Earth – Overview

Physical Characteristics
Earth, our home, is the third planet from the sun. It is the only planet known to have an atmosphere containing free oxygen, oceans of liquid water on its surface, and, of course, life.
Earth is the fifth largest of the planets in the solar system — smaller than the four gas giants, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, but larger than the three other rocky planets, Mercury, Mars and Venus. It has a diameter of roughly 8,000 miles (13,000 kilometers), and is round because gravity pulls matter into a ball, although it is not perfectly round, instead being more of an "oblate spheroid" whose spin causes it to be squashed at its poles and swollen at the equator.
Roughly 71 percent of Earth's surface is covered by water, most of it in the oceans. About a fifth of its atmosphere is made up of oxygen, produced by plants.

Earth's climate has enabled life to evolve on our planet. Life, in turn, has had effects on the climate.
CREDIT: Reto Stöckli, Nazmi El Saleous, and Marit Jentoft-Nilsen, NASA GSFC

View full size image

Earth's climate has enabled life to evolve on our planet. Life, in turn, has had effects on the climate.
CREDIT: Reto Stöckli, Nazmi El Saleous, and Marit Jentoft-Nilsen, NASA GSFC

Earth's climate has enabled life to evolve on our planet. Life, in turn, has had effects on the climate.
CREDIT: Reto Stöckli, Nazmi El Saleous, and Marit Jentoft-Nilsen, NASA GSFC

Orbital Characteristics
The Earth spins on an imaginary line called an axis that runs from the north pole to the south pole, while also orbiting the sun. It takes Earth 24 hours to complete a rotation on its axis, and roughly 365 days to complete an orbit around the sun.
The Earth's axis of rotation is tilted in relation to the ecliptic plane, an imaginary surface through Earth's orbit around the sun. This means the northern and southern hemispheres will sometimes point toward or away from the sun depending on the time of year, varying the amount of light they receive and causing the seasons.
Earth's orbit is not a perfect circle, but is rather an oval-shaped ellipse, like that of the orbits of all the other planets. Earth is a bit closer to the sun in early January and farther away in July, although this variation has a much smaller effect than the heating and cooling caused by the tilt of Earth's axis. Earth happens to lie within the so-called "Goldilocks zone" around its star, where temperatures are just right to maintain liquid water on its surface.
History
Earth probably formed at roughly the same time as the sun and other planets some 4.6 billion years ago, when the solar system coalesced from a giant, rotating cloud of gas and dust known as the solar nebula. As the nebula collapsed because of its gravity, it spun faster and flattened into a disk. Most of the material was pulled toward the center to form the sun. Other particles within the disk collided and stuck together to form ever-larger bodies, including the Earth. The solar wind from the sun was so powerful that it swept away most of the lighter elements, such as hydrogen and helium, from the innermost worlds, rendering Earth and its siblings into small, rocky planets.
Scientists think Earth started off as a waterless mass of rock. Radioactive materials in the rock and increasing pressure deep within the Earth generated enough heat to melt Earth's interior, causing some chemicals to rise to the surface and form water, while others became the gases of the atmosphere. Recent evidence suggests that Earth's crust and oceans may have formed within about 200 million years after the planet had taken shape.
The history of Earth is divided into four eons — starting with the earliest, these are the Hadean, Archean, Proterozoic, and Phanerozoic. The first three eons, which together lasted nearly 4 billion years, are together known as the Precambrian. Evidence for life has bee found in the Archaean about 3.8 billion years ago, but life did not become abundant until the Phanerozoic.
The Phanerozoic is divided into three eras — starting with the earliest, these are the Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic. The Paleozoic Era saw the development of many kinds of animals and plants in the seas and on land, the Mesozoic Era was the age of dinosaurs, and the Cenozoic Era we are in currently is the age of mammals.
Most of the fossils seen in Paleozoic rocks are invertebrate animals lacking backbones, such as corals, mollusks and trilobites. Fish are first found about 450 million years ago, while amphibians appear roughly 380 million years ago. By 300 million years ago, large forests and swamps covered the land, and the earliest fossils of reptiles appear during this period as well.
The Mesozoic saw the ascendence of dinosaurs, although mammals also appear in the fossil record about 200 million years ago. During this time, flowering plants became the dominant plant group and continue to be so today.
The Cenozoic began about 65 million years ago with the end of the age of dinosaurs, which many scientists think was caused by a cosmic impact. Mammals survived to become the dominant land animals of today.
Composition & Structure

• Atmosphere

The atmosphere is roughly 78 percent nitrogen, 21 percent oxygen, with trace amounts of water, argon, carbon dioxide and other gases. Nowhere else in the solar system can one find an atmosphere loaded with free oxygen, which ultimately proved vital to one of the other unique features of Earth — us.
Air surrounds Earth and becomes thinner farther from the surface. Roughly 100 miles (160 kilometers) above Earth, the air is so thin that satellites can zip through with little resistance. Still, traces of atmosphere can be found as high as 370 miles (600 kilometers) above the surface.
The lowest layer of the atmosphere is known as the troposphere, which is constantly in motion, causing the weather. Sunlight heats the Earth's surface, causing warm air to rise. This air ultimately expands and cools as air pressure decreases, and because this cool air is denser than its surroundings, it then sinks, only to get warmed by the Earth once again.
Above the troposphere, some 30 miles (48 kilometers) above the Earth's surface, is the stratosphere. The still air of the stratosphere contains the ozone layer, which was created when ultraviolet light caused trios of oxygen atoms to bind together into ozone molecules. Ozone prevents most of the sun's harmful ultraviolet radiation from reaching Earth's surface.
Water vapor, carbon dioxide and other gases in the atmosphere trap heat from the sun, warming Earth. Without this so-called "greenhouse effect," Earth would probably be too cold for life to exist, although a runaway greenhouse effect led to the hellish conditions now seen on Venus.
Earth-orbiting satellites have shown that the upper atmosphere actually expands during the day and contracts at night due to heating and cooling.

• Magnetic field

The Earth's magnetic field is generated by currents flowing in Earth's outer core. The magnetic poles are always on the move, with the magnetic north pole recently accelerating its northward motion to 24 miles (40 km) annually, likely exiting North America and reaching Siberia in a few decades.
Earth's magnetic field is changing in other ways, too — globally, the magnetic field has weakened 10 percent since the 19th century. These changes are mild compared to what Earth's magnetic field has done in the past — sometimes the field completely flips, with the north and the south poles swapping places.
When charged particles from the sun get trapped in Earth's magnetic field, they smash into air molecules above the magnetic poles, causing them to glow, a phenomenon known as the aurorae, the northern and southern lights.

• Chemical composition

Oxygen is the most abundant element in rocks in Earth's crust, composing roughly 47 percent of the weight of all rock. The second most abundant element is silicon at 27 percent, followed by aluminum at 8 percent, iron at 5 percent, calcium at 4 percent, and sodium, potassium, and magnesium at about 2 percent each.
The Earth's core consists mostly of iron and nickel and potentially smaller amounts of lighter elements such as sulfur and oxygen. The mantle is made of iron and magnesium-rich silicate rocks. (The combination of silicon and oxygen is known as silica, and minerals that contain silica are known as silicate minerals.)

• Internal structure

The Earth's core is about 4,400 miles (7,100 kilometers) wide, slightly larger than half the Earth's diameter and roughly the size of Mars. The outermost 1,400 miles (2,250 kilometers) of the core are liquid, while the inner core — about four-fifths as big as Earth's moon at some 1,600 miles (2,600 kilometers) in diameter — is solid.
Above the core is Earth's mantle, which is about 1,800 miles (2,900 kilometers) thick. The mantle is not completely stiff, but can flow slowly. Earth's crust floats on the mantle much as a wood floats on water, and the slow motion of rock in the mantle shuffles continents around and causes earthquakes, volcanoes, and the formation of mountain ranges.
Above the mantle, Earth has two kinds of crust. The dry land of the continents consists mostly of granite and other light silicate minerals, while the ocean floors are made up mostly of a dark, dense volcanic rock called basalt. Continental crust averages some 25 miles (40 kilometers) thick, although it can be thinner or thicker in some areas. Oceanic crust is usually only about 5 miles (8 kilometers) thick. Water fills in low areas of the basalt crust to form the world's oceans. Earth has more than enough water to completely fill the ocean basins, and the rest of it spreads onto edges of the continents, areas known as the continental shelf.
Earth gets warmer toward its core. At the bottom of the continental crust, temperatures reach about 1,800 degrees F (1,000 degrees C), increasing about 3 degrees F per mile (1 degrees C per kilometer) below the crust. Geologists think the temperature of Earth's outer core is about 6,700 to 7,800 degrees F (3,700 to 4,300 degrees C), and the inner core may reach 12,600 degrees F (7,000 degrees C), hotter than the surface of the sun. Only the enormous pressures found at the super-hot inner core keep it solid.
Orbit & Rotation
Average Distance from the Sun
English: 92,955,820 miles     
Metric: 149,597,890 km
Perihelion (closest)
English: 91,400,000 miles
Metric: 147,100,000 km
Aphelion (farthest)
English: 94,500,000 miles                 
Metric: 152,100,000 km
Average Length of Solar Day
24 hours
Length of Year
365.24 Earth days
Equatorial Inclination to Orbit
23.45 degrees
(Source: NASA.)
Moon
Earth's moon is 2,159 miles (3,474 kilometers) wide, about one-fourth of Earth's diameter. Earth has one moon, while Mercury and Venus have none and all the other planets in our solar system have two or more.
The leading explanation for how the moon formed was that a giant impact knocked off the raw ingredients for the moon off the primitive molten Earth and into orbit. Scientists have suggested the impactor was roughly 10 percent the mass of Earth, about the size of Mars.
Species Overview
Earth is the only planet in the universe known to possess life. There are several million known species of life, ranging from the bottom of the deepest ocean to a few miles into the atmosphere, and scientists think far more remain to be discovered.

10 Easy Ways To Be Green

1. Reduce Just by turning off the tap while brushing your teeth or shaving, you can save more than 200 gallons of water per month. Here are some other effective ways you can help to conserve resources …

• Turn off the lights when leaving a room.
• Use both sides of the paper when printing and copying.
• Walk or bike instead of driving.
• Take short showers.
• Drink tap water instead of bottled water.
• Remove unnecessary items from your car to reduce weight.
• Regularly replace the filter on your HVAC system.
• Install faucet aerators.
• Use cold water to wash clothes.
• Stop junk mail.
• Install a programmable thermostat in your home.

(Source: U.S. EPA)
2. Unplug Unused Electronics Did you know that a cell phone charger can still consume electricity even when a phone isn't connected to it? In the average home, 25% of the electricity used to power home electronics is consumed while the products are turned off. To stop these "phantom loads" when devices are not in use, unplug them or connect them to power strips, which can then be turned off. (Source: U.S.DOE)
3. Recycle By recycling materials such as aluminum cans, newspapers, and glass jars, you can save energy and landfill space, conserve natural resources, and also prevent pollution. Recycling one ton of paper saves 17 mature trees, 7,000 gallons of water, three cubic yards of landfill space, two barrels of oil, and 4,100 kilowatt-hours of electricity – enough energy to power the average US home for five months. Visit our recycling directory to find recycling opportunities in your community. (Source: U.S. EPA)
4. Look For The ENERGY STAR Label If a product has the ENERGY STAR seal, it meets certain energy efficiency standards. Home appliances, electronics, windows, and roofing are just a few of the products that can qualify, so check a product’s box or manual, or speak to a salesperson to see if it is ENERGY STAR compliant. In 2006, ENERGY STAR products helped US consumers save an estimated $14 billion on their utility bills. In addition to energy savings, there are rebates and federal tax credits available for some ENERGY STAR products. Visit ENERGYSTAR.gov or our energy section for more information. (Source: ENERGY STAR)
5. Use Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs) Almost all of the electricity used by an incandescent bulb is converted to heat and not light; CFLs provide a much more efficient alternative. ENERGY STAR labeled CFLs use up to 75 percent less energy and last up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs, saving an average of $30 over the lifetime of each bulb. To maximize their effectiveness, check the packaging to make sure that each CFL is the proper type and wattage for your lamps. (Source: ENERGY STAR)
6. Fix Leaks A faucet that leaks one drip per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons of water each year. A leaky toilet can waste up to 200 gallons of water every day. To determine whether your toilet has a leak, place a drop of food coloring in the tank; if the color appears in the bowl without flushing, you have a leak. To find and fix air leaks, ENERGY STAR offers a free guide. (Source: U.S. EPA)
7. Buy Recycled Look for the words "postconsumer" or "recycled" when shopping. There are over 4,500 recycled-content products available including paper towels, printer paper, note pads, packing boxes, sleeping bags, laundry detergent bottles, glass containers, nails, carpeting, trash cans, and trash bags. The amount of postconsumer content can vary from a small percentage to 100 percent, so look for labels that indicate the highest percentage. (Source: U.S. EPA)
8. Computer Power Management Enable low-power sleep modes and turn off computers and monitors at night. General Electric implemented power management features on 75,000 of its computers, annually saving the company $2.5 million dollars and preventing 20,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions. For step-by-step instructions on how to optimize the settings on your computer, visit ENERGY STAR. Network administrators can also set system wide power management settings by using EZ GPO, a free software tool from ENERGY STAR. (Source: ENERGY STAR)
9. Properly Dispose of Hazardous Waste Electronics, CFLs, certain batteries, and other household hazardous wastes contain toxic materials so they should not be sent to landfills where they can pollute the surrounding land and water. A single computer monitor may contain 4 pounds of lead as well as other toxic heavy metals. Many companies and municipal governments offer free collection programs, and in some cases you can even get paid to recycle old electronics. Visit our collection events page to find disposal options. (Source: U.S. EPA)
10. Fresh, Local, Organic Food travels an average of 1,200 miles before it reaches your plate, so buy locally produced items to save energy and prevent emissions from going into the air. Visit USDA.gov to find a farmers market in your area. Also, choose fresh foods instead of frozen, since frozen foods require 10 times more energy to produce. Finally, organic foods are both good for the environment and good for your health since synthetic hormones, most conventional pesticides, as well as other potentially hazardous practices are not used. (Source: U.S. EPA)

Are you looking to do more? Calculate your carbon footprint and discover other important changes that you can make. To find more information and take additional steps, visit government websites such as epa.gov, energy.gov, fueleconomy.gov, and energystar.gov.

Here are some easy 10 Ways You Can Improve Earth’s Health

Here are some easy 10 Ways You Can Improve Earth’s Health
1. Change light bulbs
2. Drive differently, or drive a different vehicle
3. Control your temperature
4. Tame the refrigerator monster
5. Twist some knobs
6. Plant smartly
7. Invest in green energy
8. Go organic
9. Buy recycled
10. Be a minimalist
Buy quality products that will last longer. Over time, you’ll obviously buy fewer products that way.
Be creative in what you use for work, play and leisure. You don’t always have to buy new products for activities. Re-use in creative ways.

PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT

Environmental issues and pollution are in so bad shape and complex that they need every possible means of preservation immediately. The preservation and conservation cannot be won by gentle tones, nor by gentle appeals to the aesthetic instincts of those who have no sense of responsibility, or beauty and enjoyment of Nature. It is necessary to sound a loud alarm, to present the facts in very strong language, backed up by irrefutable statistics and illustrated by images which tell no lies, to establish the law and enforce it to the full extend.
Man can no more be scientifically studied apart from the quality of equipment and materials he uses on the ground which he tills, or the industry he works, the lands over which he travels, the seas which he over explored, the transportation he uses to do trades, than northern bear or desert plant can be understood apart from its natural habitat. Man’s relations to his environment are infinitely more numerous and complex than those of the most highly organized living organisms, being plants or animals.
So PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT

Some Go Green Tips

1. use fabric when shopping. if paper or plastic remember to reuse or recycle.
2. don’t cheat on serving food. don’t use paper cups etc. and instead use glasses etc.
3. walk, no co2,bikes, no co2, electric cars, no co2, taxis, co2. replace fuel car with electric car, short distance use bikes or walk, limit fossil fuel cars for only long trips.
4. don’t use fire or microwave for heating food. fire uses co2 and microwaves uses power. no other way but to make your house run on wind mils or solar Panel
5. keep earth go green...

The water cycle

How does Water Cycle works?

The water cycle is not strictly a nutrient cycle, but it is essential to life. The major water pool is the oceans – contain 97% of water. The remainder is fresh water in solid, liquid or vapor form. About 75% of fresh water is ice. Less than 1% exists as liquid, fresh water – most of this is groundwater.
Water evaporates from the oceans – leaving behind the salt. Water also evaporates from land – soil and plants (evapotranspiration). This vapor falls as rain / snow onto land. Water on land passes through soil to the water table – the upper surface of water saturated soil (a.k.a. aquifer). Excess water drains to the ocean via rivers
This water cycle is also known as hydrologic cycle or H₂0 cycle.
Keep earth green..... please...

Keep Earth Green Friend..!!!

Keep Earth Beautiful

Bear Springs Blossom Nature Conservation + Protection Bear Springs Blossom Nature Education + Lectures International charitable NON Profit organization B+S+B is a volunteer organization

The future of Earth lies in our hands A strong statement - isn't it? What is the idea behind it?

Severe changes have happened in many countries on Earth. We learned that air pollution doesn't stop at border lines, that water contamination spreads like a grass fire. We learned that everywhere on Earth it becomes more difficult to buy healthy food, to breath in unpolluted air, to get good drinking water, to avoid sickness and to grow old! Protecting Nature is our task, and many members help us with this task! 17 years ago we started with a Nature Preserve in Texas we named Bear Springs Blossom. B+S+B members restore overgrazed properties. We have learned that overgrazing is a problem in many countries on Earth. We read old books where people described the beautiful functioning Nature around them - and we learned that many area has looked very different before the first humans settled there. So we founded the charitable International Non-profit-organization Bear Springs Blossom Nature Conservation so other people can get information easier, more understandable, with more background. Our mission is to protect Humans!

When we protect and conserve Nature we secure the future of the next generation! Click the links of our over 600+ web-pages: A lot of nature information, sometimes overwhelming. See it as a small environmental encyclopedia

B+S+B members are committed citizens, help as good as they can! B+S+B is the source of science based unbiased Nature information!

Just in the last 12 months A strong earthquake killed many in Japan A strong earthquake killed many in New Zealand A huge undersea volcano appeared A strong earthquake rattled California A volcano broke out in Guatemala A volcano broke out on Iceland A strong earthquake hit Turkey A strong earthquake hit Chile A strong earthquake destroyed parts of Haiti, a country troubled by man-made deforestation and poverty. The NEW Normal? As we have informed you for many years: Melted ice is being moved towards Earth's equator, changing the pressure patterns to Earth's continental plates. Nature fights back - we need your support to conserve Earth's Nature. Talking about melting ice: Two huge icebergs from Antarctica are floating and melting. Our studies show, that melting icebergs can change the pattern of Earth's currents resulting in totally different weather patterns on Earth. Go to our web-page to get more information on Earth's currents Changing currents would endanger more than one billion humans on Earth plus uncountable animals and plants. Our freedom and security is at stake!

What is our solution? B+S+B collects information, we do research, we inform YOU we send you emails B+S+B sciences based information influences behavior! WHY is better information important? Better in-depth knowledge helps to preserve life on Earth and not destroy Earth and our future! A good environmental education helps to understand the problems Earth is facing, to deal with coming changes and challenges!

   

Earth facts: Speed orbiting the sun: 66,700 mi per hour = 107,320 km/h Equatorial circumference: 24,901.45 mi = 40,066.43 km Polar circumference: 24,855.33 mi = 39,992.22 km Surface area: 197,000,000 square mi = 510,230,000 sq km Total land area: 57,900,000 sq mi = 150,100,000 sq km Water: 97% of the Earth's water is salt water 71% of Earth is covered with oceans Billions are depending on food out of Earth's oceans. If we continue to pollute Earth's oceans this food source will become scarce! Citizens of all countries have to work together to keep Earth beautiful! We believe that better knowledge about Earth makes it easier to save Earth. Better informed people make better decisions! Nature education is the key to save Earth! The main point is to make a significant dent in climate change - to lower the CO2 carbon dioxide level, to bring Earth temperatures back to 'normal'. We defend Earth's oceans by challenging water pollution and wasteful, destructive fishing. Work with us to secure YOUR and YOUR children's future! Show that you care: Reduce your electricity use, use renewable energy! B+S+B is using Renewable Energy for two decades! We show you how to use Renewable Energy and we explain WHY!

   

We work hard to create a toxin free future with safer alternatives to hazardous chemicals and campaign for sustainable agriculture. There is a strong need to protect biodiversity! Climate change is among the most pervasive threats to the Earth today.

Informed people can address the root causes of climate change limiting impact and destruction of our planet - Where can we go? Without action, climate change will cause the extinction of countless species and destroy some of Earth's most precious ecosystems, putting billions of Humans at risk. Do you know how much water on Earth is drinkable? Do you know how much oxygen humans need? Do you know how much CO2 carbon dioxide is stored in Earth's oceans? Do you know how much oxygen is produced by rain forests? Do you know why burning fossil fuel changes Earth's climate? B+S+B provides science based information needed to understand our changing Earth climate! The more you know the more we can do! Emissions reductions and increases in the use of energy-efficient technologies are strongly needed.

   

Recently, scientists from NASA and the National Snow and Ice Data Center described another way Arctic sea ice is changing: 1) The summer melt season is getting significantly longer. According to this analysis, 2) the average length of the continuous melt season in the Arctic increased by 6.4 days per decade between 1979 and 2007. The length of the melt season varies significantly from year to year, but the long-term trend is clear. 3) The scientists say this pattern is consistent with a climate process known as the ice-albedo feedback. Dark ocean water absorbs more sunlight than bright, reflective ice. Even a small change in the start of the melt season exposes the ocean to more incoming sunlight, which warms the water, which melts more ice, and so on. 4) The more solar energy the ocean absorbs during the summer, the longer it takes in the fall for the water to cool down enough to freeze.

Bear Springs Blossom is an international non-profit organization. We all work without a salary. Every cent of your membership dues works to fight climate change + is used to keep Earth beautiful. Ask other organizations how much of your donation they spend on administrative costs? B+S+B is managed by volunteers, NO salaries, NO expensive flights, NO expensive offices! B+S+B members give us the power to tackle climate change - to fight polluting on Earth - to further Nature education - to keep Earth beautiful The more members we have,the more we can accomplish! Every new member will make a difference!

Important to us: A) Enough healthy drinkable water + good breathable air, C) healthy food + enough natural resources! Most important: To give you the tools, the knowledge to handle the coming changes and challenges with a solid, always updated, Nature education.

Let's take care of Earth, rescue Earth for the next generation Click on the 'Join us' button - become a volunteer of B+S+B! Climate change and global warming will effect us all: More extreme weather - Increased evaporation More damage to houses and forests + Destabilization of local climates Sea level rise + Temperature rise + Acidification + Shutdown of thermohaline circulation Ecological productivity shrinks + Methane release from melting permafrost release from hydrates Retreat of sea Ice + Glacier retreat + scarce drinking water Forest fires + Spread of diseases Insurance gets more expensive + Transport gets more expensive + Flood defense gets more expensive! Migration of billions of humans + food scarcity + many humans cannot afford to buy food + Water scarcity + Water will be more expensive Europe at night - light pollution - energy waste Earth at night - light pollution - energy waste When we reduce electricity usage we will reduce water usage + less air pollution! "Responsibility is born when the love, the care for others grows stronger than the love for yourself." Peter Bonenberger Warmer Earth surface = stronger storms - Warmer oceans = more water vapor = changing climate = insecure future!

CLICK HERE to find out why nature conservation is the only affordable solution to Earth's problems with climate change + global warming - Keep Earth Beautiful

A very nice man asked me:
-----------------------------------
WHY should I give you money to become a member of
Bear Springs Blossom Nature Conservation?
I pay enough taxes, I pay more for electricity, food prices go up ..

The spouse answered for me:
"It's an investment in the future!" ======================================= Click here to learn more about sustainability - your sustainable life will give your children a safer better future

Floods hurt many living beings - pesticides kill butterflies Climate change will endanger many humans + many butterflies> Be active, be responsible! Show, that YOU care for Nature! Show, that YOU care about the next generation! Show, that YOU want to keep Earth beautiful!

Our Solar system is well balanced Earth's sun keeps us in place and provides light + warmth! Learn more about Earth and planets. Send us an email

Stop background music by clicking below

See more B+S+B videos on our video web-page

Members of Bear Springs Blossom Nature Conservation will receive free advice and information. Most importantly, You can learn to understand Nature! Marianne and Peter Bonenberger are Germans who offer you updated Nature education to become a Master Conservationist. Send us an email and tell us when you want to start your Master Conservationist education. Learn on your computer - we offer distance learning Elected president + volunteer Peter Bonenberger International Vice president Bob Taylor Elected board member + volunteer Marianne Bonenberger International treasurer Erhard Gold Public Relation Manager Karen Taylor Thank you for visiting this page! B+S+B is managed by volunteers - nobody gets a salary - B+S+B is supported by: United States Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service + Google and by Nature loving members all over Earth - THANK YOU!