Are you aware of the risk of the Antartic melting?
By jennybianca
@jennybianca (12912)
Australia
December 14, 2009 6:40pm CST
As I live in the southern ocean, we are quite near to the Antartic compared to other countries.
The Antartic ice shelf has been melting for years. Last week a huge ice chunk was found that had broken off the Antartic and was drifting and slowly melting.
How much of the Antartic can melt before countries are affected?
My state of South Australia will be one of trhe first affected by the melting of the Antatric. Our shore levels will rise and beaches will be destroyed. Thousands of homes built near the shore may well be lost.
There are small Pacific Islands that will be even worst affected than us.
Can we halt this? What can we do to minimise the effects?
3 people like this
16 responses
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
15 Dec 09
I am very aware of it and it is very scary. I am afraid of what is going to heppen if it continues to melt rapdily in my lifetime. It is the global warming that is causing it. I am not sure what we can do about it now. I think it may be too late.
2 people like this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
15 Dec 09
It is never too late. I dont think people need to be scared, but I do think we need to be a whole lot more careful with our carbon emissions.
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@djbtol (5493)
• United States
16 Dec 09
Yes, the myth is that some of the warmest temperatures ever have been within the last 10-15 years. The heart of Climategate is that true data clearly shows temps have been going down and that is what the 'scientists' were trying to cover up (hide the decline). Temperature cycles are normal. Back in the 1970's there was also a cooling period and the 'scare tactic' at that time was that another ice age was coming. For a global issue, we wasted no time in going from ice age threat to major over-heating threat.
As far as the U.S. having our fingers in the pie at Copenhagen, I think the problem is more like the U.S. (and some other countries) being the pie that is about to be sliced. You have to look at what is really going on there. Do you think the third world countries that walked out of the meetings were concerned about pollution from man-made carbon dioxide? Not in the least. The developing countries are at Copenhagen because they expected it to be a big handout - like going to see Santa Claus. The story they have been led to believe is that they need billions of dollars for their countries to prepare for the pending global warming disaster. And I suppose they will give the money back when there is no such disaster? The liberal goal is known as wealth redestribution.
As far as the carbon credits on your electric bill, I am sorry to say, but this just shows how far this scam has been carried. Practically every politician from mayor on up has felt the pressure to save the planet from global warming, and the best way to do that is tax the people. The whole thing is about money and control, and it is all a fraud.
djbtol
1 person likes this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
17 Dec 09
I respect your knowledge on this issue, as you have a lot more stats than I do.
I did note on the news last note, that certain 3rd workd countries claimed they needed compensation.
The part I dont get though, from what we are seeing in Australia, is the worst drought in living memopry, and heatwavers we have never hasd before. Ourt stats are showing a temp climb over the past few years.
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
15 Dec 09
We are in a cooling period? That I did not know. I did know our government had a big finger in the pie at Copenhagen. Which is kind of hyprocritical of them, seeing as all our electricity bills have a graph showing how many carbon credits I have persoinally sent into the atmosphere.
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@uath13 (8192)
• United States
15 Dec 09
It's going to happen one way or the other. What most people don;t seem to realize is that the world has repeated warming & cooling cycles. There have been several ice ages along with several warming periods in between. The earth is going to go through it's cycles no matter what we do. Our global impact isn't likely to do much more than speed up the process by a few years.
The whole global warming thing is mostly some fanatics going overboard about basic natural events.
1 person likes this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
15 Dec 09
Yes, I have known that the earth has always had heating and cooling cycles, but have the cycles changed in intensity far more rapidly? Australias records show that it has. Unfortunately our records only go back about 220 years.
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@redthaidevil (1047)
• Thailand
15 Dec 09
Yep, we are all aware of the climate change due to human pollution. Certainly we have the technology to avoid all of this, but as the whole world has different countries and different thoughs and people are selfish, it is hard to achieve. If the whole human race can help as one and think of the environment first, this world would be a great place to live in.
1 person likes this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
15 Dec 09
Probably the human race is not going to be able to think as one. But if every government possible influenced their people, it would have to all add up.
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
15 Dec 09
Is this all for wealth distribution? Which countries are going to benefit and which will be worse off?
@azazel87 (97)
• Bulgaria
15 Dec 09
It is not a risk it is happening right now!!! And the problem is not only in the Antarctic melting...all nature dying, we always saying "save the nature because the next generation will suffer, think about them", but now, the true is that our generation will suffer and the cataclysms are now. Here usually is -10 d?grees and now it is +20... what else to say. Why everybody think that 2012 is a fake, it is normal something to happen and its happening now. We should not use so much plastic stuff and we have to save electricity, I do it but it is not enough.
1 person likes this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
15 Dec 09
You are so right. The other day, in a vaguely related discussion someone told me that she/ he didnt believe in global warming! I cant figure out how they worked that out. I even asked why they thought this and there was no reply.
In my state, we have banned all plastic bags, so we use cloth bags for shopping.
1 person likes this
@Marcia_ice (26)
• China
15 Dec 09
If everyone has the mind to protect the enviroment,the world will go in peace.Maybe what we can do is just start the protectness first,and then ask the people around us to do so,until everyone.
1 person likes this
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@djbtol (5493)
• United States
17 Dec 09
As long as the UN and other countries are antagonistic against the U.S., there will not be common agreement. Global talks about protecting the environment are fine, but they must be based on fact, not greedy agendas full of lies. I don't know how honesty and integrity would ever become front and center since many countries do not really consider them to be good characteristics.
1 person likes this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
15 Dec 09
It certainly would be good if everyone thought the same, but I dont think that is likely to happen.
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@cream97 (29087)
• United States
15 Dec 09
I am not very sure what can be done about this. Only God can make a miracle happen. I do hope that no lives or homes will be lost. I am sorry that this is happening to this country. I have heard about this on Yahoo news this past week. And my heart goes out to everyone. I hope that this disaster does not get worse for you all.
Would you consider moving if all else fails?
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1 person likes this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
16 Dec 09
I live in the higher part of Adelaide so I wouldnt need to move.
@AndrewFreyne (6281)
• United Kingdom
15 Dec 09
That's quite a worrying situation really but I don't think there will be any catastrophic effects within our life time! Something still needs to be done now as future generations will definitely suffer as a result. I feel sorry for the polar bears, they are totally innocent and there world is being destroyed due to the callous behaviour of the human race. Living in the UK I guess we will suffer the consequences as well, rising sea levels and so forth as we are quite near to the North Pole. There's this conference taking place at Copenhagen right now but I'm thinking that it's just a meeting where all the leaders of the world can come up with grandiose statements about how they are going to make changes and yet nothing dramatic really ever takes place. I think the scientists mentioned that we have a time frame of about ten years when changes have to be made otherwise it will be too late. I'm really hoping that the clock can be turned back as this is a wonderful planet that we live on and it really is unique! Andrew![](/Content/images/emotes/happy.gif)
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1 person likes this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
15 Dec 09
Im inclined to agree that we wont see so much of it in our lifetime, but I guess the the compassionate amongst us would like to see our grandchildren protected.
Apparently the Australians at Copenhagen rejected the proposals.
@doryvien (2284)
• United States
15 Dec 09
Hi Jenny,
I've read so much about this, watched this on TV, and it is really scary. It's hard imagine what will happen if the Antarctic (and Arctic) region will melt. And if we base it on what's happening because of the so-called climate change, it seems inevitable. We should all do something to help save the world, or at least do something to slow down its pace.
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
16 Dec 09
I read again in todays paper that the huge chunk of ice is still floating around and bits of it are breaking off causing a hazzard to shipping.
@aamir030586 (382)
• India
15 Dec 09
yes i understand by more melting of icebergs in antartic and artic circles there will be more water for fishes to swim.....so the population of fishes will increase and the market rate of fishes will go down hence by helping the overall food condition on this planet...
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@djbtol (5493)
• United States
17 Dec 09
It is actually only an assumption that any global warming is bad. Many have commented that a little increase will increase the growing season in many countries and allow more production of food.
I've never thought about the fishies, but I'm not expecting any significant rise in ocean waters. The icebergs are not melting any more than normal and the polar bears are doing just fine.
djbtol
1 person likes this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
15 Dec 09
I never thought of it from this point of view. Hope it is realistic.
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@cerebellum (3863)
• United States
15 Dec 09
All the glaciers melting and the seas rising and loss of some animals homes are the reason they are trying to stop global warming. I don't know if it's to late or not. It might be, as some politicians are just accepting that it is happening. I think everyone must do what they can to halt it but some areas recycle and some don't. It makes you wonder what good it does for one area to do it if it's not consistant.
1 person likes this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
16 Dec 09
That is true. But we cant force our recycling laws onto everywhere. I hope that positive example will influence others.
@allknowing (132209)
• India
15 Dec 09
There are countless concerns over which we have no control and it is futile therefore to worry and live a miserable life. Instead I do my bit to reduce the green house effect in my small way and live for the day.
1 person likes this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
16 Dec 09
Well, yes, getting too worried is of no benefit, so I guess doing what we can as individuals to reduce greenhouse gas is effective.
@johnmark25 (28)
• Philippines
15 Dec 09
Has anyone seen the movie 2012? There is a possibility that it will going to happen if we do not take good care of our environment. Let us act now saving mother earth.
1 person likes this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
15 Dec 09
I havent seen it, but I am very keen too. Have promised my daughter to take her to see this movie.
@hoodwinks (157)
• United States
15 Dec 09
I have to say yeah I am aware of the ice caps are melting, not only that, but polar bears are losing their homes to global warming. not only that we are so worried about using cars that suck up oil and pollute the air. factory's don't help matters at all either. If I have money I would try to fund country to stop using these types of pollutions. instead of bailing out the banks in America should of went towards changing the way we treat the earth. some places will be affected by this, especially by any shores. Florida will go under water if things don't change. can't really say for sure because I am not a scientist but we need to change things before we hurt our precious world.
1 person likes this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
16 Dec 09
Yes, you have brought up a good point about the polar bears. Many of us dont think of that when considering the effects of melting ice caps.
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
15 Dec 09
hi jennybianca well from some videos I have seen a lot of scientists are working on this very real problem. I am hoping
that they come up with suggestions the ordinary person can
help with. I sure by myself do not have the answers but
global warming seems pretty real to me . South Australia
will be very close to that melting too won't it? we all
need some clues as to how we can help now before its much
later.
1 person likes this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
15 Dec 09
Yes, we are close, and the warming of the planet is affecting us already with heat waves and drought.
@cerebellum (3863)
• United States
21 Dec 09
I am aware of the glaciers melting and global warming in general. I think we must all do what we can to help stop it. It may be to late, and a lot of people don't want to be inconvenienced and give up their cars and oil and such.
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