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Space on Earth: How Thinking Like an Astronaut Can Help Save the Planet
Really “high” tech to inspire us for sustainable solutions on Earth.
Who could imagine an idea born on a space station would help sustain our planet? Astronauts, living on the International Space Station, have to protect their resources because their lives depend on it. They learn to conserve water, air, food, energy, and waste.
These efforts have in turn lead to amazing and innovative ideas for air quality, food production, and water purification here on Earth.
With vivid, energetic illustrations, photographs, and Dr. Dave’s experiments on key topics, readers learn about technological innovations such as waterless toilets and the world’s tallest air purification tower.
Who could imagine an idea born on a space station would help sustain our planet? Astronauts, living on the International Space Station, have to protect their resources because their lives depend on it. They learn to conserve water, air, food, energy, and waste.
These efforts have in turn lead to amazing and innovative ideas for air quality, food production, and water purification here on Earth.
With vivid, energetic illustrations, photographs, and Dr. Dave’s experiments on key topics, readers learn about technological innovations such as waterless toilets and the world’s tallest air purification tower.
120 pages, Hardcover
Published May 9, 2023
13 people want to read
About the author
Dave Williams
10 books13 followersThere is more than one author with this name
Dr. Dave Williams was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and moved to Beaconsfield, Quebec on the West Island of Montreal at an early age.
As a child, his favorite book was Tom Sawyer; his younger years were spent fishing, camping, and enjoying the outdoors. He dreamt of becoming an astronaut when he was 7 years old after watching Alan Shepard become the first American to travel in space. His passion for exploration took him underwater when he started scuba diving at age 12. His childhood heroes included Canada’s famous diving physician Dr. Joe MacInnis, Jacques Cousteau, and the astronauts of the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs.
After graduating from Beaconsfield High School, he attended McGill University, pursuing a bachelor of science degree in neurobiology, a master of science degree in neurophysiology, followed by a doctorate of medicine and a master of surgery degree from the Faculty of Medicine, McGill University.
He completed a residency in family practice in the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, followed by a fellowship in emergency medicine from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, after finishing a residency in emergency medicine at the University of Toronto. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons and the College of Family Physicians of Canada.
He worked at Sunnybrook Health Science Centre in Toronto as well as Grand River Hospital in Kitchener-Waterloo prior to joining the Canadian Space Agency in the second astronaut selection.
In April 1998, Dave Williams participated in his first spaceflight aboard Space Shuttle Columbia. During the 16-day flight, called Neurolab, the seven-person crew served as both experiment subjects and operators for 26 individual life science experiments. These experiments, dedicated to the advancement of neuroscience research, focused on the effects of microgravity on the brain and the nervous system.
After the Neurolab mission, Dave Williams held the position of Director of the Space and Life Sciences Directorate at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. With this appointment, he became the first non-American to hold a senior management position within NASA. He concurrently held a position as the first deputy associate administrator for crew health and safety in the Office of Space Flight at NASA Headquarters.
In October 2001, he became an aquanaut through his participation in the joint NASA-NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) undersea research mission, held in Aquarius, the world's only underwater research laboratory. During this seven-day NEEMO-1 mission, Williams became the first Canadian to have lived and worked in space and in the ocean.
In 2006, Dave Williams was assigned as the crew commander of the NEEMO-9 undersea research mission dedicated to assess new ways to deliver medical care to a remote location, as would be done in a long space flight. A year later, he flew on his second spaceflight STS-118 on the Space Shuttle Endeavour. During the mission, the crew successfully added a truss segment, a new gyroscope, and an external stowage platform to the station. The mission successfully activated a new system that enables docked shuttles to draw electrical power from the station to extend visits to the outpost. Dr. Williams took part in three of the four spacewalks, the highest number of spacewalks performed by a Canadian in a single mission. He spent 17 hours and 47 minutes outside the shuttle, a Canadian record.
After retiring from the space program in 2008, Dr. Williams returned to healthcare. He is currently President and CEO of Southlake Regional Health Centre in Newmarket, Ontario. Recipient of 4 honorary degrees, the Order of Canada and the Order of Ontario, he is passionate about sharing his experiences through his speaking activities and is very excited about inspiring the next generation to pursue their drea
Dr. Dave Williams was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and moved to Beaconsfield, Quebec on the West Island of Montreal at an early age.
As a child, his favorite book was Tom Sawyer; his younger years were spent fishing, camping, and enjoying the outdoors. He dreamt of becoming an astronaut when he was 7 years old after watching Alan Shepard become the first American to travel in space. His passion for exploration took him underwater when he started scuba diving at age 12. His childhood heroes included Canada’s famous diving physician Dr. Joe MacInnis, Jacques Cousteau, and the astronauts of the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs.
After graduating from Beaconsfield High School, he attended McGill University, pursuing a bachelor of science degree in neurobiology, a master of science degree in neurophysiology, followed by a doctorate of medicine and a master of surgery degree from the Faculty of Medicine, McGill University.
He completed a residency in family practice in the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, followed by a fellowship in emergency medicine from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, after finishing a residency in emergency medicine at the University of Toronto. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons and the College of Family Physicians of Canada.
He worked at Sunnybrook Health Science Centre in Toronto as well as Grand River Hospital in Kitchener-Waterloo prior to joining the Canadian Space Agency in the second astronaut selection.
In April 1998, Dave Williams participated in his first spaceflight aboard Space Shuttle Columbia. During the 16-day flight, called Neurolab, the seven-person crew served as both experiment subjects and operators for 26 individual life science experiments. These experiments, dedicated to the advancement of neuroscience research, focused on the effects of microgravity on the brain and the nervous system.
After the Neurolab mission, Dave Williams held the position of Director of the Space and Life Sciences Directorate at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. With this appointment, he became the first non-American to hold a senior management position within NASA. He concurrently held a position as the first deputy associate administrator for crew health and safety in the Office of Space Flight at NASA Headquarters.
In October 2001, he became an aquanaut through his participation in the joint NASA-NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) undersea research mission, held in Aquarius, the world's only underwater research laboratory. During this seven-day NEEMO-1 mission, Williams became the first Canadian to have lived and worked in space and in the ocean.
In 2006, Dave Williams was assigned as the crew commander of the NEEMO-9 undersea research mission dedicated to assess new ways to deliver medical care to a remote location, as would be done in a long space flight. A year later, he flew on his second spaceflight STS-118 on the Space Shuttle Endeavour. During the mission, the crew successfully added a truss segment, a new gyroscope, and an external stowage platform to the station. The mission successfully activated a new system that enables docked shuttles to draw electrical power from the station to extend visits to the outpost. Dr. Williams took part in three of the four spacewalks, the highest number of spacewalks performed by a Canadian in a single mission. He spent 17 hours and 47 minutes outside the shuttle, a Canadian record.
After retiring from the space program in 2008, Dr. Williams returned to healthcare. He is currently President and CEO of Southlake Regional Health Centre in Newmarket, Ontario. Recipient of 4 honorary degrees, the Order of Canada and the Order of Ontario, he is passionate about sharing his experiences through his speaking activities and is very excited about inspiring the next generation to pursue their drea
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
October 19, 2022
Review of eBook
Spaceship Earth. What do we need to ensure life continues on Earth?
Water Inspiration: Make Every Drop Count. Astronauts use rinse-less shampoo, bathe with wet washcloths, use edible toothpaste.
On Earth, turn off the water while brushing your teeth, have quick showers, wash full loads of laundry, use rainwater for the garden. Experiment by building a water purifier.
Air Inspiration: Keep It Clean. Astronauts create oxygen by electrolysis; they recycle air; portable fans help improve the air flow throughout the Space Station.
On Earth, pollution makes people . . . and the planet . . . sick. Plants help purify the air; plant a tree. Use energy efficiently: use fans, open the window. Experiment to see pollution.
Food Inspiration: Grow Your Own. Astronauts have dehydrated food on the Space Station, but they are also experimenting with growing food there.
On Earth, consider food footprints; try container gardening; visit the Farmer's Market; donate to food banks. Experiment with hydroponic gardening.
Waste Inspiration: Reduce and Reuse. Astronauts on the Space Station gather up trash and send it back to earth on a resupply spacecraft. The trash bags either burn up during re-entry or return to Earth with the spacecraft. Definitely not a sustainable system, so scientists are working on some new ideas that will recycle and reuse the trash.
On Earth, compactors help make trash piles smaller; recycling programs help repurpose trash; composting reduces waste. Experiment by making a recycling plan and turn plastic soda bottles into something new. What will you make?
Energy Inspiration: Say Goodbye to Fossil Fuels. Astronauts use solar arrays to create electricity; the Space Station gets all of its energy from the sun.
On Earth, explore renewables: solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, biomass. Explore ways to store the energy captured by renewable energy sources. Turn off the lights; unplug electronics you aren’t using. Replace plastic and single-use paper items with their reusable counterparts. Wear your sneakers longer instead of getting new ones every year. Experiment to test the power of the sun.
The Future of Sustainability. Whether on the Space Station, in a space colony, or on planet Earth, sustainability will become more and more important.
=========
Teen readers in grades six and up, ages twelve and up, are the targeted audience for this book that takes a realistic look at sustainable solutions for the essentials of life, whether on the Space Station or on Earth. Essentials discussed include air, water, food, waste, and energy --- all supporting science and technology education.
Learn about life on the International Space Station, experiment, explore. Each chapter discusses a topic in detail, with a focus on its importance both to the International Space Station and to planet Earth. In each chapter, the author shares a tidbit about life aboard the Space Station, focusing on the particular topic under discussion. Each chapter also includes experiments that enhance understanding of the topic.
Also included are a glossary and a list of selected sources.
Highly recommended.
I received a free copy of this eBook from Annick Press Ltd., Annick Press and NetGalley
#SpaceonEarth #NetGalley
Spaceship Earth. What do we need to ensure life continues on Earth?
Water Inspiration: Make Every Drop Count. Astronauts use rinse-less shampoo, bathe with wet washcloths, use edible toothpaste.
On Earth, turn off the water while brushing your teeth, have quick showers, wash full loads of laundry, use rainwater for the garden. Experiment by building a water purifier.
Air Inspiration: Keep It Clean. Astronauts create oxygen by electrolysis; they recycle air; portable fans help improve the air flow throughout the Space Station.
On Earth, pollution makes people . . . and the planet . . . sick. Plants help purify the air; plant a tree. Use energy efficiently: use fans, open the window. Experiment to see pollution.
Food Inspiration: Grow Your Own. Astronauts have dehydrated food on the Space Station, but they are also experimenting with growing food there.
On Earth, consider food footprints; try container gardening; visit the Farmer's Market; donate to food banks. Experiment with hydroponic gardening.
Waste Inspiration: Reduce and Reuse. Astronauts on the Space Station gather up trash and send it back to earth on a resupply spacecraft. The trash bags either burn up during re-entry or return to Earth with the spacecraft. Definitely not a sustainable system, so scientists are working on some new ideas that will recycle and reuse the trash.
On Earth, compactors help make trash piles smaller; recycling programs help repurpose trash; composting reduces waste. Experiment by making a recycling plan and turn plastic soda bottles into something new. What will you make?
Energy Inspiration: Say Goodbye to Fossil Fuels. Astronauts use solar arrays to create electricity; the Space Station gets all of its energy from the sun.
On Earth, explore renewables: solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, biomass. Explore ways to store the energy captured by renewable energy sources. Turn off the lights; unplug electronics you aren’t using. Replace plastic and single-use paper items with their reusable counterparts. Wear your sneakers longer instead of getting new ones every year. Experiment to test the power of the sun.
The Future of Sustainability. Whether on the Space Station, in a space colony, or on planet Earth, sustainability will become more and more important.
=========
Teen readers in grades six and up, ages twelve and up, are the targeted audience for this book that takes a realistic look at sustainable solutions for the essentials of life, whether on the Space Station or on Earth. Essentials discussed include air, water, food, waste, and energy --- all supporting science and technology education.
Learn about life on the International Space Station, experiment, explore. Each chapter discusses a topic in detail, with a focus on its importance both to the International Space Station and to planet Earth. In each chapter, the author shares a tidbit about life aboard the Space Station, focusing on the particular topic under discussion. Each chapter also includes experiments that enhance understanding of the topic.
Also included are a glossary and a list of selected sources.
Highly recommended.
I received a free copy of this eBook from Annick Press Ltd., Annick Press and NetGalley
#SpaceonEarth #NetGalley
November 4, 2022
A suitably well-meaning if imperfect book. It takes the whole 'spaceship Earth' shtick to the greatest extreme, suggesting that for all our problems down here with our environment, the technology exists to counter those issues on the ISS, and therefore we ought to think like an astronaut with excessive restrictions on resources to rectify our current eco-problems. The first chapter is a case in point, looking at water use and how it needs to be reduced – if all this blue planet's H2O filled a gallon can, the amount of usable, accessible fresh water would, we're told, be barely three tablespoons. But hey, up there they use rinse-less shampoo, recycle their pee to drink again, and never wash their clothes – the highly ruinous cotton constructions are, apparently, "thrown away". So that's a sustainable tip for us – save water on laundry by growing fields of water-intensive cotton farms and ditching that washing machine!
Yes, joined-up thinking is not a hundred per cent there in the current green mindset, although this luckily presents some instances where technology better than the humongously toxic lithium battery/electric car fallacy is being thought about. The other chapters are on food sources, waste management, energy and air pollutants.
The issue for me was this book was a bit woolly, and I felt a little too woozy, with the changes in focus. We're here with the issues here, then we're up there with the astronauts, then we're looking at their tech, and then we're looking at their tech down here, but then we're back up there again using things like satellite imagery and suchlike. And yet at the same time I'm going to applaud this book for being so wide-ranging. It's not just a green diatribe – the reality of space life is here, too, and I hadn't ever read so much for this audience about hydroponic farming and fresh veg in space at all before now. It comes across as a broad science book, rather than an eco-polemic; both the writing style and the visual side of things seem to prevent this labouring its green credentials so badly.
So I learnt more about zero-carbon, greening spaces and hydroponic city farms, the growth of the Sahara, the ongoing problems with plastic pollution, but not from the point of view of an eco-warrior. This suitably addressed everything as a solvable issue, and used strong detail in the STEM subjects to introduce us to all the potential solutions. Whether it taught me to really think like an astronaut is debatable – more like a Clanger, perhaps – it only needed to tighten its focus for me to call it a great success.
Yes, joined-up thinking is not a hundred per cent there in the current green mindset, although this luckily presents some instances where technology better than the humongously toxic lithium battery/electric car fallacy is being thought about. The other chapters are on food sources, waste management, energy and air pollutants.
The issue for me was this book was a bit woolly, and I felt a little too woozy, with the changes in focus. We're here with the issues here, then we're up there with the astronauts, then we're looking at their tech, and then we're looking at their tech down here, but then we're back up there again using things like satellite imagery and suchlike. And yet at the same time I'm going to applaud this book for being so wide-ranging. It's not just a green diatribe – the reality of space life is here, too, and I hadn't ever read so much for this audience about hydroponic farming and fresh veg in space at all before now. It comes across as a broad science book, rather than an eco-polemic; both the writing style and the visual side of things seem to prevent this labouring its green credentials so badly.
So I learnt more about zero-carbon, greening spaces and hydroponic city farms, the growth of the Sahara, the ongoing problems with plastic pollution, but not from the point of view of an eco-warrior. This suitably addressed everything as a solvable issue, and used strong detail in the STEM subjects to introduce us to all the potential solutions. Whether it taught me to really think like an astronaut is debatable – more like a Clanger, perhaps – it only needed to tighten its focus for me to call it a great success.
October 4, 2022
With flooding, storms, and other weather events increasing in frequency and in strength, many of us are wondering what else we can do and how we can act more quickly in order to counter climate change. Our children and students are also worried about their impact and about what kind of world they will have to live in. Cue astronaut, Dr. Dave Williams and Linda Pruessen’s book “Space on Earth: How Thinking Like an Astronaut Can Help Save the Planet,” the highly-informative and action-based book that kids will find reassuring and motivating.
Organised in sections that address and link the challenges that astronauts face in living onboard the International Space Station: air pollution, water pollution and amounts, food production, waste management, and energy creation and management, “Space on Earth” establishes and compares the situations both on Earth and in the ISS. Referencing real-world solutions and technology employed on the ISS and sometimes on Earth, kids can easily see how we are making progress in the areas that count and also how we can easily apply conservation techniques in our own lives. The added segments of Dr. Dave’s life as an astronaut on the ISS are engaging and informative. At the end of each chapter, Dr. Dave sets up a manageable experiment that kids can do at home to better understand situations and technologies.
-Teacher Tips-
*Overall, this is a fantastic read for upper intermediate and middle school students. Highly engaging with highly visual references and supports.
*Experiments could easily be done with younger grades (3/4) and sections could be used with support for average readers in those grades.
*This book would complement a space or environment unit.
*Discuss the technologies employed (like the waterless toilet) and research other technologies that are helping us manage climate-related problems.
Organised in sections that address and link the challenges that astronauts face in living onboard the International Space Station: air pollution, water pollution and amounts, food production, waste management, and energy creation and management, “Space on Earth” establishes and compares the situations both on Earth and in the ISS. Referencing real-world solutions and technology employed on the ISS and sometimes on Earth, kids can easily see how we are making progress in the areas that count and also how we can easily apply conservation techniques in our own lives. The added segments of Dr. Dave’s life as an astronaut on the ISS are engaging and informative. At the end of each chapter, Dr. Dave sets up a manageable experiment that kids can do at home to better understand situations and technologies.
-Teacher Tips-
*Overall, this is a fantastic read for upper intermediate and middle school students. Highly engaging with highly visual references and supports.
*Experiments could easily be done with younger grades (3/4) and sections could be used with support for average readers in those grades.
*This book would complement a space or environment unit.
*Discuss the technologies employed (like the waterless toilet) and research other technologies that are helping us manage climate-related problems.
August 14, 2023
4 stars (I really liked it)
This was definitely a very interesting nonfiction book. I learned a lot about what life is like in space, as well as, ways to be more sustainable on Earth. That being said, I do think it might be a bit hard for the target audience to understand. There is a lot of high level information in the book and not everything is explained enough for a younger audience.
Also, there were many spots where there were illustrations that went along with the text but I thought having actual photographs (which they did have some of) would have been more impactful.
Not sure if I will purchase for my school library. It seems a bit too advanced for elementary school.
P.S. This is random but I found two typos and that kind of disappointed me! They need better editors because they were very obvious typos (emply instead of empty and da instead of day).
This was definitely a very interesting nonfiction book. I learned a lot about what life is like in space, as well as, ways to be more sustainable on Earth. That being said, I do think it might be a bit hard for the target audience to understand. There is a lot of high level information in the book and not everything is explained enough for a younger audience.
Also, there were many spots where there were illustrations that went along with the text but I thought having actual photographs (which they did have some of) would have been more impactful.
Not sure if I will purchase for my school library. It seems a bit too advanced for elementary school.
P.S. This is random but I found two typos and that kind of disappointed me! They need better editors because they were very obvious typos (emply instead of empty and da instead of day).
May 10, 2023
This is the IDEAL resource for any classroom, library, or child interested in science, space, and sustainability!
I really like how this book is organized: clearly introducing topics one at a time (ex. water, air, food...) and then exploring them each in detail. It is organized with clear headings, lots of images & graphics, and written in "easy to understand" science.
I especially like how it tackles such an important topic (sustainability) and in a very unique, informative way.
I really like how this book is organized: clearly introducing topics one at a time (ex. water, air, food...) and then exploring them each in detail. It is organized with clear headings, lots of images & graphics, and written in "easy to understand" science.
I especially like how it tackles such an important topic (sustainability) and in a very unique, informative way.
Want to read
April 2, 2023Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews