buy Now!
  • Contact us? Here every conceivable contact configuration is a mere click away :)

then a roll of the scroll wheel will have you here, in the lower half of the Home page screen.

Journey Jottings

But back to the poor lost souls who we’d now received pleas of help from via email, we’d give another clue pointing to the ‘maps’ page, where they’d have to scrabble down the mire is search of the Add to Cart button.

Australia Map Journal

Now - If you’d like to see a few more details about one of our map products  we offer a gallery of additional images by clicking on thumbnails – Here’s what the Special Edition Australia Map Journal section looks like:

Australia Map Journal

But more importantly, everything is navigable via the drop down menu bar along the top that’s accessible from every page whether you’re reading a blog post and want a quick click link to another topic we talk about…

Drop down menu so every page is only a click away or want to check out another product page -

Australia Range of Maps, Magnets and Puzzle Postcards

Last week, this is what you’d have seen if dropping by to read a blog post on our site

Old blog post on Journey JottingsThis week (if you’re not already here) ;)

Journey Jottings Blog

 

And I possibly shouldn’t spoil the surprise, but if you want to leave a comment at the bottom, this is the aerogramme you’ll have the fun of posting :)

Aerogramme Comment BoxNow, can you resist?

Of course I’d love to take all the credit for this transformation, but I’ll fess up and share the glory with Simon who not only designed the quietly sophisticated layout that reflects our brand but also developed all the whizz bang widgets and pretty painterly buttons for us to enjoy pressing.

Scroll on down & post us a comment telling us

what do *you* think of the new design? :)

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