Friday, September 11, 2009

3rd Blog Entry

The thought of the polar ice caps melting as a result of global warming has always been something that I thought brought fear to people's minds. It meant that the world was getting warmer and soon it would be impossible to survive. However, after reading the article 'Arctic Shortcut Beckons Shippers as Ice Thaws' I am positive that some people are not as worried as others.

This article discusses the new route that has been made available to mariners between Asia and the West because of "the retreat of Arctic ice that scientists have linked to global warming." The mariners are hoping that this will be a permanent route because of how much shorter it is as well as because of the beneficial economic reasons.

However, according to Dr. Brigham, an oceanographer who is a former Coast Guard icebreaker captain, it would be a long time before Arctic shipping routes took business from the Suez or Panama Canal.

This article puzzled me because when I started reading it I assumed that it would eventually flow into how global warming is starting to show more and more effects. This was not the case though as the article focused on this new shipping route the entire time. I think a little quote where a professional was saying how bad it is to see the ice melting would have enhanced the article because it would make it seem like a battle between the people who care more about making money and those who care more about the world we live in.

It is still a good article and I hope everyone enjoys it.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/11/science/earth/11passage.html?_r=1&ref=science

1 comment:

  1. Interesting story. I agree that it should have included a quote from someone saying that the opening of the Arctic passage, though good for business, is bad news for the planet. However, I hope you're wrong that global warming will make it "impossible to survive."

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