It Must Be Incredible to Visit Antarctica. Here's Why You Shouldn't

[progressoid]

Every summer, as the sea ice surrounding Antarctica retreats, tens of thousands of tourists and scientists flock to the landmass by boat and plane.

The remote continent is becoming increasingly accessible – during the 2019-20 season, the number of sightseeing visitors reached 74,000, with the vast majority traveling by ship. Scientific activities on the continent are also significant, with more than 70 research stations collectively housing thousands of researchers.

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The results are sobering. In affected areas near human settlements on the Antarctic Peninsula, human-produced black carbon may be causing surface snow to melt by up to 23 mm every summer.

When examining tourist activities specifically, the authors calculate that each visitor between 2016 and 2020 was effectively melting around 83 metric tons of snow, due largely to emissions from cruise ships.

Scientific activities are not exempt – in fact, scientific research stations contribute to an order of magnitude higher per capita snow melt rate through the operation of fuel-intensive equipment and vehicles, sometimes year-round.

...https://www.sciencealert.com/it-must-be-incredible-to-visit-antarctica-here-s-why-you-probably-never-should

[mountain grammy]

1. We have met the enemy and he is us.

[PJMcK]

2. Once, I met a man who sailed to Antarctica

He and his wife sailed their 45-foot sailboat from New York down the western side of the Atlantic Ocean to Antarctica. The two of them eventually circumnavigated the world.

It was a fascinating story and he told of the experience in a dispassionate manner that actually presented the tale in great relief.

As for myself, I don’t need to sail to Antarctica nor around the world although there are some who wish I would!