Hosted by Matt Damon, Two New Episodes of the "Journey to Planet Earth" Series to Premiere on PBS

In conjunction with Earth Day, PBS will present two new episodes in the Journey to Planet Earth series. Both programs are hosted and narrated by Academy Award-winner Matt Damon. ECSP Director Geoff Dabelko is an advisory board member of Screenscope, Inc., which produces the "Journey to Planet Earth" series.

"The State of the Planet" (Monday, April 11 at 10 P.M.) will give viewers an up-to-date look at the current state of our environment. While celebrating the elegance of diversity and the rich tapestry of the natural world, this year's special explores how population and economic pressures affect that world and its resources such as water and food. With filming on location from Israel to Iowa, Bangladesh to the Basins of the Rio Grande and the Amazon, Nairobi to Pennsylvania, "The State of the Planet" crisscrosses the globe to visit places where environmental successes have occurred as well as cities and villages where the quality of life continues to decline.

"Future Conditional" (Monday, April 18 at 10 P.M.) investigates the link between environmental change and the future health of our planet, a "future conditional" on how we cope with the spread of toxic pollution. Shot on location from the Arctic to Mexico, from Uzbekistan to Palm Springs, California, "Future Conditional" shows that the health of those living in far-reaching and vastly different geographic locations cannot be separated.

The Journey to Planet Earth companion website features resources for
educators, including an online interactive experience for families and
individuals who wish to better understand their local environment.

Major funding provided by the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, and the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations.

For more information, visit www.pbs.org/journeytoplanetearth