– The planet is facing a rapidly accelerating emergency, but it’s not too late to act, says Christiana Figueres, architect of the historic 2015 Paris Agreement. – All of us start the transformation in one place — our mindset. This decade is a moment of choice unlike any we have ever lived. You and I can choose to move through the next decade with indifference – or we can be stubborn optimists and rise to the challenge.
Having been away from sharing a blog it’s time for an update as we are days away from heading to Glasgow for COP26, Conference of the Parties. We will participate in a panel on the importance of polar education to inform the public on climate change – as we know ‘what happens in the Arctic doesn’t stay in the Arctic’. Our plan is to send in short video updates on what our experience is like and what is happening. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook to keep up to date.
VERY DIFFERENT
This time last year darkness was sneaking up around the corner. Literally. Winds were starting to rip, the waves were high and tumultuous and often the night sky was awash with stars and aurora displays. We were on the cusp of 3 months of total darkness called the Polar Night.
This year could not be more different though darkness is still around the corner.
MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH & 14-DAY CHALLENGE
We decided November was a good month to focus on mental and physical health- so we started a 14-day challenge, hopefully you’ll be inspired to join us for all of it or a part of it. It’s hard to break habits unless you do start with one action, one thought at a time.
- No alcohol or no sugar for 14 days.
- Exercise 30 mins a day, for example yoga, a walk or gym daily.
- Write one thing you are grateful for, write this down in a book/journal, daily.
- Use food in your fridge and try not to waste it.
- Reach out and connect to someone, a stranger, family or a friend with a call, email or postcard every day for 14 days.
- Don’t use single use plastic. Bring your own bags to the store, or find other ways not to use too much plastic.
Our theme this month is mental and physical health. Read more about the theme of the month here.
JOIN US LIVE FROM SCOTLAND NOV 9TH
Our re-entry back into this very over-stimulated and busy world has been pretty tough for all three of us. Just ask Gro Mjeldheim Sandal, the researcher that was studying us for her work on coping, isolation, mental health, human performance and adaptation in extreme environments, e.g. spaceflights, polar expeditions, over-winterers in Antarctica and now the Arctic. A lot of her work is with NASA astronauts and we do admit that our 19 months at Bamsebu were like being in space- observing the rest of the world from above. Join Gro, Hilde and Sunniva (live from Scotland) Tuesday Nov 9th 11 am EST as we hope to share tools and insights that all of us coping with covid and climate change can relate to. Signup and calls are free for all. Big thanks to @Telus for stepping up as Education partner this month.
Join Sunniva and Hilde live from COP26, Glasgow, with special guest Gro Mjeldheim Sandal, November 9th @ 11:00am EST / 1700 CET.
Read more about the event and sign up here.
POLAR BEAR WEEK NOV 1-7 & RELEASED BOOK
We care deeply about our Polar Bear population and shrinking sea ice habitat. Help us celebrate Polar Bear week Nov 1-7 with Polar Bears International in support of outreach, education and awareness.
How can you help you ask ? You can help with a purchase of our just released book Hearts in the Ice (pre-orders ship this week) or a unique one of a kind Polar bear bracelet. Visit our webshop here.
A portion of book sales will go directly to Polar Bears International.
JUST RELEASED
BEING A VOICE FOR ACTION
Our travels post-Bamsebu have been very calculated and as a team we have made the decision to show up for events where we can lend our voice for action. We spoke at the Arctic Circle Assembly in Iceland with Global Choices this past month and will be at Cop26 in Scotland next week.
We are symbols of the power of community, your community = our community, and collaboration as we work to inspire active engagement around the most pressing issue of our time. We ask that each of you keep considering your choices- big and small. Support those individuals, organizations, companies and countries that take a stand and stand up for what will have lasting change to sustain us and create a more just and healthy world that can include all of us.
– Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters, and teach some of us more than we can ever learn from books – John Lubbock
Explore. Dream. Discover. Re-gift. Re-purpose. Recycle. Shower less. Be more.
Hugs from Sunniva, Hilde and Ettra
Excited to see the book! Love the 14-day challenge! And most importantly I’m urging everyone to learn about the arctic because as you so wisely say, ‘what happens in the arctic does not stay in the arctic.’!!
Thanks Marti .-)