Man swims at North Pole. The record is both triumph and drama
As many of you already know Earth’s climate is suffering from tremendous changes due to the “Green House” effect. A much smaller percent of us really do something about it. Lewis Pugh, a British adventurer, decided to act as he swam 0.6 miles (1 km) in the freezing, now ice-free, waters of the North Pole.
By staying almost 19 minutes in water at temperatures of 29°F (-1.6 °C – if you are wondering how water doesn’t turn to ice at that temperature, the explanation is that salt keeps it from freezing) he set another record for swimming in the coldest waters a human has ever done. Lewis, a WWF-UK ambassador, explained before setting off to the North Pole his aim:” I want to raise awareness of climate change by showing dramatically what is happening in the Arctic. I can’t think of a better way to show that climate change is a reality than by swimming in a place that should be totally frozen over.”
10 years ago his deed was impossible because the temperatures were much lower. In recent years the Arctic is undergoing rapid environmental changes. Over the last century, its average air temperature has warmed at twice the global rate. According to a recent United Nations report the Arctic ice sheet has shrunk by 6 to 7 percent in winter and by 10 to 12 percent in summer over the past 30 years. Experts now believe that by 2040 the Arctic could be largely ice-free in the summer months.
In the title the word “drama” was used. Why drama? This incredible record comes only to show how fast the world’s climate is changing. It affects as all, it will affect definitely our children and mostly our grandchildren. In the Arctic in the front lines of those affected are species such as the polar bear and have serious impacts on other species such as ringed seal, Arctic cod, and walrus.
So, if you like watching documentaries about Polar Bears, think about recording them. If humanity goes on with careless polluting the Earth, those tapes may very well be the only source for your kids to see polar bears in their natural habitat. Now think twice before revving up your car!
You can read Lewis’s diary from the expedition here. Also if you think he is interesting, check out his next projects at his homepage.
