Let’s talk a little bit more in depth about the
effects of melting glaciers on our environment

(Image Courtesy of the National Geographic website, 2004.)

Most obviously, melting glaciers will cause many animals to die off due to the disappearance of their habitat.  In addition to these who call glacial ice home, melting glaciers will cause problems for many non-glacial living animals as sea level’s rise and water flow changes (WWF website, 2004).  We have already lost one entire ecosystem from the Arctic (WWF website, 2004).  Even birds, which at first thought seem to be an odd group to be affected, are suffering.  They rely on food found only in areas where meltwater from glaciers meets up with the ocean  (WWF website, 2004).  Coral reefs are hurting too.  Rising sea levels are decreasing the amount of light allowed to penetrate the water which coral uses for photosynthesis.  Basically, rising sea levels are stunting their growth (WWF website, 2004). 

            Air Pollutants: 

If asked whether DDT should be brought back, most people would remember the consequences of its widespread usage many years ago and absolutely say, “NO”!  While the government has not currently reallowed or recommended the use of chemicals such as DDT and PCBs, we are not in the clear from their effects.  During the popular use of these chemicals, they were transported by air to cooler climates (WWF website, 2004).  Here, the condensed and became part of glacial ice (Who wants some nice, clean glacier bottled water?).  So, a good question to ask is, “Why are we starting to run into problems today if these chemicals were used so many years ago?”  Well, glacial melting is allowing these toxins to escape the kung-fu grip the glacial ice once had on them and, instead, they are being re-released into the atmosphere as the melting occurs (WWF website, 2004).

Everyone knows that the majority of the Earth is covered by water.  What many people do not think about is that only 2.5% of this water is freshwater (WWF website, 2004).  Seventy percent of this freshwater is actually glacial ice (WWF website, 2004).  Freshwater is certainly a limited commodity for many.  The loss of glacial meltwater would be devastating for many individuals who live in areas that depend solely on this source of water. 

Flooding may seem like an odd topic after we just talked about water shortages, but it is causing great concern too.  The increased melting of glacial ice is causing many rivers and other bodies of water to overflow (WWF website, 2004).  Excess glacial meltwater can even cause lakes to form (WWF website, 2004).  This is very dangerous for all that live in close proximity to any of these kinds of these glacier-fed bodies of water.

These are not the only possible effects of melting glaciers and they are not to be taken lightly.  Since it is unlikely that we will ever find a way to stop the glaciers from melting in an increasingly warm climate, the problem of global warming needs to be addressed.