What I Did on My Summer Vacation: Fought Global Warming
Eighteen students explore the Arctic, learn about combating climate change.
June 27, 2008 — -- Not that Ben Wessel needed inspiration to pursue environmental initiatives, but his recent journey to the Arctic brought home the monumental challenges of combating climate change.
"The Arctic makes you feel so small," said Wessel, a 19-year-old student from Middlebury College in Vermont, who joined 17 other students from around the world as part of the World Wildlife Fund-sponsored trip. "But it's cool, because it makes you feel like you have a big part in this world when you realize that we have such a big impact on glaciers at such a huge scale."
The two-week trip, called "The Voyage for the Future," ended June 21, with the students committing to work together long distance toward a "carbon-conscious" globe. The group, which also included scientists, flew to Oslo, Norway, and made its way to Longyearbyen, where they visited with Jack Kohler, an American glaciologist who works at the Norwegian Polar Institute. From Longyearbyen, everyone boarded a ship, once a research vessel, and journeyed along the coast of Svalbard.
The students saw glaciers and Arctic animals, experienced perpetual daylight and learned from the world's most esteemed environmental scientists.
These ambassadors for the future, who came from nine nations that included the United States, Canada, Russia and Japan were chosen for their passionate interest in climate change and strong leadership skills.
The landscapes were deeply affecting, according to participant John Monaghan.
"Coming from Michigan, I don't get the opportunity to see a lot of mountains," he said. "They were just out of this world. We had 24 hours of sunlight, so the sun never set. Sometimes the landscape looked like heaven."
Monaghan, a junior at the University of Michigan, is vice president of his college's student government. He is raising awareness about energy issues through an event called Energy Future, which investigates how energy has developed over time and will be created in the future. He has also interned with environmental organizations.
Shaun Martin, the World Wildlife Fund managing director who recruited and selected from among hundreds of American applicants, said that on top of their impressive applications, Wessel and Monaghan both interviewed very well by phone.
"We did a nationwide call for student applicants," he said. "It was a very quick turnaround time. Applications from students came in from all over the country. We were looking for demonstrative leadership ability, an interest in climate change and an interest in the environment in general."
The students of other nationalities were chosen in a similar manner.
The World Wildlife Fund has never led this trip before, but the organization is considering another trip for next summer, according to Neil Hamilton, director of World Wildlife Fund Arctic.
One World Wildlife Fund representative from each country accompanied the students on their journey. The American representative, manager and program marketer Eunice Park, had never before visited the Arctic.
"I think if everyone got a chance to see the Arctic it would take their breath away," Park said. "It is such a large place out there that is just so beautiful and so majestic, and yet there are small human beings like us that are making these huge, beautiful places change in a potentially harmful way for the planet. If everyone went to the Arctic, they would see how important it is to preserve these places not only because it's beautiful but because if the Arctic goes, the rest of the planet is in danger."
The trip participants have been taking different approaches to climate change activism. One Swedish student has written a book and later received a grant from the Swedish government to travel to elementary schools and talk about her activist writing.
"It was very clear that these were the most extraordinary people I've ever worked with," Hamilton said. "It was quite a life-changing experience."
On top of meeting with the world's most-renowned environment researchers, attending press conferences and building a global climate movement, the students had some fully paid-for fun. A fantastic cooking crew, including a Malaysian sous chef, accompanied the group on the ship, whipping up sizzling concoctions, delectable chocolate mousse and creme brulee. The participants had time to explore Oslo and Svalbard. And, perhaps most audaciously, they dove into Arctic water.
"The whole time we were out there, we had been itching to go in the water," Wessel said. "And then one day, Trolls, the guy who was running the boat, told us 'Today is the day.' So we started singing 'Ole, Ole' and 'It's getting hot in here ... carbon overload ... I am getting so hot, I'm gonna take my clothes off!' And then we just sprinted and ran for it. When we got out, we rushed to get our clothes back on, and I was like, 'Why can't I get my socks on?' It was because there was a rock in it. But I then realized that rock was really my numb toe. Luckily there was a sauna on the boat so we warmed up in there."
"It was a mind-blowing and sobering experience," Wessel said. "Try to go see the Arctic before it's gone."
The photographs were taken by Sindre Kinnerod and belong to the World Wildlife Fund.
Related Stories
ABC News Live