The famous North-West Passage, that frozen stretch of water running along the North American Arctic coastline has finally started to thaw because of global warming. The once treacherous ice strewn sea passage is now almost clear of ice for the first time since records began. In the 1900’s explorers took two years to navigate the dangerous and mostly frozen waters, now it is pretty much plain sailing. This is surely another sign of global warming for any one that still doubts that global warming is real. What makes this even worse is that with the seas around the Arctic becoming easier to navigate as more and more of the ice melts, the Arctic oil and gas fields are now becoming accessible. Exploration and extraction companies are already fighting over the rights to these gas and oil reserves.
Just what the world needs, more gas and oil extraction to feed our insatiable thirst for fossil fuels. At least if fossil fuels run out people will have to find alternatives, but with new supplies being discovered, the impetus to develop new technologies and renewable energy will grind to a halt.
From: BEST OF 2008: Eco-friendy and sustainable shoes