Arctic Sea Ice Day AAC Toolkit
Arctic Sea Ice Day is July 15th!
We created Arctic Sea Ice Day to draw attention to sea ice loss in the Arctic, an ecosystem many species depend on across the circumpolar North.
Why Does It Matter?
It’s important that we protect healthy ocean ecosystems. Sea ice is much more than a frozen hunting platform for polar bears: It supports the entire Arctic food chain! When ocean water gets cold enough to freeze, it expels salt, causing channels to form inside the ice. As sunlight filters through, algae grow within these channels, creating an underwater garden that forms the base of the food chain. Together, we can preserve this threatened habitat for polar bears, people, and other wildlife.
The Arctic is warming four times as fast as the rest of the planet, causing the sea ice to melt. In several regions around the Arctic, this is reducing the time polar bears have to hunt seals, increasing their fasting period and forcing them to rely on their fat stores for longer periods. If the Arctic continues to warm at the current rates, we will see fewer polar bears in fewer places across the Arctic, making them more vulnerable to extinction.
As a member of Polar Bears International’s Arctic Ambassador Center Network, which includes zoos and aquariums in the U.S., Canada, and Europe, you have an opportunity to talk about climate warming and its impacts on polar bear populations consistently and to change the conversation to be positive, civic-minded, and solutions-focused.
In this toolkit, we will share ways to #TalkAboutIt from our partners at @NNOCCI, who research effective climate communications strategies and provide tools to start more effective conversations. Read through and reference the quick links below.
AAC Tools
Photo: BJ Kirschhoffer
Photo: Madison Stevens / Polar Bears International
Photo: Devon Albeit Photography
AAC Tools
Upcoming Broadcasts
Join us on Arctic Sea Ice Day, July 15, at approximately 3 p.m. CT as we launch our Beluga Boat Cams and discuss Arctic ecology, sea ice, and beluga whales, live from the Churchill River! Tune in LIVE to learn more about polar bears, belugas, and Arctic sea ice!
Create Your Own Content
As trusted messengers we invite you to be a part of a collective effort to Talk About It! Write up your own post or use some of the sample language below.
Key Links & Polar Bears International Handles
Twitter: @PolarBears
Facebook: @PolarBearsInternational
Instagram: @polarbearsinternational
Short Link for more information: pbears.org/arcticseaiceday
Hashtags
#ArcticSeaIceDay #SaveOurSeaIce #TalkAboutIt #ClimateAction
Sample Posts
Please share these sample posts on social media along with one of our included graphics to spread the word. Kindly tag Polar Bears International and/or share a link to our website. We deeply appreciate your support!
Learn Why Polar Bears Need Sea Ice
“If we’re not talking about climate change, why would we care? And if we don't care, why would we do anything to fix it?”
– Katharine Hayhoe, climate scientist
Learn More About Arctic Sea Ice
Photo: BJ Kirschhoffer / Polar Bears International
Facts About Arctic Sea Ice
Key facts about this remarkable frozen ocean ecosystem, the ice loss taking place, and how a shift to renewable energy can help reverse that trend.
