Mayors Witness Global Warming in Alaska

[NVMojo]

I grew up in the Anchorage area and Portgage Glacier was a real treat to go see when I was a kid. We have old family photos showing how huge teh glaciers were in the late 60s. This is a tragedy.


ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Portage Glacier has retreated so far, it no longer can be seen from the multimillion-dollar visitors center built for it in 1986. Tourists have to cross a lake to see the glacial ice that looks sky blue on a cloudy day.

At a resort a few miles away, municipal leaders from 17 states are gathering this weekend to talk about global warming and see how it is changing the northern landscape.

"We need to take concrete steps now to make our communities more resilient to climate change, and we have a responsibility to put in place cost-saving, efficient strategies to reduce our emissions," said the conference host, Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich.

Begich was once a skeptic but said he has witnessed the changes in his region, from the retreating glacier - a major tourist destination near Anchorage's southern edge - to the insect-infested spruce trees in south-central Alaska.

More than 30 mayors are scheduled to participate in the Anchorage conference.

more...

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/nat-gen/2006/sep/15/091500556.html

[Javaman]

1. Having grown up in NYC, lived and worked in L.A.

and finally settling in Texas, one of my life long ambitions was to see the Alaskan glaciers. Alas, I believe they will all be gone by the time I ever get the chance.

Sigh. :(

[skids]

2. But hey,

I'm guessing, but at least you got to see the Greatful Dead in concert, right? :-)