POLAR EXPRESSIONS OF A CHANGING WORLD

In August, the aurora borealis will once again light up the night sky above and around the Arctic Ocean with heavenly shades of green, blue, purple and red. Down below, however, a perfect storm has been brewing. The recent, near-lowest extents of sea ice coverage have been posing a threat not only to the region’s wildlife—including polar bears, some bearded seals, Arctic ringed

worldwide, since the Arctic sea ice helps to regulate them by blocking the absorption of solar energy that otherwise warms the Arctic seawater—i.e., our so-called planetary air conditioner. Additionally, Arctic Ocean surface waters now contain more plastics than any other ocean basin, worldwide, and microplastics (which travel by water and air, threaten marine life and make their way into human food chains) are being found within snow in some of the most remote Arctic regions.

"posing a threat not only to the region’s wildlife

but also climates worldwide ..."

CHECKING OUT: BETTER OPTIONS

Food waste, alone, accounts for eight percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. In the United States, a third of our food is wasted and food waste constitutes approximately 22 percent of landfills, where it often decomposes anaerobically and produces methane gas (which is roughly 22 times more powerful than carbon dioxide at trapping atmospheric heat). Also, beverage bottles and straws are among the most common types of plastics littering our planet’s oceans. Therefore, further emphasis on recycling and composting can make a significant difference and it’s easy to find ways to complement existing systems online. This might include county recycling centers, recycling receptacles at national retailers and composters.