Emily Su- Cute Polar Bears (And How To Save Them)

What's the first consequence of global warming that comes to mind? You don't need to be an environmentalist to know that an increase in temperatures will cause the melting of arctic ice. However, did you know that the melting of arctic ice could potentially cause a drastic increase in sea levels, loss of habitat for arctic life, and more intense natural disasters? Since the earth is an intricately connected system, the melting of arctic ice could cause issues for all walks of life: not just a few polar bears.

A recent 2018 study has found that glaciers from the Arctic are the world's leading contributes to rising sea levels. According to this study, ice from the arctic alone is adding over a millimeter of water to the ocean every year. While this may not appear significant, this also means that the total Arctic loss at present is 447 billion tons of ice per year, or about 14,000 tons of water being dumped into the ocean per second: that's a lot of water! Additionally , data from NASA suggests that our sea are rising at a rate of about 3 millimeters a year (a combination of melted ice from the arctic/antarctic and the natural expansion of ocean water with rising global temperatures).

What else happens to our planet as sea levels rise? For one, the all-important albedo effect is prevented from taking, well, effect- as we know, surfaces like ice and snow (with high albedo) reflect about 80% of the Sun's energy. If these white spots vanish into the ocean, materials with lower albedo (such as asphalt and the ocean) will absorb the heat that is typically reflected by ice and snow. This means higher temperatures both on land and in the sea, causing more disruptions overall. Additionally, many scientists believe that a warming arctic may affect extreme weather events, especially in North America and Europe. Research shows that extreme winter weather is two to four times more likely in the Eastern Untied States when the Arctic is unusually warm, and that a warming Arctic disrupts the jet stream; thus, we get more extreme weather that lingers for a longer period of time. Residents in states such as Florida, New Jersey, and Maryland are already experiencing more flooding due to rising sea levels and severe weather. Soon, more an more cities will begin to evacuate. In every respect, disaster appears inevitable if we do not make a change.
Surprisingly, there are a variety of "little things" we can do to slow the effects of the melting of arctic ice. By simply choosing reusable products, conserving gas, and even using less water, we can minimize our contribution to climate change and conserve energy. After all, climate change is an issue that affects us all, whether we choose to believe it or not. Even if we aren't concened abotu the effects of global warming on humans at the present moment, we can put in a little effort for these guys, right?
Questions:
Can you think of any other ways that we can slow the melting of arctic ice caps?
What are some effective ways that we can get people to realize that this problem affects all of us?
Can you think of any recent disasters that could have been attributed to this issue? How can we prevent similar effects in the future?
Sources:

Comments

Anonymous said…
In the end, everything ties back to climate change. Over the past few years, this has become one of if not the highest priority issue for many people, especially due to the increasing political tensions across the nation and world as a whole. Although we as individuals can do our part to conserve energy and resources, pressure on national governments is necessary to ensure a better future for humanity and for the polar bears of the North.
April 29, 2019 at 6:15 AM
Anonymous said…
Sometimes its hard to see how our actions here in Texas actually impact the life of animals in the polar regions. But the emissions and waste we create can have impacts that can alter ecosystems and organisms around the globe. However, we can push toward using renewable energy rather than fossil fuels. As citizens we can urge our governments to take action and utilize renewable energy by using solar panels and thoughtfully choosing what cars we drive. Also, we can use products that elimintate excess packaging or not use products that have packaging. The small ways we can impact the lives of organisms across the world actually can be beneficial and lessen the effects of climate change
April 29, 2019 at 6:41 AM
Anonymous said…
Saving the polar bears should be a top priority, which starts with saving their habitat. Climate change must be stopped, not only for the good of humanity, but for the perseverance of biodiversity in all species. To combat climate change, people must change their demands so companies respond accordingly. Another avenue to fight climate change is to regulate companies and subsidize/tax carbon (and greenhouse gas) emissions. Congress must take action to save humanity, but more importantly, the polar bears.
April 29, 2019 at 6:43 AM
Anonymous said…
To be honest, I never thought about the fact that the ice has added albedo positive effects, and the melting of ice adds to temperature increase. Climate change has so many negative effects, effects we are still figuring out. The world that is going to be created for the rest of time, if we do not change the current course that we have set ourselves on, is a scary world. But its not just the future world; that world is already here. As we write all of these blogs (and still a little more to go) we realize that the future looks bleak, but changes are already being made.
April 29, 2019 at 6:48 AM
Anonymous said…
Although we tend to think more about how our action can affect our surrounding environment, we forget the impact we can have on the entire world. Polar bears are on the decline and it’s scary how quickly their enviroment is disappearing. I personally have watched a few documentaries about polar bears and how global warming is melting their homes; it is so heartbreaking seeing these immaculate animals fall to the horrors of global warming. Female polar bears have a hard time providing food for their cubs and solo polar bears may even grow fatigued and die of exhaustion in the ocean due to the lack of icebergs to provide rest. It is truly sad seeing these animals be so affected by our actions. I have such a soft spot for all living creatures, and the health the animals on our planet is what pushes me to try my best for our planet.
April 29, 2019 at 6:59 AM
Anonymous said…
It’s hard to see how our actions can affect wildlife across the world, but it’s important that we are mindful of the consequences. One seemingly small thing that could affect the climate change is packaging. With the rise of online shopping and convenient packaging, Americans are throwing away more and more plastics. The government can subsidize environmentally friendly products and practices to encourage the people to buy those products. The loss of habitat for these polar bears is a positive feedback loop, so we need to try and put a stop to the cause of cycle.
April 29, 2019 at 7:12 AM
Anonymous said…
This is a sad article because I like polar bears. Climate change is a large problem that will take a lot of coordinated effort to solve, but it is definitely a worthwhile cause to take up. I wonder if there is a chance for the damage that has been caused up to this day to be reversed. However, there might be a exponential like growth (or decay) of ice melting, so it will take a lot of work.
April 29, 2019 at 7:47 AM
Anonymous said…
It seems that when it comes to the warming of the Earth’s atmosphere and climate change, we often understate the cumulative impact of individual human contributions to this issue. We can minimize our individual contributions to the climate change phenomenon, but national legislation and action will have the most drastic impact on the future of company fossil fuel emissions, the environment and wildlife, and the endless cycle of humans contributing to climate change.
April 29, 2019 at 8:56 AM
Anonymous said…
This was a great post which shed light on how human actions can affect the rest of the world, like polar bears! At the end of the day, it comes down to our individual actions which can stop climate change and global warming. I do believe that every country should also have leaders willing to admit that a threat exists and take action to combat it. It is incredibly sad to see these adorable bears living in misery all because we prefer convenience to actual lives. While I do think this issue can be resolved if we each recognize our contributions to it, we need legislation now to end this tragedy.
April 29, 2019 at 3:12 PM
Anonymous said…
The melting ice and how such issue caused severe impact unto the existing environment displays us the fact that any problem that is connected to climate change has come to our attention since the time of the industrial revolution. Our focus has rapidly been switched as the visible alteration in polar regions have returned some of the impacts back to us, as a result of our inability to recognize the severity of the problem. We need to be more observant and discreet when it comes to pointing out surrounding problems and resolving them with adequate solutions.
April 30, 2019 at 6:12 AM
Anonymous said…
What an interesting topic! I have noticed that human solutions to many problems is to intervened and synthesize new things. Many times, we neglect the easier solution which is to leave things alone and let nature sustain itself. Our job is not to create a new world, but to find our place in the one we currently have. Even though people disagree about that, there is no question that this is a pressing matter that effects each and everyone of us.
April 30, 2019 at 9:27 AM
Anonymous said…
The sheer amount of water that comes from Artic ice loss is shocking, and the comparision image you included of the Artic from 1984 to 2016 shows just how much of an effect melting ice caps have. Honestly, the only way to prevent such an underestimated issue is to educate people on the effects that their daily actions have on the Earth. Finding a way to get everyone to minimize their contributions to global warming is a surefire way to ensure that polar bears and humans alike do not feel the catsatrophic consequences of global warming and melting ice caps.
May 1, 2019 at 9:01 AM
Anonymous said…
I can’t believe how much our actions thousands of miles away from these majestic beasts affect them. It is important to be careful with how we use resources. Change needs to be made soon in order for us, and the polar bears, to not die. Our health and safety is at risk and it seems like a lot of people just don’t care. We need to make change soon or they’re may not be any coming back from this catastrophe.
May 2, 2019 at 6:12 AM
Cathy Kim said…
Wow, this was an interesting post to read! It is really shocking to see just how much our daily activities could play such a negative impact on the environment such as the polar ice caps, but at the same time it is not. I truly believe that education and changing/implementing new laws is the way to go because in some cases people are not educated well enough on how much something like plastics can play a major role on the environment but most often, people know the impacts of said items and continue to do so because it is convenient, cost efficient, and don't want to lose businesses.
May 2, 2019 at 6:21 PM
Anonymous said…
I’ve constantly heard about the endangerment of polar bears, which is really sad. I feel like zoos are taking a good initiative by trying to preserve the animal; even though they may be in captivity, they have everything provided for them. Extra action needs to be taken to protect polar bears because climate change is not going to be solved overnight, or at this rate, any time soon. Preserving vast variety of species which live in the arctic, not only polar bears, is going to be crucial to saving that ecosystem.
May 3, 2019 at 7:10 AM
Anonymous said…
The melting of arctic ice caps is having many detrimental effects on the earth, and slowing this can be vital to saving the environment. Slowing the melting of the arctic ice caps can be accomplished by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and slowing global warming. I think showing people how it would affect their daily lives, and showing people that it will actually dramatically change the way they live will get them to realize that global warming is a large problem. Many problems will come from global warming and the melting of the ice caps, but raising awareness and getting more people to realize that the earth can soon die if we don't change our ways can solve this problem.
May 3, 2019 at 8:24 AM
Unknown said…
This article was extremely interesting and informative! While we constantly discuss the causes and effects of global warming in APES, I've never thought about the immediate, quantifiable impacts of it. It is heartbreaking that animals, such as polar bears, are suffering because of human impacts on the environment. The impact of global warming can be mitigated through simple, everyday efforts. For example, we can use renewable fuels in our homes and transportation. As the article says, it is the small things that can cumulatively make a big impact on the environment.
May 4, 2019 at 11:37 AM
Anonymous said…
This article was extremely interesting and informative! While we constantly discuss the causes and effects of global warming in APES, I've never thought about the immediate, quantifiable impacts of it. It is heartbreaking that animals, such as polar bears, are suffering because of human impacts on the environment. The impact of global warming can be mitigated through simple, everyday efforts. For example, we can use renewable fuels in our homes and transportation. As the article says, it is the small things that can cumulatively make a big impact on the environment.
May 4, 2019 at 11:47 AM
Anonymous said…
I enjoyed reading the blog and learning about how we can help prevent our ice caps from melting more, which leads to more deaths of polar bears. After doing further research, I found that polar bears are now considered a threatened species in the US and there is an estimated population of 20,000-25,000 polar bears left in the world. More research has also concluded that 2/3 on the population will disappear by the midcentury. In order to save this species, we need to stop the continual effects of global warming so that we can stop the melting of the ice caps.
May 4, 2019 at 8:52 PM
Anonymous said…
It’s easy to claim that we should simply change our consumer and conservation habits in order to prevent the ice caps from melting; however what people ultimately forget is that we respond to incentives, not from what is right or wrong, selfless or selfish. Whether a per-unit tax is imposed or not, there is a cost: deadweight loss. If we are using too much gasoline, then there’s the societal cost in the form of emissions and pollution; if we are using too little gasoline, then there’s the cost of disequilibrium. The goal is to determine the pareto optimal point, or the middle-ground between the two (where there is the smallest deadweight loss present).
May 5, 2019 at 9:16 AM
Meredith Miller said…
At the end of the day, Absolutely the most important thing - and really the only thing - that will save polar bears and many other species in the long run is to stop the rise of greenhouse gases and stop the warming of the planet. Legislation and action must be implemented to help prevent animals such as polar bears from becoming extinct. Education and action must persist until we see change.
May 5, 2019 at 10:44 AM
Harrison Cui said…
Global warming, climate change, and the melting arctic you described is a terrible occurrence, however, there has been no viable solution found. Simply saying "use less water, use less gas, and be more green" is not enough. It is up to our generation to educate the world as well as provide a solution. It does not matter how grave of danger our environment is in, if we do not have any plan to fix it. The future is hopeful though. Innovation has brought about wondrous technological advances in renewable energy, and now more people than ever are educated on the issue.
May 5, 2019 at 5:33 PM
Anonymous said…
It is powerful to think about how the way we live our lives, wherever we may be (and, in this case, Texas), is so impactful to the ecosystems on completely different continents that we hardly ever think about. Climate change is not only something that we will have to deal with, but something that affects species worldwide. We must collaborate in finding viable solutions to this epidemic.
May 5, 2019 at 7:39 PM
Anonymous said…
This was a great post, summarizing the negative and multifaceted effects of climate change on our planet! Fortunately, there are several ways to mediate these effects. One clever way, proposed by a Harvard professor, includes 'pulling out' carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through a series of steps: air is sucked in from the atmosphere and cooled, then converted into a liquid state in which it undergoes chemical reactions to remove the carbon dioxide. Processes like these could prove to be extremely beneficial to the future of the environment, remedying the drastic scale of climate change.
May 5, 2019 at 7:57 PM
Anonymous said…
This was a great post! Global warming or climate change is a growing problem in our environment and we must do something to stop it. One way that we can reduce this issue is to reduce garbage by choosing reusable products. If it is something that can’t be reused, we can try to purchase products with minimum packaging. This small change can lead to a big impact on our environment. Another way we can help aid this issue is to save gas and walk more. When we save a gallon of gas we can help keep 20 pounds of CO2 out of the atmosphere. We also get lots of health benefits by walking to the office, school, or the grocery store. Although many of these changes are minor if enough people do them a large impact can be made on the planet.
May 5, 2019 at 9:32 PM
Anonymous said…
I think we can all agree that polar bears are really cute, and in order to save them, we must start to look towards climate change. Climate change is causing many of the ice in the Arctic to melt, and once this happens, it is only going to kill many of the animals and life in the Arctic and harm the environment. People are not taking action right now because I believe that they do not think that these problems affect them directly. However, they do. We need to raise awareness and decrease our emissions, and there are a lot of small changes we can make. For instance, we can reduce the amount of waste and decrease emissions with carbon taxes.
May 5, 2019 at 10:12 PM
Anonymous said…
I agree with some of my classmates that it can be easy to forget the consequences of anthropogenic activities in polar environments, especially when we live in a place like Texas. Climate change is a detrimental issue that is causing too many of our environmental problems. Some other ways to reduce the melting of Arctic ice caps would be to demand action from national leaders, and reduce carbon emissions in your personal life. By flying or driving less, eating less meat, and choosing to use reusable, “green” products, we can work to limit the consequences of melting Arctic ice.
May 6, 2019 at 6:31 AM
Anonymous said…
Climate change is one of th most debated topics in not only the US, but the entire world. Places like the Artic are often hit the worst from climate change. However, many people don’t realize it as people do not often live in these places. Not taking action and allowing the situation to get worse will harm the species in these regions, such as polar bears. In order to protect earth and these engandered species, we must do something about climate change.
May 6, 2019 at 6:42 PM
Anonymous said…
Polar bears really have a special place in my heart. Global warming has a major impact on the environment, especially the polar bears. Through further research I have found that polar bears are on the endangered list. The ice sheets on which the polar bears live are melting at a rapid pace. They are loosing their homes and facing the consequences. It is getting so bad that polar bears are coming into human towns to steal trash to look for food. This could cause even more harm for them. We, as a society, need to prevent the spread of global warming to save the polar bears.
May 7, 2019 at 6:40 AM
Anonymous said…
I think we can all agree that what is happening to the polar bears is very bad. We need to look to climate change, however, to solve the problems we have created for these majestic beasts. In order to save the polar bears, we need to start implementing measures globally to help slow down climate change and hopefully give the polar bears a fighting chance. It is on us to solve their problems, because these problems are all our fault.
May 7, 2019 at 7:01 AM
Anonymous said…
This post was very interesting. It's interesting how actions so far away can still negatively impact polar bears. I think we collectively have to finally acknowledge climate change is a problem and is causing an imminent catastrophe. The need to address climate change and find solutions should happen immediately so we don't lose these animals. We need to raise awareness and educate the public about the effects their small actions are having.
May 12, 2019 at 8:01 PM
Anonymous said…

This post was very informative! I was shocked at the amount of water that comes from Arctic ice caps and its effects. The only way to control this unissued is to raise awareness of the effects our daily activities have on Earth. If we can minimize our contributions to global warming, we can ensure that polar bears will not face the consequences of global warning and melting ice caps.
May 15, 2019 at 11:49 PM
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