Leave something for the Polar Bears
I grew up in the time of the Space Race, when getting to the moon inspired millions with the exploration of the stars. The assumption was that we’d already conquered the Earth with Tenzing/Hilary reaching the top of Everest as well as Amundsen the North and South poles. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons why we took it for granted, it was just too familiar.
It also marks the time when the first satellites became our eyes in the sky collecting data about the surface of the earth and was the start of our real time communications, military observation and data exchange. These Earth observation satellites meant that for the first time we could accurately and continuously measure the extent of the Arctic Ice. Before that, we had to use old ship logs, travel diaries or drill cores of ice to examine the sediment.
The data makes pretty grim reading. We have lost 72% of the Arctic Ice since satellite records began and far more since the start of the Industrial Revolution. Arctic ice matters, it plays a critical role in regulating Earth’s climate by reflecting sunlight and keeping the polar region cool. Not to mention the life it supports. Loss of ice and melting permafrost spells trouble for polar bears, walruses, arctic foxes, snowy owls and reindeer. Us too, since increased intensity and frequency of floods, droughts, storms and fires are directly linked to sea ice loss.
So use less, buy less, repair more. Leave something for the polar bears and your grandchildren.
Jen Cable Art 