Robert Frost wrote this famous poem, “Fire and Ice” which relates to the age old question whether the world will eventually end in fire or in ice. This question can be interpreted differently by the reader based on past experiences or life altering events. An uncommon answer to this question would undoubtedly be, “both” with common logic showing us that fire and ice would cancel themselves out in any given situation. Ninety-two years after the publishing of this poem director Greg MacGillivray produced an IMAX 3D production titled, “To the Arctic” which takes viewers into the life of a mother polar bear and her two seven month old cubs as they navigate the Arctic in search of glaciers for relief. In this situation the family’s world is slowly and painfully coming to an end at the hands of both fire and ice. As global climate continues to rise, the polar ice caps are quickly disappearing, changing the habitat and way of life of the fragile creatures that inhabit it. Frost penned in 1920 that he would favor fire, but ice would suffice - without the understanding that in the near future both would have harsh implications on our worlds physical systems. Global warming is affecting the habitat of polar bears and without human intervention they may not be saved.

Global warming is a problem because our everyday activities require the burning of fossil fuels. Global warming is affecting our world more and more everyday. According to “What Would Happen If the Polar Ice Caps Melted?” polar ice caps are melting more everyday. In a few thousands years when the glaciers are melting it will flood coastal cities where thousands of people live. When this happens the sea level will also rise. (I. B. 2.) The article goes on to explain that unlike the floating ice caps in the Arctic, Antarctica is completely covered by ice. The water from the Antarctic ice cap would run off into the world’s ocean which would cause the ocean to rise about 200 feet. The article claims that this is not likely to happen though because the temperature is always around -35º Celius. Although if this does happen not that much water will run into the ocean leading the ocean to rise only a few feet. Those few feet would still do damage to the world. The streets along the coasts would be flooded. The farmland could possibly be flooded too causing the world’s food supply to decrease. Even if the polar ice caps did melt it would not affect the whole world. Only a little land would be lost. There is simply not enough ice in Antarctica to flood the entire world (“What Would Happen If the Polar Ice Caps Melted?”). The Arctic use to be covered in ice caps. Overtime the ice caps have melted and now it is destroying the polar bear’s habitat. In fact, according to “Polar Bears and Global Warming,” because of global warming and pollution the polar bears are having to swim longer distance to hunt and are dying more and more everyday.The arctic is part of the tundra biome. The acticle “Tundra Biome” say that the arctic has very long, harsh winters and short, mild summers. In the winter there isn’t much sunlight during the day or night. Ever the summer season doesn’t get very sunny. There isn’t very much vegetation, because it is mostly rocks. The arctic is a cold, dry place. The snow never melts completely because the temperature doesn’t get warm enough. It doesn’t rain much there. About thirty inches at the most because most of their moisture comes from the snow and ice caps. Almost no trees will grow. The temperature in an Arctic tundra biome can get to -70ºF and up to 40ºF. “If such global warming continues, the temperatures will be higher than they have ever been in this biome” (Tundra Biome). (V. A. 2.)

Polar bears may be one of the first species lost due to a warming world. According to “Polar Bears and Global Warming” the world’s largest land carnivore is dieing because the temperature of the world is increasing. Global warming is a huge threat to polar bears because they spend more time in the sea than they do on land. Polar bears do everything on the ice; they live, hunt the seals under the ice, and breed on the ice. (IC; IC) When polar bears get skinny, it is harder for them to get pregnant, and if they do get pregnant, then it is harder for the cubs to live. (IC, CC IC)

“The major concern is the melting of glaciers, which implies that there is a fair chance of the world drowning one day and before that the extinction of animals that can only exist in the snow capped mountains and glaciers” (“Polar Bears and Global Warming”). The ice is melting because of global warming and then the polar bears food source is decreasing; therefore, polar bears are dying because they can’t catch the seals, walrus, and whales.(IC; IM, IC) In the summertime there is absolutely no ice in some places. At these times the polar bears live on land and hardly eat anything. The ice that is still left is far from shore which makes the polar bears swim all the way to the ice. This is very dangerous because of the rough waves out in the sea. Polar bears have gone without ice for up to 160 days. No ice means they didn’t eat much food either.“Moreover, the food that they eat have high degree of pollutant, which leads to birth defects and reduction in the immunity of these bears” (“Polar Bears and Global Warming”). In order for the temperatures to be cooler in the arctic, the pollution in the atmosphere like carbon dioxide has to lower dramatically.

The article “Global Warming and Polar Bears” says that in 2050 ? of the world’s polar bears will be gone. Polar bears weight has dropped by 20%. The article goes on the say that the polar bears go hungry for days on end. Since the temperature is rising the size of the ocean and ozone layer are decreasing. Polar bears are use to the ice and sea Arctic not the melting ice Arctic. These animals are also disappearing because of the climate change. While the polar bears are hunting the are on the ice to get their prey the ice is melting. Then when the polar bears are done hunting and want to go to a safe place the ice has disappeared making it almost impossible to reach a safe place. “This year they came to shore very early as the ice broke up early and the ice is forming up later. We are for fearful that the situation is going to become critical for the polar bears in this area”(Dr. Sterling Miller, NWF Wildlife biologist). The polar bears are dying from the ice melting because they can’t swim that far. Polar can swim for miles though they just aren’t use to to swimming between ice sheets and when the ice sheets are gone because they have melted it harms the polar bears. “A female polar bear reportedly swam for nine days - non stop- across the Beaufort Sea before reaching an ice floe, costing her 22 percent of her weight and her cub” (“Global Warming and Polar Bears”).

According to Wildlife Biologist, Dr. Ian Stirling, has been studying polar bears and the arctic life for over 20 years. Everything they predicted and studied 20 years ago is now common knowledge because it is all happening right now.“In 2008, the polar bear was listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act primarily because of the decline of its primary habitat: sea ice” (“Global Warming and Polar Bears”).
Sometimes we might feel like we can’t help the polar bears survive because they live so far away. The truth is anyone can help, even little kids. According to "Tips from Scientists to Help Polar Bears" little kids can help out by walking or riding their bike to school everyday instead of having a family member take them. Humans that live in big cities can take public transportation instead of everyone driving their own car when they are all going to same place. (IC DC) People need to try to avoid drive-through business so that you don’t pollute fuel into the environment. The article goes to and says that everyone needs to keep their car tuned up and try to avoid tire inflation. Some social interactions are talk to people in your town and get people together and pick up trash. When you go to school, talk to your friends about the polar bears and try to get them to help.(DC, IC) Large companies should transfer to green power. The article claims that companies should generate their own wind and solar power. Replace light bulbs with compact fluorescent or other energy. “Vote for political representatives who recognize that our carbon-based society isn't sustainable and who will work to establish an appropriate price for carbon” (Tips from scientist to help Polar Bears). Use less water. Buy and make food only what you need and will eat. Go to a local food market to get your fruit and vegetables. Avoid products that have palm oil, coffee, and South American beef. Reduce, reuse, and recycle. The article says that everyone buy products closer to home. For examples in the U.S. don’t buy products that are shipped from far away. Everyone should try to help stop littering and try to help save the polar bears little by little everyday.


Works Cited
"Global Warming and Polar Bears." - National Wildlife Federation. National Wildlife Federation, 2013. Web. 30 Jan. 2013.
"Polar Bears and Global Warming." N.p., 2012. Web. 31 Jan. 2013.
"Tips from Scientists to Help Polar Bears." Polar Bears International. Website by BIO, 2011. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.
"Tundra Biome." Animal Facts and Information RSS. Copyright 2013 BioExpedtion.com, 2012. Web. 21 Feb. 2013.
"What Would Happen If the Polar Ice Caps Melted?" WiseGEEK. Conjecture Corporation, 2003. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.