Popular Science magazine has a special issue dedicated to the topic of “Future of the Environment“. As you might expect, the articles describe many ways that science is being used to either understand issues facing the environment, or to find solutions to help solve those issues. It appears all of the stories are available for reading online. Not only that, but they have produced their own Google Earth environmental KML layer 
to highlight some of the interesting environmental issues around the world. It isn’t a fancy collection, but some of the placemarks include image overlays for demonstrating visible changes to the environment. And, I found the descriptions of the issues and science technologies pretty fascinating.
Similar content is available in Google Earth’s built-in layers under “Global Awareness”, such as: UNEP: Atlast of our Changing Environment, WWF Conservation Projects, and Appalachian Mountain Removal.
See other examples of environmental information available using Google Earth:
- New Snow and Ice Information
- International Polar Year
- National Geographic – Elephant Poaching in Africa
- Anti-Logging Campaign – California
- Wyoming Gas Drilling
- Amazon Indians Fighting Back with GPS
- Melting Glaciers – View in Google Earth
About Frank Taylor
Frank Taylor started the Google Earth Blog in July, 2005 shortly after Google Earth was first released. He has worked with 3D computer graphics and VR for many years and was very impressed with this exciting product. Frank completed a 5.5 year circumnavigation of the earth by sailboat in June 2015 which you can read about at Tahina Expedition, and is a licensed pilot, backpacker, diver, and photographer.
The affects of greenhouse gas ozone, which has been increasing near Earth’s surface since 1850, could seriously cut into crop yields and spur global warming this century, scientists reported on Wednesday. For more information about Effects & Causes Of Global Warming