Terradex Wins 2008 USEPA Environmental Achievement Award for Google Earth Content

Award Winners:

Bob Wenzlau and Peter Biffar

Terradex

Palo Alto, CA

Terradex’s groundbreaking work in communicating environmental information to the public enables individuals and communities to make informed decisions regarding both exposure and contaminant contributions. Terradex’s innovative prototype of layering real-time air data on top of the powerful imagery of Google Earth was the inspiration behind the EPA’s recent launch of AirNOW layer on Google Earth. This tool provides communities, including sensitive populations and emergency responders, with up-to-the minute air quality information over specific geographic areas. Terradex also created a carbon footprint calculator that enables communities to measure and understand their greenhouse gas contribution. The innovative communication tool informs and inspires individuals to reduce their contribution to global warming.

Terradex has created a Google Earth layer called AirWatch that provides real-time air quality information over geographic regions in the United States. Terradex has since extended the AirWatch layer to cover China, Mexico and the United Kingdom. This work inspired the EPA's recent launch of the AirNOW program. Terradex also created Climate Watch to enable users to view their city's greenhouse gas emissions in comparison to neighboring communities using Google Earth or Google Maps. It just goes to show that the sky's the limit on using new tools to empower the public with information in a geographic context.