I’m very excited to say that I’m leaving for the Arctic tomorrow on a two-week scientific expedition called Students on Ice, which will have 75 students and 30 scientists leave for the far North to learn about the environmental impact that climate change is having on the Arctic.
They say that the polar regions are a window into the environmental future of our planet. Scientists can study ice sheets and better understand the future of climate change on earth. They can see the increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels of the past decades and also study ice densities to determine the rate of recession of the caps, which unfortunately, is leading to warmer waters and higher sea levels. You can see why maintaining the polar ice caps is so important to the battle against climate change.
With Students on Ice, participants will not only discuss these and other environmental problems, but work towards solutions that will guarantee future generations a greener, cleaner planet. Students will also work with and learn from local Inuit to learn how the region is shaping Canadian identity.
Students on Ice is partnering with the Filter for Good Campaign, a program designed to educate Canadians on the impacts of bottled water waste. It makes far more environmental and economic sense to drink filtered water from our tap in your own home. It will save you money and help reduce global warming, since the production of plastic leads to additional greenhouse gas emissions.
I hope to learn a lot over the next two weeks about how we can help reduce these emissions, because when I come back, I will be sharing my expedition experiences with the larger community by giving multimedia presentations to elected officials and the media. As a leader of a major children’s rights organization, I will also produce a short video that will be provided to the tens of thousands of students I speak to every year at schools, leadership camps and other youth organizations throughout Canada and the world.
In addition, I will also be creating a photo gallery exhibition at school in the Fall to raise awareness of the dangers of climate change, and have students in art classes produce paintings and drawings from the photos I will take on the expedition to illustrate the beauty of the polar regions to local art fairs and galleries.
Once again, I want to thank the Filter for Good Campaign for providing me with this incredible opportunity. I hope I can transfer what I learn on the expedition to as many people as possible. We may not have yet won the battle against global warming, but we can certainly begin by becoming more environmentally-aware. After all, the planet belongs to each of us, and it is our duty to take care of it.
Warm Regards,
Bilaal Rajan
“Together We Can Make A Difference”