How the Ice Caps Contribute to Global Warming

The ice caps melting is a cause of global warming, which is a side effect primarily of too much carbon dioxide(C02) in the atmosphere- which acts as a blanket, trapping heat and warming the planet.

The Greenland ice sheet is warmer naturally than the Arctic ice sheet and as a result, global warming is producing serious melting in Greenland. Although Greenland's ice sheet is only one tenths of Antarctica it is contributing twice as much to sea levels because it is more equatorial latitude, yet the flora and the fauna of Greenland and Antarctica are both feeling the affects of the global warming from Ice algae sinking down to the seabed, altering the food web and the oxygen content of the waters to native people having to relocate because of coastal erosion. The Ice caps melting will also affect us and the rest of the world by the water circulation changes, Thermohaline (temperature and salinity driven) which could lead to breakdown of major circulation patterns that bring warm tropical water to temperate regions and cold temperate or arctic water to the tropics. The lack of ice will influence the “Albedo” affect warming the rest of the planet and the rising sea level.

The residents of Alaska are feeling the affects of global warming currently and how it is affecting their livelihoods and well-being, naturally they hunt native fish, polar bear, seal and caribou for food as the climate is changing and these species are reducing in population they are having to find other alternatives which is not only threatening their

livelihood but also their cultural and social identity. Increased coastal erosion is also causing many issues for Natives even forcing them to relocate their homes and communities, these shorelines are retreating at rates of averaging tens of feet per year.The ice caps melting unlocks lots of opportunities not explored earlier, new shipping routes, new fossil fuel reservers and new land unexplored.

One of the best ways to help the ice caps is to stop/ reduce global warming by setting limits on global warming pollution and carbon dioxide use, investing in green jobs and clean energy, drive smarter cars, create green homes and buildings and build better communities and transportation networks yet all of these solutions are costly but everyone should realize that this is an important issue that will affect every generation to come and this is a crucial time were we need to work together to stop global warming from changing eco-system to the point of no return.

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