Garth, UR - So, is Global Warming just another episode of the Twlight Zone?

             So, global warming does exist? Hmm, Well… native Alaskans seem to be arguing, much less. Alaska Meltdown, the frontlines of climate change: Is the article I have chosen to depict key points of environmental and temperature shift occurring throughout our globe. What happens when we turn up the heat?
             So, good question and how exactly is this connected? Global warming in turn is responsible for global climate change, which is simply the increase of temperature throughout the world. One aspect of this I believe is important, is the effect that warming temperatures have on our environment. What does this mean and how does this affect us?
            Alaska is a pivotal point, for a stark contrast to those non-believers. If seeing is believing, then Alaska has found their god. In this case enlightenment in an unfortunate occurrence.

                       Located on a barrier island just outside Bering Land Bridge National Preserve

Global temperature has increased on average about 1 degree Centigrade. Apparently, in the Artic temperatures during winter has risen as much as 7 degrees to 9 degrees Fahrenheit in some locations. Icepack is retreating affecting Inupiat villagers hunting grounds and as solar radiation builds, new ground is exposed and permafrost retreats. Hot spots are created melting even larger areas as time passes. Cariboo migration patterns are beginning to shift, forests are beginning to appear where arctic tundra once was and polar bear hunting grounds are beginning to dwindle as ice retreats. Even the oil industries in this area are losing headway as winters cold embrace, warms giving them once a 200-day exploration, to a now 100-day exploration time period.
Most of rising sea levels are directly created from thermal expansion. Apparently as much as 10 percent can be attributed to melting glaciers, much of which is from Alaska.
One fact I would like to build upon is the cyclical affect temperature and weather has on our world. As the weather, wind and temperature change so does the landscape which was molded by its inevitable consistency. So, what happens when that changes?

                                                             Food for thought…..

Sherwonit, Bill. "Alaskan meltdown: on the frontlines of climate change: Alaska and the national              park sites in our northern-most state are showing dramatic signs of global climate change. Melting permafrost and glaciers, eroding coastlines, and insect invasions all point to warming temperature trends." National Parks, Summer 2004, p. 24+. Academic OneFile, db06.linccweb.org/login?url=http://go.galegroup.com.db06.linccweb.org/ps/i.do?p=AONE