It’s a crazy world we live in.

There’s no better day than Earth Day to learn more about the planet we call home. To help, we present 10 informative graphic representations of the Earth, providing data, statistics, and information on everything from population density to ocean currents to Twitter connections. You know, the important stuff.

An Urban World from Unicef: an interactive map showing world population growth from 1950-2050 (click for interaction)

Geological Time Spiral from the USGS: showcasing the Earth’s storied past

The Hardest Places to Survive on Earth: where not to live

Perpetual Ocean from NASA Goddard Photo and Video: a video visualization of the world’s ocean currents

The Earth at 7 Billion: a snapshot of the world’s population today

A Lonely Planet: a map of the most remote spots on the planet, from the guidebook publisher itself

A Year of Photos from Triposo: different parts of the world light up according to how many photos are shot there throughout the year in this video visualization

The World, As Connected By Twitter: tracking conversations around the world using Twitter’s geolocation feature

Map Shaped By Population Density: an interactive look at the world by population density (click for interaction)

The Environmental Impact of the Internet: In case you needed a reminder to shut off the computer and head outside. Happy Earth Day!

Image: DonkeyHotey

The post 10 Earth Day Infographics appeared first on EcoSalon.

Column Facts are facts.

If there’s a theme to this week’s Sex by Numbers, it’s that none of you seem to be able to make up your minds. In general, you’re having more sex than in years past, but you’re not sure yet if you approve. Also, you should probably be using condoms more often.

Factor by which the number of therapists specializing in treating sex addicts has grown in the last decade: 15

Percentage of Americans who believe it is “morally wrong” for unmarried men and women to sleep together: 30%

Percentage of Americans who described themselves as “sexually adventurous” in an ABC News poll: 42%

Number of Britons who believe having sex while standing up cannot result in pregnancy: 1 in 10

Odds that any given heterosexual couple will use a condom during vaginal penetration: 1 in 4

Maximum benefit granted by Veteran Benefits Administration due to anatomical or permanent loss of “external sex organs”: $50,000

Percentage of Americans who believe it is “morally wrong” for married people to have affairs: 92%

Married women who said they married their best-ever sexual partners: 47%

Image: a tai

The post Sex by Numbers: Of Two Minds appeared first on EcoSalon.

Considering that less than 1 percent of all the water on the planet is usable freshwater, we’re not nearly as careful as we should be with this precious resource. Here are some amazing facts to put things in perspective.

1. Set in the desert of Dubai, the Tiger Woods Golf Course uses 4 million gallons of water every day to maintain its lush appearance.

2. Since 1950, water usage in the United States has risen 127 percent.

3. Even though each person only requires 48 liters of water on a daily basis, individuals in the United States use an average of 500 liters, those in Canada an average of 300 liters and those in England an average of 200 liters.

4. Of all the water that enters each household, about 95% of it ends up down the drain.

5. With access to just 5 liters of water each day, more than a billion people in water poor regions around the globe survive on the same amount used to flush a toilet or take a 5-minute shower.

6. If you shorten your showers by just a single minute, you can save approximately 700 gallons of water in a month.

7. Letting the tap run when you brush your teeth wastes up to 4 gallons of water every time.

8. It takes an average of 300 gallons to water your lawn. During the summer, this can account for almost half of your water usage.

9. Every time you throw your clothes in the washer, you use about 50 gallons of water.

10. Another wasteful desert endeavor, the proposed Waveyards water park in Mesa, Arizona will require up to 100 million gallons of groundwater every year in an area that receives a mere 8 inches of rainfall in that time.

So, what can we do? Learn more about water conservation, and check out 100 ways you can conserve water.

Image: Prabhu B

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