Before I explain why this ice melting means bad news for the world I’d like to argue why I believe that global warming is to blame for this. I plan to achieve this by discrediting some other possibilities that have been looked at as a reason for Arctic sea ice melting. According to Science Daily, “Researchers found jagged, glassy rock fragments spread out over a 10 square kilometer (4 square mile) area around a series of small volcanic craters about 4,000 meters (2.5 miles) below the sea surface.” This chain of volcanoes, in the Gakkel Ridge, has been active and erupting since 1999. This is conveniently, the same year that the ice has started its record setting melting pace. When the volcanoes erupt they secrete lava slowly rather than explode with ashes and gases like the ones on land do. The lava and the heat only make it about 500 – 1000 meters from the ocean floor constantly mixing with cold waters (Winsor). Therefore, the heat never reaches the ice and incidentally isn’t factored in when we talk about the rapid melting of the ice.
The second theory is that southern, warmer winds have blown the ice masses into warmer waters and the ice has rapidly melted this way. Scientists who study this pattern of iceberg movement have tried to shift some of the blame on nature . However, recent discoveries have proven that this may be true for the smaller chunks of icebergs that break off from the larger mass and indeed drift off into warmer waters where they melt, never to refreeze again (Skeptical Science). The fact of the matter is that this theory doesn’t explain why the ice is melting so rapidly. This process would take much longer and also doesn’t explain why the main, larger ice masses are shrinking. If this theory were true then scientists would not have the proper statistics to be making the estimations that the ice would be completely gone by the end of the century, possibly as early as 2050.
With two theories proven wrong global warming is the other option I believe to be the main reason why the ice cap is melting. When you look at the process it all seems to make sense. The world, particularly the U.S., has increased the burning of fossil fuels either through driving or heating of homes and buildings. China has recently been tagged with the biggest greenhouse gas contributor in the world according to Brad Knickerbocker, of the Christian Science Monitor. They have four times the population of the U.S. and their economic growth that consists of new coal burning plants make goods shipped to Japan, Europe, and the U.S. So the vicious cycle circles throughout the world no matter who is actually burning the coal. These fossil fuels and coal give off greenhouse gases that get into the atmosphere and raise temperatures. The rise in our climate is melting the ice caps. The ice caps are responsible for cooling the rest of the earth because they reflect the sun’s rays and give off cool air (Mongabay). However, since the ice is melting there is less ice and more water. The water absorbs the sun’s rays and heats up which in return gives off more heat melting more ice. So you see this vicious circle results from our excessive use of fossil fuels.
The next question that arises from this situation is, “Why should we care?” There are several extremely important reasons why everyone in the world should care that the sea ice is melting so fast. The first and the biggest problem that we would see from the rapid melting is the rise of sea levels affecting major coastal cities such as Shanghai and Lagos. Even closer to home cities in North Carolina, Louisiana, Texas, and Florida will see as much as a three feet rise in sea level causing extreme beach erosion (NRDC). As far as the climate and nature goes, you guessed it; both would be inherently affected by this ice melting. As we have seen in past studies the world’s climate is steadily rising as the Arctic ice is shrinking, the two go hand in hand. In states like Kansas where they rely on their winter wheat and need the colder weather to do grow such crops, with all the ice gone winter would warm by as much as four degrees and throw off the balance to maintain the crops. However, not only would the winters be brutal. In the summer, warmer days would rob Kansas’s soil of 10 percent of its moisture, drying out valuable cropland (NRDC). As far as the rest other developed nations, global warming plays an even bigger impact for them. There are 3.5 million people at high risk of flooding by the year 2080 with property damage reaching 10 billion pounds per year according to Sir David King. However, neither one of these nations could match the damages that would be brought upon the native people of the Arctic.
This scenario wouldn’t hurt the United States one-tenth as bad as it would the native people of the Arctic lands. As Americans, and I am 100 percent guilty of this, we shouldn’t always think about ourselves. The people that live on the land that surrounds this Arctic sea that was once almost completely frozen would be completely wiped out if this ice turns into water. In fact, we are already seeing dramatic changes in the lifestyles of these people. The largest ice mass in this ocean is the Ward Hunt Ice Shelf and for 3,000 years the mass has been intact with no cracking (NRDC). The year 2000 is the first sign of cracking we have seen and with this much of the fresh water and unique ecosystem drained into the ocean. This caused animals such as: polar bears, walrus, whales, and seals to change their feeding and migration habits (NRDC). This in return made it extremely difficult for native people, who rely on these animals, to hunt. The even sadder part of the story is that villages along the coastline fear the danger of being swamped. So, unlike the much of the rest of the world these people view global warming as a threat to their identity and very survival!
The final point I would like to bring up in this paper while I have your undivided attention is, “What can we do about it?” A great example comes from McDonough and Braungart. McDonough and Braungart changed that Herman Miller's factory to make it more environmentally sound. As an added bonus the man got younger workers to quit their higher paying jobs to come in work in a more employee friendly environment. This excerpt really got me thinking differently about global warming and that the change to stop it isn’t all that bad. The first and most important characteristics that we can change is reduce the amount of fossil fuels that we burn producing heat-trapping gases that cause global warming and melt the ice. If you really want to help the environment and can afford it, buy the new cars that run cleaner and use less gas. Look for alternative ways to heat and cool your homes and places of work. The most effective way is to use the sun and wind instead of electricity and gas. A governmental and economic way to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases emitted is to put a cap on the amount allowed to be emitted and then establish a market that allows businesses and individuals to buy and sell the rights to produce the emissions. A tax on imported oil matched by a decrease in other taxes would reduce our dependency on foreign oil (Siegel). The Kyoto Protocol, which is the plan used by the U.N. to regulate the emission of greenhouse gases hasn’t been followed by every nation as intended. The U.S. has been lacking in its support and President Obama has made it a point to get involved and actually start to work on a new protocol by 2012 when the current one is set to end (White). “If everyone takes care of their little part, well, then the whole world will be taken care of.”
"Arctic sea ice at lowest recorded level ever." Science Daily. 16, Sep. 2008. 9 Feb 2009
Battis, Todd. "Global warming causes record Arctic ice melt." CTV.ca. 2005. 9 Feb 2009
Cook, John. "Arctic sea ice melt - natural or man-made." Skeptical Science. 9 June 2008. 9 Feb 2009
"Global warming puts the Arctic on thin ice." National Resources Defense Council. 22, Nov. 2005. 9 Feb 2009
"NOAA offers "dramatic evidence" of Arctic warming." Mongabay.com. 16, Oct. 2008. 9 Feb 2009
Siegel, Jeremy. "How to end global warming." Kinplinger.com. October 2007. 9 Feb 2009
White, Deborah. "US refuses to sign pact stemming global warming." About.com. Oct. 2005. 9 Feb 2009
Winsor, Peter. "What's up with volcanoes under Arctic sea ice." New York Times 1, July 2008 9 Feb 2009
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