The Young are getting involved on Ellesmere Island

In April 2008, five young adults are planning to join Will Steger on a 1,200 mile dogsled expedition across Ellesmere Island . There they will follow in the footsteps of legendary explorers and visit ice shelves that have collapsed due to global warming and those that are on the brink of collapsing. Crossing fjords, mountain ranges, and sea ice, the Expedition Team will record the impact global warming has had on the northern coast of the third largest and northernmost island in the Canadian Arctic.

The 2008 Ellesmere Island Expedition will inspire to mobilize the next generation of explorers and any eyewitnesses to the effects of global warming. These young adults will travel over northern Ellesmere, an area that has undergone significant warming effects over recent decades. Their goal is to document the effects of climate change on the Island. There is no better time than now: the Ward Ice Shelf experienced a major breakup during the summer of 2002 and the Ayles Ice Shelf calved entirely in August 2005. The Expedition will include the historical perspective of other crossings, including Robert Peary’s in 1906, when the ice shelf was continuous. Using expedition journals and archived photos, the Team will retrace historical routes to examine how the conditions have changed due to global warming. The young adults selected to participate will build their leadership skills and develop a firsthand awareness of what is happening in the Canadian Arctic. They will return to their communities and college campuses where they will work to reduce global warming by sharing their stories from the trail.

World-renowned polar explorer and educator Will Steger is an eyewitness to the on-going catastrophic consequences of global warming. Utilizing the latest in web and communications technologies, students, educators, media and individuals can travel with Steger to the ends of the earth themselves. The expeditions provide an unparalleled platform for educating and motivating people.

As Always, Keep it Green.