Inuit advised to use dogs not snowmobiles on new thinner ice
Inuit communities in eastern Canada are being urged to return to traditional dogsleds rather than using modern snowmobiles. There is concern that the ice, thinned by global warming, can't hold the Skidoos (a type of snowmobile).
Martin Tremblay, a geographic researcher in the area said: "For the last 10 years or so we've had winters that are more mild, so ice forms later in autumn and winter. One of the most effective means of transport is the Skidoo, and the period when it can be used is shorter than before. It causes security problems, because the ice is thinner and more unstable."
Dogsleds are far lighter than Skidoos, making the traditional transportation the best option on the thinner ice. A bonus is that they won't make matters worse: they run on dog food not carbon emitting gasoline.
[via MSNBC]
