The very warm day yesterday should make us think of the summer to come. And it’s going to be warmer in the Arctic as well, which is actually warming more quickly than the rest of the planet. The ice has already melted near Kongsfjorden, an island near Svalbard off the coast of Norway
Not only have many of the cold water animals moved even further north, but scientists have also discovered microplastics in birds and the few ringed seals that are still near Svalbard, which are also moving north to build ice dens to protect their young. We wonder how this is possible, so far from the trash that litterbugs leave on the Jersey Shore. But it is.
New creatures now inhabit the shoreline, such as polar bears (and you thought they were only in Alaska!) With less and less sea ice, they are now hunting fish and bird eggsalong the shore, just as we do. So, even as the temperature drops towards the end of the week, as it’s supposed to do, the real challenge we face is heat and more of it.
Prayer for the Day
The cold beauty of winter has left us, O God,
And we now live in fluctuating weather of spring;
Warm sunny days, cool wet days engulf us,
As we feel winds and breezes around us.
May your breath catch and hold us,
Embracing us as part of your creation.
In the name of the One who is your breath,
Even Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.
Thoughts for the Day
I was so fascinated by the fjord’s beauty. Now, I have grandchildren, and I wonder if they will be able to see what I have seen.
Geir Wing Gabrelson, ecotoxicologist at Kongsfjorden
It’s like a tiny forest” that forms a home for crabs, worms, snails and many other creatures that used to live on the sea floor. It’s blooming. The growth is a reminder that nature can adapt
Luisa Düsedau, scientist at Kongsfjorden
The Lord is king and robed in majesty; the Lord is robed and girded with strength.
God has stablished the world; it shall never be moved;
Your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting
Psalm 93: 1-2