The Green Issue

I picked up The Green Issue of Vanity Fair because Jokulsarlon from Iceland is on the cover. Yes, the polar bear cub (Knut from the Berlin Zoo) is photoshopped into Annie Leibovitz's photo of Leonardo DiCaprio (standing on the glacier) in but he is there to make a point. I learned that the Bush administration has been preventing Scientists from speaking about polar bears at recent events. Here's the quote: "Polar bears are imperiled by the melting of the Arctic ice. The Bush administration, which has yet to decide whether to list the polar bear as a theratened species, understands the power of symbols, and has warned government scientists not to speak publicly about polar bears or climate change at international meetings."

So go out and get your copy of this Vanity Fair...you'll at least learn a few tidbits you never knew. Global Warming has been the focus of a lot of attention lately. There are many other topics discussed in this issue including celbrities who actually use their time (and money) to help the environment.

Although my next trip to Iceland will only include passing one small Jokull (jokull is the Icelandic word for Glacier), it will include being very close to the Arctic Circle (a 6 hour boat ride to be exact). I was lucky enough to see Myrdalsjokull during my first Icelandic adventure in 2005.

Last year I was in a cruise ship that sailed by the onlly glacier in North America that is not receeding--Hubbard Glacier. Seen here in this image from Wikipedia:

I've read that little bear cub Knut is causing a bit of controversey. I think folks are overlooking the bigger issue here. I reccomend exploring the world's glaciers before they get any smaller. It is an incredible sight to see such a powerful force--one that has shaped the land that we live on.