Staring January 2001, Earth Pulse will begin a series of programmes on pressing conservation issues through educational activities, special editorial content in National Geographic magazine, television channel and website.

Mr Ward Platt, managing director, National Geographic Channel, Asia, says that this is the first time that a single corporation has sponsored such an extensive NGS campaign. Though he is unwilling to disclose the financial commitment that Ford Motors had pledged to the campaign, he says that the campaign will be a sustained, long-term one. ``We were looking for a company that was equally committed to the environment as we were, and Ford's policies on the environment matched ours,'' he says.

Earth Pulse hopes to correct the misinformation on environment and heighten people's awareness on environment issues challenging the planet. ``The society will also be floating a separate National Geographic Society Conservation Trust that will fund conservation programmes around the world, independent of the work that the NGS already does.'' The NGS president felt that there was a lack of awareness and misunderstanding on environment issues, says Mr Platt.

For example, to make shark fin's soup, the shark's fin is cut off and the shark is thrown back into the sea. ``People don't realise this when they order for the soup. But educating the people about the ecological damage they are doing will certainly go a long way in saving the shark,'' says Mr Platt.

Though most of the contents of Earth Pulse will be America-dominated, Mr Platt hopes to add a lot of India-oriented content. ``It will be just like our channel, where 70 per cent of the programming is international and 30 per cent regional,'' he says

Earth Pulse events will focus on school children, with a special map division being set up for this programme. ``National Geographic makes very special maps, which have been collector's items. For Earth Pulse, a similar maps division will chart out the global environment hotspots. This educative material will be given to schools so that teachers can share it with students and discuss environmental issues,'' he says.

The TV channel will also air capsules on 12 environmental heroes of the world, who have been jointly chosen by Ford and National Geographic. Some of the major issues that will be taken up in 2001 will be global warming and degradation of coral reefs. The magazine will have quarterly issues dedicated to conservation themes dedicated to the Earth Pulse programme.

Though the maps' programme will not be introduced in India now, it will be introduced in Taiwan. ``We will try and bring it as soon as possible here.

We are also trying to start the popular Geography Spelling Bee contest for school children in 2001 in this region,'' Mr Platt says.