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NASA Puts the Earth Up For Adoption (cnn.com)

Posted by msmash on from the in-some-other-news dept.

An anonymous reader shares a report: Wondering how to show that special planet some affection this Earth Day? Adopt it. NASA has sectioned off 64,000 individual pieces of Earth to be "adopted" by supporters on their website. The pieces are about 55 miles wide and assigned randomly. Similar to adopting a highway or naming a star, participants do not get legal or property rights to their section. So whether you get the 55-mile section that contains the Taj Mahal or the one that is square in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, you benefit the same.

60 comments

  1. And if you believe that... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    I've got a bridge to sell you...

  2. Put it on Craigslist instead by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It's worthless

  3. I'll take it! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If it's free! Otherwise, no thanks!

  4. MIB by Tablizer · · Score: 2

    I picked Area 51, but some strange people in suits came to my door, smashed my laptop, and demanded I give them the area.

    --
    Table-ized A.I.
    1. Re:MIB by olsmeister · · Score: 1

      How do you remember this?

    2. Re:MIB by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He was wearing Raybans.

  5. Actual link to NASA Page....... by ZiakII · · Score: 5, Informative

    Actual link to NASA Page.......

    1. Re:Actual link to NASA Page....... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

      The real actual link to the NASA website... https://climate.nasa.gov/adopt...

    2. Re:Actual link to NASA Page....... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Holy crap, just had a play with it and that is some raw BS right there. My link: https://climate.nasa.gov/adopt-the-planet/#/explore/41185 Note how it doesn't say anyone "adopted" it? Yeah, because the site doesn't record much of anything. There doesn't seem to be any permanence which explains how the silliness of handing out parcels of the earth to random people doesn't breach some kind of international law.

      The climate section of NASA really presents itself as a bunch of sensationalist loons sometimes.

  6. Combat global warming by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    I'm going to put an air conditioning unit in my section, and vent the exhaust into the next section over to do my part to combat global warming. I can only hope everyone else will do the same; collectively we could make a difference.

  7. I miss the days... by HotNeedleOfInquiry · · Score: 1, Offtopic

    When NASA was so busy trying to fly to the moon that it had no time for such nonsense.

    --
    "Eve of Destruction", it's not just for old hippies anymore...
    1. Re:I miss the days... by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

      When NASA was so busy trying to fly to the moon that it had no time for such nonsense.

      If you believe the mainstream media.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    2. Re:I miss the days... by TWX · · Score: 2

      Yeah, when the federal government was spending more than 4% of its budget on the Apollo program.

      Come to think of it, I wouldn't mind some military money being shifted to NASA. There's no sense in firing a several million dollar missile to take out a $200 quadcopter. Make the military figure out how to economically deal with those real yet inexpenive threats.

      --
      Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
    3. Re:I miss the days... by thegarbz · · Score: 2

      NASA has always had time for such nonsense. The only difference is now they have an internet site which allows the public to get in on the nonsense.

    4. Re:I miss the days... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      NASA has no budget anymore, because Trump and his cronies don't believe in science and all this useless 'space' stuff. Until their satellite TV stops working, then it'll become a major piece of legislation.

    5. Re:I miss the days... by stealth_finger · · Score: 1

      When NASA was so busy trying to fly to the moon that it had no time for such nonsense.

      If you believe the mainstream media.

      Are you implying that they didn't fly to the moon, or that they did have time for such nonsense?

      --
      Wanna buy a shirt?
      https://www.redbubble.com/people/stealthfinger/shop?asc=u
    6. Re:I miss the days... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      NASA has more money than during the Obama years if you don't count the climate science stuff which I think should have been under NOAA anyways.

  8. What's the carbon cost of this "initiative"? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    What's the carbon cost of this "initiative"?

    How much carbon dioxide was generated to feed the people working on this?

    How much carbon dioxide was generated by the vehicles they used to move to and from their places of work?

    How much carbon dioxide was generated to power the computers and other workplace amenities where these workers work?

    How much carbon dioxide was generated to build the servers running this software?

    How much carbon dioxide was generated to generate the electricity used to run the servers running this software?

    How much carbon dioxide was generated to generate the electricity used to power the PCs and phones used by the end users to access this software?

    What's the carbon cost of this "initiative"?

    1. Re:What's the carbon cost of this "initiative"? by TWX · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I donno about the cost, but I expect that a lot better return on that cost will be borne by this initiative than your post will generate, both in relative and absolute terms.

      --
      Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
    2. Re:What's the carbon cost of this "initiative"? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      It's sad to see what has become of Slashdot these days. The GP's comment makes a good point about the hidden costs of pointless activism such as this, especially when it's environmentalist activism that ends up harming the environment. Yet for some inexplicable reason that insightful comment is modded to -1. Your comment, on the other hand, is nothing but useless snark. Yet it was modded up to 3. I suppose none of this matters, though. The GP is right: environmentalists are often their own worst enemy. They'll generate significant greenhouse gas emissions by flying thousands of delegates to places like Kyoto, Paris and Copenhagen to come up with ineffective and disregarded agreements like the Kyoto Protocol, Copenhagen Accord and Paris Agreement. They drove in gas-powered vehicles from all over the US to the Standing Rock protests, and then left all sorts of garbage and debris (read: pollution) lying around when they left. Even if everybody else on Earth managed to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions down to nothing, the environmentalists would still ensure that significant amounts of greenhouse gas emissions were generated, all in the name of reducing greenhouse gas emissions!

    3. Re:What's the carbon cost of this "initiative"? by Hylandr · · Score: 2

      I would mod this up if I had the points.

      Though you left out :

      Charging their Phones, and cars. The lights and utilities and things left running while they weren't using them like refridgerators and the people and power that run the airlines, the harmful effect and cost of producing the above said items.

      It's actually much worse than that even.

      --
      ~ People that think they are better than anyone else for any reason are the cause of all the strife in the world.
    4. Re:What's the carbon cost of this "initiative"? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What's the carbon cost of this "initiative"?

      Don't forget the Conventions held in far flung places to discuss the initiative [1st class, cause, hey, it's public money!]

      By the way, Emirates 17:30 hour flight from Auckland is a amazing!

      Captcha: exports.

    5. Re:What's the carbon cost of this "initiative"? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Speak for yourself, white man, when I'm not home my entire house uses maybe 75 watts, and that's assuming the compressor in the refrigerator is actually running. Yank the plug out of the wall for the DVR and that drops to less than half.

    6. Re:What's the carbon cost of this "initiative"? by Hylandr · · Score: 1

      Touchy little guy aren't you?

      Would those above comments have hit a little too close to home?

      I don't see where race has anything to do with this since I see all nationalities doing it. But since you seem so smug and racist lets go into more detail:

      How much environmental damage is caused by mass open-pit mining of the rare earth minerals it takes to build a smartphone, a battery of any capacity, Lithium or Lead Acid? The Burial and associated leeching of those materials back into the environment they were disposed of?

      All these environmentalists are really terrorists. Demanding every power generation technology be banned out-right or focused on environments *they* don't care about in other countries. Shutting down business around them in favor of concentrating the pollution in *someone else's country* so they can jog with their music playing on their iPod through a pristine silent environment they don't need to journey for days to get to.

      Talk about privilege. Fucking check it assholes.

      In the meantime, BioDiesel and Alcohol fuel can be created from rotting vegetable matter that's renewable. But you don't want to smell the exhaust or hear the engines purr for the 'cabon footprint' that hasn't been reduced, just offset to some third world country they don't care about.

      The 'Green' movement may as well be 'blood red'.

      --
      ~ People that think they are better than anyone else for any reason are the cause of all the strife in the world.
    7. Re:What's the carbon cost of this "initiative"? by epyT-R · · Score: 1

      I see someone's hopped on the social justice 'intersectionality' bandwagon. If you hate white men that much, maybe you should just shut off your electricity altogether.

    8. Re:What's the carbon cost of this "initiative"? by epyT-R · · Score: 1

      Unlikely. NASA should focus less on political activism and more on engineering a long term plan for a permanent, productive presence elsewhere in the solar system. If we're going to keep the organization around then that is the role they should play. Semantic arguments over the word 'planet' are as completely unproductive as this stunt.

    9. Re:What's the carbon cost of this "initiative"? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I don't see how this project involved flying thousands of delegates to Kyoto, or driving them to Standing Rock, or anywhere else except to and from the office every day, where they would have been going anyway.

      The only valid question is, "could they have been doing something more productive with their time in the office?" And that's for NASA's management to decide, that's their job. If they decided that the publicity was worth the investment and the opportunity cost, that's their call to make; and unless you are privy to the project's goals, you're in no kind of position to even begin to second-guess them.

    10. Re:What's the carbon cost of this "initiative"? by boris111 · · Score: 1

      Cost vs. benefit... You and GP deem it as pointless, but educating people about climate change and getting governments to align is worth the net cost. The only way you can get world governments on track with the program is to fly delegates out to these places. Simply existing contributes to GW and environmental impact, but that's a cost I think we should all be willing to accept. Pointing out hypocrisy where none exists makes you and the OP look foolish. That's why you you got downvoted.

    11. Re:What's the carbon cost of this "initiative"? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      In the meantime, BioDiesel and Alcohol fuel can be created from rotting vegetable matter that's renewable. But you don't want to smell the exhaust or hear the engines purr for the 'cabon footprint' that hasn't been reduced, just offset to some third world country they don't care about.

      I'm working on conditioning myself to be more green in the future. I drive a big 18 year old gas guzzling v10 truck with a bad exhaust, so it is just as loud and almost as noxious as a diesel at 30% worse mpg. When it eventually starts usning more oil than gas, I'll be fine with a (bio)diesel.

  9. Do all US companies overbook? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Once the adoptions fill up, they will be reassigned to allow everyone the opportunity to celebrate their own little corner of the Earth.

    Just hope that your randomly assigned slot isn't double-booked with a NASA employee or else you could end up being beaten up and forcibly removed from the Earth.

    1. Re:Do all US companies overbook? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Pretty sure Elon Musk already voluntarily gave up his seat on Earth in return for a few million frequent flyer miles.

      Now United on the other hand...

    2. Re: Do all US companies overbook? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Don't get me started on United. The other day the overbooked my flight, got Nazi stormtroopers to pull me off the plane kicking and screaming, and then broke my guitar. The only thing the fuckers forgot to do was steal my girlfriend.

    3. Re: Do all US companies overbook? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      To be fair, that's only because you don't have a girlfriend.

  10. I predict disappointment by Aqualung812 · · Score: 1

    Oh, cool! I can't wait to see if I got something neat!
    Oh, yeah. Ocean.

    --
    Grammer Nazis - I mod you "troll" unless you actually add something on-topic. Yes, I know I have mispellings in my sig.
    1. Re:I predict disappointment by BarbaraHudson · · Score: 2

      Wondering how to show some affection towards NASA? Adopt it. I have sectioned off 64,000 individual pieces of NASA to be "adopted" by supporters on slashdot. The pieces are assigned randomly. Similar to adopting a highway or naming a star, participants do not get legal or property rights to their section. So whether you get launch pad 39b or some marshy shoreline, you benefit the same.

      What a crock of sh*t.

      --
      "Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
    2. Re:I predict disappointment by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      How can one adopt a highway?

      (stupid European question, the rest of the world probably knows)

  11. Wanted: A piece of America... by MindPrison · · Score: 1

    ...Got a piece of Russia, thanks Nasa! _ . _

    --
    What this world is coming to - is for you and me to decide.
    1. Re:Wanted: A piece of America... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I know I wanted something cool like Alaska, or beach front property in Fiji. Instead I got Rungistan. I escaped from that hellhole 35 years ago and this is what I get assigned.

      Thanks NASA!

  12. Expect disappointment! by Gravis+Zero · · Score: 1

    Considering the fact that two thirds of the earth is covered in water, you have an excellent chance of adopting a bunch of ocean!

    --
    Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
  13. Well, actually... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    According to NASA:
    "Our goal is to have the entire planet adopted by Earth Day, April 22. Once all 64,000 pieces are adopted, we'll start again from the top, so everyone who wants to participate will be able to."

    1. Re:Well, actually... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Everyone is a winner and receives a participation trophy!

    2. Re:Well, actually... by stealth_finger · · Score: 1

      According to NASA: "Our goal is to have the entire planet adopted by Earth Day, April 22. Once all 64,000 pieces are adopted, we'll start again from the top, so everyone who wants to participate will be able to."

      So, basically, we're going to sell something off that we don't own and you don't get and once we've sold them all we're going to sell them again? Fucking brilliant!

      --
      Wanna buy a shirt?
      https://www.redbubble.com/people/stealthfinger/shop?asc=u
  14. The adoption is a fucking lie by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I adopted an ID from my computer. Then I went onto my phone and adopted a different ID...but it was a smaller ID than my computer! Hmmm...

    My computer still says I adopted the first ID, but it won't mention the one I adopted from my phone. Likewise on the phone, doesn't mention the computer adoption.

    They assign you any old ID and a fucking cookie. NASA you FUCKING LIARS!!!!!

  15. do not get legal or property rights by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Then what is the point?

    1. Re: do not get legal or property rights by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Spending tax dollars before government fiscal year end, of course. Use it or lose it.

    2. Re: do not get legal or property rights by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That isn't until Oct 1. No real hurry.

  16. Stupid by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Who would have thought that the stupidest thing I've read all day would be from NASA. Assigning someone a patch of earth that will get reassigned based on demand that a person can't do anything with and is probably geographically distant and thus can provide no benefit to. Don't you guys have some rocket ships to build or something right now?

  17. Bored @ NASA? by AndyKron · · Score: 1

    So NASA is looking for things to do around the place? How about grab a broom?

  18. Similar to adopting a section of highway? by laie_techie · · Score: 2

    When you adopt a section of highway you are expected to pick up litter. Are we expected to clean up the section of Gaia we adopt?

    What right does NASA have to adopt out sections of Gaia?

  19. Useless by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Only weepy progtards will go for this. Let them sign up then hit them with property taxes on their "parcels".

  20. SpaceX Shares by Roger+W+Moore · · Score: 1

    Forget NASA we need a public share offering from SpaceX then we can really own a piece of a space program that looks like it is actually going somewhere.

    1. Re:SpaceX Shares by BarbaraHudson · · Score: 1

      The Chinese would immediately swoop in and buy a 51% share. Within a year a chinese company would be offering re-usable boosters for less.

      --
      "Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
  21. I'll take France! by jfdavis668 · · Score: 1

    Because I'm sure no one else will want it.

  22. Not what I was expecting by GameboyRMH · · Score: 2

    When I read the title I thought NASA was advertising Earth for adoption by aliens, after it had been neglected by its native inhabitants. That actually makes more sense :-P

    --
    "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
    1. Re:Not what I was expecting by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      When I read the title I thought NASA was advertising Earth for adoption by aliens, after it had been neglected by its native inhabitants. That actually makes more sense :-P

      I expected same as yours. NASA disappointed. We could have adopted by Aliens. NASA missed it.

  23. Moon parcels by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I seem to remember some narcissistic company selling lots of land on the moon back in the mid 90's too. Who really owns any of it?

  24. Adoptive Earth Parent Overlords by retroworks · · Score: 1

    I, for one, welcome our new adoptive parent overlords

    --
    Gently reply
  25. And....Yeah. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    That's why trump is cutting their funding. Because they piss it away doing stupid shit like this.

    Get your ass to mars.

  26. the tables have turned! by micahraleigh · · Score: 1

    Can we put NASA up for adoption?