Global Warming: 10 Vanishing Wonders

by Neil Woodburn on

Winter tends to bring more articles about global warming because there is less of it; winter, that is.

Last Monday we referenced a National Geographic Adventure article about the changing face of Greenland as a result of global warming. Yesterday I came across a similar article about a similar theme. But instead of focusing on a singular place, 10 Wonders of the Vanishing World educates us about ten places around the globe which Observer Science Editor Robin McKie tells us “we can no longer take for granted.” Since we love to travel, he also tells us how to get there (before, of course, they disappear).

This list of endangered places is both iconic and sobering…

The snows of Kilimanjaro in Tanzania – expected to disappear if current trends continue
Skiing in Kitzbuhel, Austria – won’t be possible in 20 years
The wildebeest migration in east Africa – unlikely if the grassy plains turn to desert
Glacier National Park, United States – expected to be glacier free by 2030
The Maldives, Indian Ocean – may disappear entirely under water

Sure, there are naysayers out there who will argue that current trends won’t continue. And, I wish I could believe them. But in the meantime, I have a few more adventures to cross off my list of things to see before either I turn to dust, or they do.

No Dogs no Ducks in Seattle Bars

by Erik Olsen on

Seattle has always been one of the more liberal and inviting places, but that is about to change. For ducks anyway. Turns out some bar and restaurant owners are tired of having to deal with people who bring in their pets, and have clamped down harshly, saying nein not only to dogs, but to ducks as well.

The problem stems from animals who are brought out of the rain and do their business on the floor, which is totally understandable…that they’d NOT want the dogs inside that is. Although it’s understandable dogs would want to do their business in a warm, dry place too. You see, here at gadling, we don’t take sides. Usually.

But anyway, yes, the no duck rule is also being enforced by one Barry Rogel, owner of the Deluxe Bar & Grill on Capitol Hill, who decided on the policy after a woman walked in last summer with a pet duck. Customers, it is rumored, were tired of being yelled at by the bird to buy insurance. Ha ha ha!. I kill myself sometimes. Or was that too easy?

Greenland: Hot Adventure Destination Becoming Hotter

by Neil Woodburn on

Last year, two records were broken in Greenland: the country saw the largest number of visiting scientists conducting research as well as the largest number of adventure travelers.

So what do these two records have in common?

According to National Geographic Adventure, the answer is Global Warming.

There is no place on this planet undergoing change faster than Greenland and therefore scientists are flocking there to research the effects that a warming planet is having upon this icy country. Adventure travelers are following in their wake because, some might argue, this phenomenal expanse of snow and glaciers may not be around to enjoy very much longer.

For those of you who scoffed at the last post we did on global warming and claim it doesn’t exist, take a moment to check out this National Geographic Adventure article to see the impact it is having on Greenland specifically.

“If warming continues at its current pace, Greenland’s melting ice sheet will raise worldwide sea levels a startling 1.6 feet (less than a meter) in the next hundred years. Further melting could even shut off the warm ocean currents that keep Europe habitable, plunging it into an ice age.”

We touch on Global Warming here at Gadling because of the effect it is having on travel. In the case of Greenland, melting ice and snow are transforming the landscape in such dramatic fashion that travelers are indeed seeking it out before it changes too much. In some cases it is already too late. Dog sledging, a very popular sport for adventure travelers, is becoming more and more difficult as too much mud is impeding the sleds.

Although the effects of global warming are mostly negative, the article also touches (ironically) on the positive consequences of global warming in Greenland. Warmer waters, for example, are resulting in record bounties of fish being caught. Increased temperatures are also responsible for more calving of ice in retreating glaciers. This powerful force of Mother Nature can be spectacular to witness and is very popular with tourists. Unfortunately, it has created so many icebergs in Disko Bay that it is no longer safe to kayak there.

Some day, if trends continue, Greenland will eventually live up to its name. In the meantime, take a moment to check out this great article and educate yourself about not only the impact of global warming, but the vast icy treasures still accessible for the adventure traveler in Greenland–for the time being, at least.

Access to the National Parks?

by Erik Olsen on

What to do about our country’s wonderful National Parks. We ponder this question often here at gadling. On the one hand, you’ve got trends towards disinterest, with visitation number declining throughout the system. You have a major backlog of repairs and maintenance that needs to be done to keep the parks operating safely. But then, on the opposite end of the spectrum, you’ve got OVERUSE in places like Yosemite. And now, as this article points out, there are big questions about whether to limit use to the parks to protect them.

Last November, a federal judge barred crews from finishing $60 million in construction projects in Yosemite Valley, saying that the projects would bring greater numbers of visitors, and further threatening the area’s fragile ecosystem. The government then appealed, fearing it would be forced to take action to limit park usage.

Personally, this doesn’t bother me. It would mean that you’d have to plan your trip to a park like Yosemite a bit before hand. And chances are you wouldn’t be able to go in the heart of August (which you really wouldn’t want to do anyway since that’s when the valley is at its polluted, Winnebago worst). But limiting visitors would cut down on many of the over-crowding problems the parks face, and while we can argue about our citizens’ rights to visit the parks till we’re blue in the face, there won’t be parks to visit if we ruin them.

Gnomesville Massacre

by Neil Woodburn on

We posted a few months ago about how gnomes have somehow become the mascot of the travel world. From the “traveling gnome” legend, to the icon of Travelocity, the ubiquitous short, stout fellow seems to be popping up everywhere we turn.

And so it is with a heavy heart that we must report to our dear readers about a recent tragic event in which dozens of our beloved little travel buddies were horribly butchered.

The gnome-cide occurred in a forest just south of Perth, Australia where a gaggle of gnomes one-thousand strong were attacked by vandals who crushed and beheaded the peaceful, cherub creatures like some gigantic, roaring Godzilla laying waste to Japan.

While gnomes have been routinely set freed by the Front for the Liberation of Gnomes, this is the first case of wholesale slaughter amongst the tight-knit community. Has the FLG changed tactics? Was the act in retaliation for some unknown gnome discretions of the past? Perhaps a controversial laison with the human world? Or was it just some drunken teenagers with golf clubs?

No one knows the answer. But what we do know is that the gallant survivors, out of respect for their fallen comrades, have remained stoically on duty since the massacre, little shovels in hand, red hats askew, and tiny little midget tears glistening on their plaster faces. The earth may have lost its most loyal guardians, but heaven has gained some pint-sized angels.