Thanks to Jason Flom I’ve just learned about a Google Earth-based resource that allows you to compare the current size of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill with the size of major cities and or your hometown. The Gulf Coast Oil Spill Map was developed by Google engineer Paul Rademacher. The map uses the Google Earth Browser Plugin to enable users to compare the size of the oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico with the size of their cities or towns.
Applications for Education
The Gulf Coast Oil Spill Map is a great visual tool that puts the size of the oil slick into a perspective that students can understand. When I used it, saw that the oil slick is about the same size as the county I live in.
Here are some related items that may be of interest to you:
First-hand Accounts of the Oil Spill’s Impact
More Google Maps About Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill
Tracking the Oil Spill – Interactive Maps