Cold, cold heart.Recent headlines tell us that the Inuit, indigenous peoples The term indigenous peoples has no universal, standard or fixed definition, but can be used about any ethnic group who inhabit the geographic region with which they have the earliest historical connection. of the Arctic, are bringing legal claim against the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. for violating their human rights. The reason: by being a major contributor to global warming global warming, the gradual increase of the temperature of the earth's lower atmosphere as a result of the increase in greenhouse gases since the Industrial Revolution. , the U.S. is threatening the basis of their survival. Writer Gretel Ehrlich, whose book This Cold Heaven chronicles her travels with the Inuit of Greenland, understands well the impact of climate change on those who depend on the Arctic ecosystem. In her new book, The Future of Ice: A Journey Into Cold (Pantheon Books, $21.95), she widens her lens to take in the implications--physical, psychological and spiritual--for all of us if the ice disappears. She goes in search of winter and what's happening to it, traveling to the Antarctic tip of South America South America, fourth largest continent (1991 est. pop. 299,150,000), c.6,880,000 sq mi (17,819,000 sq km), the southern of the two continents of the Western Hemisphere. , back up to Wyoming's high country and finally to a research vessel A research vessel (R/V) is a ship primarily constructed to carry out scientific research at sea. Role of research vessels Research vessels carry out a number of roles at sea. Some of these can be combined into a single vessel, others require a dedicated vessel. testing the sea ice of the Arctic Circle. Ehrlich explores "silla" the Inuit idea that weather and human consciousness are bound up together. Her writing itself reflects this concept: objective fact and subjective experience are woven together with lyrical descriptions of place, scientific information and spiritual reflection. In The Future of Ice, Ehrlich gives us a reason to celebrate the beauty of winter and to act to save it. |
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