Data science for the environment | Dan Hammer | TEDxBerkeley

Summary

The speaker, a data scientist, defines data science as uncovering patterns within data to inform decisions, particularly in environmental contexts. They highlight their work on Global Forest Watch, a project that uses satellite imagery to monitor deforestation in real-time. Emphasizing the need to understand local causes of environmental change, they advocate for empowering local stakeholders. They also introduce Overview Media, which provides satellite imagery to journalists, enhancing environmental storytelling. The fusion of data science, design, and narrative is presented as a powerful tool for driving impactful environmental change.

Takeaways

• 😀 Data science is the practice of extracting meaningful patterns from large datasets, helping to inform decisions in various fields.
• 🌍 Environmental data is crucial for understanding and addressing issues like deforestation, climate change, and resource management.
• 📊 The Global Forest Watch is an open-source platform that uses satellite imagery to monitor deforestation in near-real-time, providing actionable insights.
• 🔍 Understanding the reasons behind environmental changes is essential for designing effective policies; these reasons are often tied to local history and culture.
• 📈 Mapping user activity on the Global Forest Watch site can reveal significant areas of interest and potential environmental issues, such as illegal mining.
• 🤝 Empowering local change-makers who understand the nuances of environmental issues is key to creating meaningful impact.
• 📰 Overview Media aims to deliver satellite imagery to journalists, enhancing storytelling about environmental and humanitarian events.
• 🎨 There is potential for artistic expression in converting satellite data into compelling narratives that evoke emotional responses.
• 🚀 A new class of environmentalism combines data science, design, and storytelling to drive scalable impact in addressing environmental challenges.
• 💡 The integration of data and storytelling represents a cutting-edge approach to environmental advocacy, aiming for informed action and awareness.

Q & A

What is the speaker's definition of data science?

The speaker defines data science as the practice of identifying patterns within data, emphasizing its role in parsing signal from noise.

In which fields is data science commonly applied according to the speaker?

Data science is applied in various fields, including healthcare, online advertising, policing, and environmental monitoring.

What project did the speaker help to initiate about ten years ago?

The speaker helped initiate Global Forest Watch, an open-source platform designed to monitor deforestation in near real-time using satellite imagery.

How does Global Forest Watch distill large amounts of data?

Global Forest Watch distills petabytes of information into understandable and actionable insights, such as country-specific deforestation reports.

Why is understanding the 'why' behind environmental changes important?

Understanding the 'why' is crucial for designing effective environmental policies, as it involves local history, culture, and politics.

What example does the speaker give to illustrate a local environmental issue?

The speaker mentions a map showing user engagement on Global Forest Watch, revealing interest in a protected area in Peru where illegal gold mining was occurring.

What is the concept of precision environmentalism?

Precision environmentalism is the idea that targeted information can create significant changes in environmental policy and practices, similar to precision medicine.

What is Overview Media?

Overview Media is a project aimed at providing journalists with satellite imagery for storytelling about environmental and humanitarian events, essentially creating an environmental news wire from space.

What does the speaker mean by the phrase 'this data is beautiful'?

The speaker refers to the aesthetic and emotional impact of satellite imagery, suggesting that it can evoke responses and enhance the communication of environmental issues.

What does the speaker believe is the key to making a scalable impact in environmentalism?

The speaker believes that the combination of data science, design, and storytelling has the greatest potential for scalable impact in environmentalism.