Places we had never heard of but that matter: Ilulissat
Ilulissat glacier is melting at record rates. It is a likely poster-child for climate change in the North, a figure for the sudden acceleration in the pace at which ice is melting in Canada’s Arctic Archipelago, the Northwest Passage and the polar icecap. Thanks to Michael, there are some amazing images here. Unbelievably, the Northwest Passage is said to be open this summer - I’m waiting for the google images of fibreglass 21-foot sailboats tacking through straits that defied Franklin any day now (be forewarned: word is that the Coast Guard hasn’t finished charting it, so the Northwest Passage is still “unknown waters”).
I wouldn’t normally repeat these news stories here, but they are rarely mentioned in my local media and there is never a synthesis of these stories. Put 1 and 1 together. Our interest on this page is to highlight the social and cultural blindspots we have for marginal places, the North in particular, and the difficulties we have assessing risks that jump the barriers of geographical distance. For example, when sea level rises, it rises everywhere all at once, not just on the coast of Greenland.
October 2nd, 2007 at 4:03 pm
Truly the vast beauty of God’s creation is being attacked by mans desire to be self fullfilled. The price of these actions are not really known as the destruction of forests, mountains, air, and pure water is happening at an arlaming rate. Yet, there is a far more important matter that man has ignored and its cost is incaluable. I am speaking of the heart of man and his desires to be fulfilled in this life. Fortunately, God was willing to send His own Son that we might be completed in this life and also receive eternal life. Prasie the name of the Lord!!!