Polar Ice Caps: Loss of the Arctic
Polar ice caps are the term for a region of a planet that is covered with ice. In our case, this region is known as the arctic. With the exponential increase in the rate of global warming each year, polar ice caps (which are predominantly fresh water) are in danger of completely melting, leaving our species with no fresh water to drink. If a solution is not found fast, there will be irreversible consequences in the very near future.
Polar ice caps are melting at a rate of 13% a decade. Over the last 30 years, the oldest ice in the Artic has declined by 95%, so while 13% a decade seems like nothing, that is not the case and we should all be worried. I am not trying to be a fearmonger, but we have let the situation worsen to the point where there is no easy solution and every day we wait, we are getting closer to an unfavorable end.
As far away as the Artic is from much of society, it still has effects that can be felt every day. Here are five ways the loss of polar ice caps impacts us:
Temperature: The artic acts like a refrigerator. It cools the world down, but as it melts, it is becoming more and more ineffective at doing this, and the effect is heat. The constant heatwaves we feel in California and around the world are due in part (a big part) to this melting.
Food: With the lack of cooling, increased heatwaves and unpredictable weather caused by ice loss are damaging the crops on which global food systems depend. This will continue to increase prices and the global crisis surrounding hunger.
Shipping: As polar ice melts, new shipping routes open up in the Artic. These routes may be tempting ways to save time, but as we know, ice is dangerous (Titanic) and could mean more shipwrecks or oil spills, which would not be good because it would be in an area that is not rescue/clean up. (Look at Exxon-Valdez spill for an example)
Wildlife: Animals in the artic have adapted to the the polar ice that is in the sea. However, as more and more start to melt, there is less for those animals to depend on, increasing death rates among species. Furthermore, it results in animals having this situation of either adapting to the rapid changes or dye. One of the most well known examples of the effects of melting ice is polar bears, where they are essentially watching their home melt. If global warming continues and melting doesn't slow down, polar bears and other animals (walruses, artic foxes, snowy owls, reindeer, etc) will suffer.
Coastal Communities: Sea levels have been steadily increasing by 7-8 inches since 1900 and is only getting worse. Rising sea levels threaten coastal cities with increased flooding and storm surge. Glacial melt of the Greenland ice sheet can and will predict the future rise in sea levels. If it melts, global sea levels could rise 20 feet.
So you see. The little contributions by every person to global warming and climate change add up and result in big issues like the melting of polar ice caps. We have a much greater impact on animals and global events than we think and it is this level of awareness that will foster a culture of awareness and a want to create a sustainable future for all. It is not enough to only look out for ourselves because we are responsible for the whole world and all that inhabit it, so we must take action now no matter how small an impact we think we are making.