"Glaciers"

Not knowing yet how I will present this exhibit, I figure the first step is research and reading on the subject as much as possible. While doing this I think that passing along, to you, any interesting facts on the subject might get you more interested in this topic and who knows with what some of you might come up with.

Why then are Glaciers so important?

We all know by now that receding and melting glaciers are a sign of global climate change. It is documented and proven that glaciers grow and shrink in lenght, width and depth in response to climate fluctuations. Furthermore, the rate of their growth or decline serves as an indicator of regional as well as global climate changes. Some three quarters of the earth's fresh water is held in ice sheets and glaciers. Thus recognizing and understanding changes in the world's glaciers is crucial because these changes can and will affect agriculture, drinking water supplies, hydroelectric power supplies and not to mention transportation, tourism and ecological habitats.

Some sad facts...

Over 120 glaciers have disappeared from Montana's Glacier National Park over the past 150 years, that's almost one a year. Furthermore, it is estimated that the remaining 26 glaciers could be gone in another 25 years. Mount Kilimanjaro, know as the "Shining Mountain" may not be shining anymore by 2020. That's pretty soon my friends! 82% of the ice on the summit is already gone. As you can see, this exhibition project could lead to several others. In upcoming posts I will give you more facts specific to the polar regions Arctic and Antarctic separately.