GIS Day is November 20

Have you recently thanked your GIS professional?  This year, November 20 is a day set aside to celebrate the importance geographic information technology (GIS) to the communities in which we work, live and play. GIS Day is always held the third Wednesday of November each year during Geography Awareness Week, which is an initiative sponsored by the National Geographic Society.

Take a moment this week to thank your GIS professional for they take complex data to create databases and maps that benefit communities. GIS maps can show land usage, infrastructure location, public utilities, emergency services, road type and pavement condition, tax rate and other parcel information, lot measurements; permits issued, FEMA DFirms and much, much more. GIS is an important asset management tool that helps governments and businesses solve local problems.

The history of GIS Day dates back to 1999 and has grown into a worldwide educational event.

Leonard Barnhill is a certified GIS Professional (GISP) and has been
an advocate of GIS technology for nearly 20 years.
Thank you Leonard!

In Honor of All Veterans

Thank you to the brave men and women currently serving and to those that have served our great country. We are truly grateful for your service.

At GBA, we have the honor of having employees themselves who served or have many family members that served, dating back to the Civil War. During the week of November 11-15 we will have a display with images of each of the family members honoring their service. It is a small way to show our appreciation and never forget their sacrifices.

What's Your Impact?

Measuring your greenhouse (GHG) gas emissions is a critical first step in sustaining the environment for future generations. Unfortunately, you cannot manage what you cannot measure. While it seems like a daunting process, completing a GHG Inventory to benchmark your contribution to global climate change could make a world of difference. Although inventories vary in complexity, they center on three themes including the identification of emission sources, gathering data on those sources, and calculating GHG emissions also known as a footprint. Not sure where to start? The overview below outlines the levels you can achieve in completing a greenhouse gas inventory: 

Scope I: Under this parameter, direct greenhouse gas emissions will be identified. This is essentially the combustion of fossil fuels on your property.

Scope II:  At this level, indirect greenhouse gas emissions from consumption of purchased electricity, heating/cooling or steam will be analyzed.

Scope III:  Additional indirect emissions, such as electricity transmission and distribution losses, business travel and contracted waste disposal will provide a better look at your greenhouse gas outputs.

Feeling inspired? Take the lead to conduct a greenhouse gas inventory at your home or business. Additional details about the effects of greenhouse gases are summarized here: http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/science/indicators/ghg/. With your benchmark complete, you can now set your own reduction goal and implement strategies to reduce your contribution to emission generating activities.

As always, we welcome your opinions and comments below!