When scientists gather to speak about global climate change (like at the Copenhagen convention) they usually talk about its effects in terms of 50-100 years. However, global warming is already making its mark on a small Eskimo village located 20 miles south of the Arctic circle in Alaska known as Shishmaref, which is slowly being engulfed by the surrounding sea. Because global temperatures are slowly rising the sea ice that surrounds this small village and protects it from erosion from pounding ocean waves is beginning to melt. Because of this one house has already fallen into the sea, and thirteen other families have been forced to move their homes farther inland. As the sea continues to advance on the village many have been forced to abandon Shishmaref and their traditional culture in search of a safer place to live. Scientists estimate that in addition to the 600 people living in Shishmaref, another 150 million may soon become "climate refugees" because of our planet's rising temperatures. As world leaders meet in Copenhagen, Denmark this week three students from Shishmaref have traveled to the convention to provide witness to the devastating effects of climate change.
What interested me about this article is that our society is constantly bombarbed with facts like, "the worlds oceans could rise 1.4 metres by 2100". Although this is a scary fact, it may not move as many people to action because it may happen 90 years from now. However, this story about Shishmaref is happening right now, and will allow people to see the devastating effects of rising global temperatures on our earth today.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/science/12/03/shishmaref.alaska.climate.change/
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