John’s Polar Adventures

Today we saw and heard some amazing things. We started with a really interesting lecture by Dr Neil Hamilton on other threats to the arctic including shipping, oil exploitation, and fisheries. A lot of these problems are even more pressing due to climate change. Wildlife becomes more endangered as sea ice melts due to both habitat loss and increased human presence. We also learned that an oil spill could be catastrophic in the Arctic because there are currently no technologies in place to clean up icy waters. Government and oil companies recognize this and WWF is pushing for a moratorium on drilling/shipping in the Arctic until this technology is created.

Neil knew it would be hard to keep our attention during the lecture considering we were surrounded by chunks of sea ice where wildlife could come at any moment. After the lecture we all headed to the bow of the boat to watch as the boat broke through a patch of sea ice and passed the 80 degrees North latitude line.

Soon after, one of the photographers saw a polar bear far in the distance. As we got closer we could see that he was trying to smell our lunch. He was incredibly curious but once he realized he would not be getting any food, he proceeded to roll around on the ground and take a swim.

It was both an exciting and somber moment considering that even the best projections believe that two thirds of the world’s polar bear population will be gone by 2040! It really makes us realize how important it is that the world knows how fragile this ecosystem is and how urgent it is that we create adequate provisions to conserve it.

We started the day with a lecture by Dr Martin Sommerkorn from the WWF Arctic Program on how global climate change will affect the polar region. The Arctic’s average annual temperature is rising at a rate twice as fast as the global average and has exceeded the worst-case scenario of many models. A warmer pole means higher sea levels, glacial melting, and a disruption of the thermohaline circulation of the ocean. A warmer pole would also cause a large thaw in the arctic permafrost, or frozen ground, that would lead to even more methane and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Afterwards we landed in Ny Alesund the northernmost community in the world (at roughly 79 N). This historic research town was the starting point for many polar explorers in the early twentieth century. While on land, we spotted an arctic fox and a few wild reindeer. After lunch, we traveled by zodiac to the island of Blomstand Halvoya-Ny London where we saw a baby ringed seal swim along the shore. This island is unique in that it wasn’t always thought to have been an island. It previously was connected to the nearby land by ice but because of the glacier’s recession, it is now free.

We hiked to the (almost) peak of the island and admired our surroundings in near silence, both in awe and exasperation. It is these surroundings that we seek to protect, and after our morning lecture it is ever clearer that the dangers are a problem of the present just as much as a problem of the future. We can no longer pass the burden onto other generations.

Today started with a hike/tour of Longyearbyen and the surrounding area. We looked with specific interest at the geologic characteristics of the area. The majestic peaks, glacial melt water, and rocky moraines were incredibly captivating. The focus of the tour was on how the climate of Svalbard has changed over time. One of the researchers who will be on the voyage with us looks specifically at climatic conditions in the Arctic’s geologic history. We are about to board the boat but below are a view more pictures from around Longyearbyen.

After spending Monday exploring Oslo while waiting for the other ambassadors to arrive, we finally departed for Longyearbyen this morning. All of the students have such diverse backgrounds in the environmental movement from law to theatre to journalism, and have taken such different paths to find themselves here in Svalbard.

Upon arrival, we settled in, exhausted our first set of camera batteries, and walked up to the beautiful university for our first piece of official programming. The lecture was from a Saami leader (an indigenous Nordic tribe) on the effects of climate change on traditional ways of life.

Being so dependent on knowledge passed down from generation to generation it is becoming increasingly difficult for that knowledge to remain continuous in a changing climate. He told us how increasing rain during the winter has created a layer of ice that decreases the amount of grass that can grow which directly effects the ability of their reindeer to graze and in turn their ability to provide for their families.

This lecture served a distinct purpose to take the discussion off of how it affects “us” and on to people that will not be able to effectively adapt within the same lifestyle. Quite often it is those who leave the smallest footprint that will really be affected the most.

As I prepare to leave Ann Arbor for home before the program begins, I am getting all of my packing and gear in order. This is not the only thing that the other ambassadors and I have done to get ready for the trip. As part of the program, we have been doing some research on climate change skeptics in our respective countries, reading up on the arctic and sustainability in general, and gathering photo and video of our own conservation experiences and background.

One video that I found particularly interesting was the Story of Stuff with Annie Leonard. If you have a good 20 minutes, sit down and check out this interesting and accessible video on consumption and our place in the whole life cycle of products.

At the moment, I am in sunny California for the orientation for my summer internship with Greenwala.com. I am so excited about this opportunity to be a part of one of the next big online communities. Greenwala is a green social network that focuses on linking individuals and businesses together to solve issues of energy dependency and global warming. We are currently working on writing content and creating fun, interactive components before we launch in September.

I’ll be working on writing content for the Green Building/Architecture section in addition to creating videos and blogs for the site. Let me know if you have any suggestions!

I’ll post updates on this page once I start writing content after I return from the Voyage. For now, check out the daily blog by my bosses Rajeev and Justine at Greenwala.com

First off, let me thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by this website for whatever reason you may have chosen to do so be it a desire to learn more about making sound environmental choices, about the Voyage for the Future, or to keep track of my seemingly random endeavors. I will try to actively update this page with fun videos, information, and pictures on sustainability, the environment, and how I fit into it through my own varying experiences. Check the about page or the link on the right hand side to find out more about the World Wildlife Fund Voyage for the Future program or about me. Stay tuned for further information!