While in Churchill last week, I met an amazing sculptor from the UK, Mark Coreth, and his fabulous videographer, Ollie (Oliver) Parker. The passion of the work Mark is doing related to his Ice Bear Project was truly inspiring. Below is Mark’s response to my request for a message for this blog. I encourage you to view Mark’s website and follow the story of this amazing piece of art that he is creating to tell a very, very important story. The ice bear will be placed in Copenhagen in December during the United Nations Climate Change Conference. Mark’s ice bear holds within it a bronze polar bear skeleton, and as the ice begins to melt, the skeleton of the polar bear will “appear.” The metaphors are many (especially when people increase the speed of the ice melting by touching the ice-carved polar bear), and the message of the effects of global warming and climate change on polar bears and their habitat are visually evident in Mark’s work.

Thank you, Mark, from everyone with Polar Bears International, from me, and from the multitudes of us working to make a difference. Below is Mark’s reflection after his visit to Churchill last week. Enjoy.

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“As the sculptor behind the Ice Bear, I have returned from Churchill delighted by the support and approval that I received from all of the PBI family…and highlight that from the scientific world. When as a new boy to the Arctic environment, as an artist with eyes wide open and a desire to make art count, a blessing from those so much more experienced is gratifying. Ice Bear is a philanthropic work; it is meant to be a vehicle to bring the problems in the Arctic to the wider world. I am determined that its message travels far and educates people from all walks of life and nations. I want people to touch the ice and so touch the Arctic, to become aware and a part of the project and so, hopefully, the solution. I carve the first bear on Nytorv Square in Copenhagen on 5th December and the second on Trafalgar Square in London on 11th December…there after with the help of like–minded people, we will let it travel!”

“An idea of this sort is born by experiencing the environment and learning from others. The week in Churchill was a huge part of my education, and for that I thank PBI collectively–especially all those who gave Ollie and me time with interviews. Studying bears at such close proximity is wonderful and a shed load easier than I found in both of my trips through the North! If I am to pick one concern and one concern only, it would be the basking warmth of Churchill…where was the cold and, looking at the weather through this week, I have to ask where IS it now? This seems to me to be horribly like a crystal ball to the future…that makes me ever more determined to travel my bear. Let us see what comes out of Copenhagen, but let’s not hold our breath. I see a long mission ahead.”

Thank you ALL…

With all the VERY best

Mark Coreth

In May 2009, to prepare for his exhibition on the Arctic, renowned animal sculptor Mark Coreth set off across the Baffin Island sea-ice in search of polar bears. This is a video from that journey.

A polar bear slept near our buggy last night and had a pretty lazy morning. As we finished up breakfast he decided to come check things out. The videos below show him wandering around the buggy this morning. I will post more thoughts this evening, but wanted to get these videos on here.

Today is “Blog Action Day.”  It is an annual event on October 15th every year when bloggers around the world spark discussions on an issue of global importance. This year’s topic or issue is climate change. Millions of blog readers today will be reading blog entries about this topic…a topic that is of great importance to polar bears, their habitat, and other animals around the world, including humans!

Polar Bears International has a mission for the next five years to reduce carbon emissions and stop/reverse the climate change that is contributing to habitat loss for these great bears. Scientific experts who study the effects of climate change on polar bears predict that we only have five years to make the changes necessary to preserve the bears’ habitat long-term.

How can one person help stop climate change from wherever it is that they live? One may think: “I am but one person, and whatever I do won’t really help. And, I live hundred or even thousands of miles away from the polar bears in the Arctic!”

There are many ways that each of us can take action to make a difference for our environment. And, if EACH of us does what we can to stop climate change, then collectively we definitely can make a difference!

So, below are a few thoughts of how we can make a difference to reduce carbon emissions and help stop climate change. Please add your own ideas by commenting on this post! Let’s all work together to stop climate change, save polar bears and their habitat, and protect our environment!

• Start small, start locally
• Connect globally to collaborate on greater initiatives
• Reduce, reuse, recycle
• Power down, reduce energy consumption
• Buy recycled
• Increase the green – plant trees, gardens, etc.
• Make it better or do it better
• Leverage technology to spread the message (video “psa’s,” podcasts, publications, blogs, etc.)
• Educate others to do the same!

Resources on climate change can be found on “Polar Bears in a Changing Climate,” an online exhibit for educators and students related to the topic of climate change. Join the upcoming webcasts to learn more about how the polar bears and the Arctic are being affected by global warming. Details are on the exhibit!

Learn more about climate change by watching the Frontline special, “HEATº.”

Watch the video below to learn more about polar bears and climate change!

As some of you may recall, “Rolling on the Tundra,” an interdisciplinary study of polar bears and climate change, was published last year on the Apple Learning Interchange in conjunction with live webcasts conducted from the shores of the Hudson Bay near Churchill, Manitoba. This year, there will be two different weeks of webcasts conducted from the tundra. These both are part of a new ALI exhibit, “Polar Bears in a Changing Climate.”

The webcasts this year are very engaging with live cameras on the bears on the tundra as well as video clips from bears recently encountered. The curriculum in the new exhibit is based on Challenge Based Learning, and the main focus is climate change.

The first series of webcasts includes an environmental science teacher from St. George’s as well as scientists and zoologists on the panel (Oct. 19-21). The second set of webcasts (Nov. 9-11) will include a great panel of experts as well, and I will facilitate that discussion. There is a sheet of FAQ’s for educators to use prior to the webcasts as well as lots of CBL resources that provide framework for educators new to this instructional strategy. And, there are some great resources to go with the lessons and webcasts. To participate in the webcasts, go to the “Polar Bears in a Changing Climate” exhibit for details.

Please share this information with others you know who may be interested. This should be a great series of informative session, and I hope that the resources will be beneficial.

You will currently find some great resources available on the site. More examples of technology-specific products being used to support the lessons and the solutions (psa’s created with iMovie, Pages documents, etc.), additional videos, etc. are being added, so be looking for those.

Below is the link for the new exhibit as well as the link for the one from last year. I hope that you will consider joining the webcasts, and that this information will be of benefit to you, your teachers, and/or your students.

“Polar Bears in a Changing Climate”

“Rolling on the Tundra”

Read the article  “No common ground at first polar bear summit” written by Patrick White and published by Globe and Mail or the article “Minister Prentice HIghlights Progress Made at Polar Bear Roundtable” that is published on MSNBC. Then, post your comments here to join the debate!

Webcast Number 1: “All About Polar Bears”
Tuesday, November 4th at 11 a.m. central time 

This first of three Apple webcasts will focus on background information regarding polar bears: their habitat, migration patterns, feeding habits, unique characteristics, behaviors, etc. A list of “Top Ten Facts About Polar Bears” is on another page of this blog that can be accessed above by clicking on the “Polar Bear Facts” link.