1986: In the Footsteps of Scott

Robert Swan walked the desolated Antarctica landscape. Blue eyes and burned skin where gifts received from the encounter with the ozone hole. His team stood at the South Pole, achieving the longest unassisted march ever recorded in history.

Robert Swan. Image from The Journey So Far

Ozone is an important component of the atmosphere. It’s a highly reactive compound, which concentrates in the stratosphere. As sunlight travels across the universe, it interacts with various materials. The same can be said of its travels in the Earth’s atmosphere. This trajectory shields certain wavelengths from reaching the troposphere. When sun light hits the ozone layer, UV rays are absorbed by ozone and then dissipated as heat. As a result, we receive a lower percent of UV rays than those that are present above the stratosphere.

Anthropogenic sources of chlorine can cause dire ozone depletion. Chlorofluorocarbons, commonly known as freons, turned out to be a greater threat than expected. In 1930, freons were widely used in aerosols and air conditioning systems. It was not discovered until 1971 that most of the synthesized freons were still present in the environment. During the 1970s, a decade of  investigations, it was shown that freons reach the stratosphere and react with, and deplete, ozone.  In 1978, the use of freons in aerosols was banned in the U.S. Later, Freon-12 was isolated as a mayor threat and it was not until 1995 that its production was terminated and replaced by Freon-13a. 

1989: Icewalk

Certainly, walking to the physical South Pole is not enough. Robert Swan headed to the northern equivalent.  Due to the effects of global thermal change, the explorer‘s life was once again in peril. While walking through the Arctic, the expedition almost drowned due to the ice cap melting.

Melting of the ice cap is a natural phenomenon. April marks the beginning of the “melting season” and it ends in September when it starts freezing again. The problem is that the melting season is becoming longer. Ice melts earlier in the year and freezes later. Once the ice starts to melt, the water underneath absorbs heat from the sun, promoting further melting. Absorbed heat also affects the time it takes for the ice to start freezing. Since the ice melts earlier, it allows water to absorb heat for a longer time deferring the freezing period

Image from http://nsidc.org/arcticseaicenews/

One of the effects of increased melting, is clearly an overall smaller ice cap region in the surface. Polar bears are one of the many species affected by the smaller ice cap during the summer, as they need the ice to hunt.

1959: The last great wilderness on earth 

Robert made a promise to Jacques Cousteau and Sir Peter Scott in 1991: to use his story to preserve the Antarctic. He started the 2041 mission in order to ensure the preservation of this last great continent for generations to come.

The mission to protect the Antarctic started in 1959 with the signing of the The Antarctic Treaty, originally upheld by 12 countries. Now it boasts the support of 44 nations. 

Further protection is granted by the Madrid Protocol, singed in 1998, naming the land “A Natural Reserve Land for Science and Peace”. The protocol clearly states the conditions in which expeditions or research can be conducted in Antarctica. It also places a ban on mining and mineral exploitation for 50 years. Hence, the name of Robert's mission, "1941", which is the year the debate returns in full swing. What to do with this untouched land?

2008: E-base goes live!

Robert uses the greatest tool at hand in order to fulfill his mission, education.

“As the last unspoilt wilderness on earth, Antarctica is currently protected by the treaty prohibiting drilling and mining until 2041. Decisions made by today's youth will impact our entire planet's ecosystem and the future of life on earth” Robert Swan (2041).

Image from The Journey So Far
 

With the aid of 35 youngsters and the Russian government, Robert headed to Antarctica in order to clean scattered debris in King George Island. A journey that required seven years before completion. The island had been previously used as a research facility, and had accumulated waste over the years.  Forgotten in the island was a scientific station, and with Robert's envision it became a learning station.

Penguins reclaiming King George Island. Image from The Journey So Far

In 2008, E-Base broadcasted live the efforts of Robert and a small team to live in Antarctica, for two weeks, sustained solely by renewable energy. The idea was to demonstrate the use of clean technology and energy saving techniques.

Another growing experience is the Inspire Antarctic Expedition program, which focuses on leadership, teamwork and personal development. It allows very lucky educators, students, entrepreneurs, and corporate leaders to travel in organized expeditions to Antarctica. Traveling the cold terrain will grant the explorers experiences and stories that they can share with the world, a vessel to communicate the importance of protecting the environment.

Winter

In my head, as a child, winter had no connection with seasons. Winter was a time to get presents, tasty food, and time off from school. But more than anything winter has always been the best time to enjoy the beach, sure the water is a bit colder, but given that most people are frighten by the abundance of jellyfishes and the high waves you don’t have to worry about beaches being overcrowded. And then I decided to pursue grad school in Wisconsin…

Now you must think I’m crazy, if I wanted to achieve academic diversity there are plenty of other schools I could have gone to, but we are not going to talk about that now, there is something more crucial.

Lets concentrate of my change of perspective.

If you ask me now the first thing that flies into my head when I think of winter the answer would be static shock. Yes static shock. This is a cruel phenomenon. You want to protect yourself from the chilly wind so you layer up then as you walk to a building and open a door zaaap! You’re shoked, you think it’s weird, then you go to the lab bench to do some experiments and zaaap! your hit again.

There must be something terribly wrong, all day you’ve been shocked opening doors, turning on instruments even turning on the lights. There is nowhere to seek refuge from this horrible sensation. As it goes on, you wonder how to diminish this health hazard (mental health that is).

Then, after weeks of torture, somebody decides to be nice and tell you that fleece is one of the culprits. My mind wanders. Obviously fleece is an enemy, since, even in my extremely humid home (Puerto Rico) I could see static sparks when I moved my fleece throw.

The fleece jackets are thrown out the window, no more fluffy boots either. I embrace sneakers and frozen feet. I refuse to be constantly bested by the element of surprise.