There’s nothing quite like gazing out across the horizon at slowly drifting sea ice, listening to it crack and pop and feeling how interconnected we are.
Today is World Oceans Day, and at Polar Bears International that means we are celebrating the frozen, salty ocean that polar bears and people depend on.
The world’s oceans are sometimes called the climate’s heart. Ocean currents regulate our planet’s climate in the same way our hearts regulate the flow of blood through our bodies. Just as your heart makes sure the right amount of blood gets to all parts of your body—not too much and not too little—the oceans sustain Earth’s climate by controlling the circulation of cold, heat, and moisture.
The frozen ocean in the Arctic is a key part of this interconnected system, helping to keep our planet cool and at a stable temperature.
But this remarkable system is at risk. When we burn fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas, we add heat-trapping gases to the atmosphere. This extra heat stresses the world’s oceans, damaging their ability to keep the climate stable. Our warming planet is melting the polar bear’s sea ice home and impacting people around the globe.
You can join us in celebrating World Oceans Day today by learning more about oceans and polar bears, and sharing what you learn. By learning and talking about how the frozen ocean is connected to all of us, we can change the way we think about it and move towards a more sustainable future for polar bears and all life on Earth.
