Global Warning from Antarctica: Melting Ice Shelves Impact Us All, Not Just March of Penguins

Global Green USA, Green Cross Join Researchers, Experts in Calling for Urgent Action, Smart Solutions to Combat Climate Change Now

Los Angeles, February 16, 2006 – A multi-national expedition of scientific experts, researchers and photographers has brought back unique images from remote Antarctica, illustrating the melting ice shelf. To send a ‘global warning’ to the world about the threats posed by climate change and to encourage smart solutions (i.e., renewable energy, conservation, fuel efficiency), the group also sent a photo of themselves assembled on a stark white iceberg to form a large “human SOS.”  The message calls attention to the imminent danger caused by warming trends to Antarctica and the melting sea ice, not just to penguins in Antarctica but to all of humanity due to the resulting rising sea levels. 

Environmental groups Global Green USA and Green Cross Argentina (affiliates of Gorbachev’s Green Cross  International) co-organized the photographic mission with Sebsastian Copeland, Spectral Q’s John Quigley and the crew of the Ice Lady Patagonia and Asociación Buque Austral Patagónico. Last year, actors Salma Hayek and Jake Gylenhaal helped with a similar global warning message by traveling to the Arctic Circle.  

"Having seen the Arctic Circle firsthand," said Hayek, "It's deeply disturbing to me that even though there is growing physical and scientific evidence from the research community illustrating the effects of global warming, world leaders simply are not doing enough to fight the problem." 

“The pollution we dump into the atmosphere a hemisphere away takes only a year to travel to the land of the penguins,” said Stephen H. Schneider, a Biological Sciences Professor at Stanford University.  “Our emissions contribute to warming trends that wreak havoc with weather patterns and sea levels far north of the south polar region.” 

“The impacts of global warming cannot be ignored,” said Matt Petersen, President of Global Green USA. “We must insist upon clean renewable energy sources and dramatically improved energy efficiency in our cars, homes and businesses.” 

Since 1945, the Antarctic Peninsula has experienced a warming of about 4.5 degrees. This has, among other threats to nature, resulted in the Adelie Penguin population shrinking by 33 percent in the past 25 years. 

Delegation members are available for interviews to discuss their experience.  For more information on Global Green or to read expedition blog, please visit www.globalgreen.org <http://www.globalgreen.org /> .