It had been awhile since I'd played with Google Earth, but Jim Prosser at Direct Relief International gave me a good reason this morning: DRI has used GE to map the official health clinics and hospitals in Myanmar.

When you first access their KML overlay, it looks like Myanmar is stuffed with health clinics, but zoom in a bit, particularly on the hard-hit Irrawaddy Delta region, and you'll get some small idea of the miles and miles an injured person might have to traverse to find adequate medical attention.

Direct Relief International's COO, Annie Maxwell, has written about the project on the Google Earth blog. For more on the aftermath of the cyclone, check out Beth Kanter's list of ways you can help -- even if it's just by writing a blog post.

I'm directionally challenged, which is to say that I get lost. A lot. Nearly every time I drive somewhere. Or walk. At any rate, I have found Google Earth to be the best defense against getting lost. Being able to fly virtually from point A to point B has really helped me understand how things are laid out here in my new home of Portland, OR. I get lost a little less now. Which is awesome.

As it turns out, lots of nonprofits are actually using Google Earth to give whole communities direction -- on how to make their world a better place. (Nice segue, don't you think?) Check out this article on CNET.

When you're done reading the article, register for our upcoming webinar on this very subject: Picture This: Using Data to Map Your Impact.