Arctic Sea Ice Day Toolkit
Arctic Sea Ice Day is July 15th!
We created Arctic Sea Ice Day to draw attention to sea ice melt in the Arctic and how we can help reverse that trend. Polar bears rely on sea ice to hunt, breed, roam, and sometimes to den. Scroll down for action tools, social media content and resources, and ways to get involved.
Photo: BJ Kirschhoffer
Talk About It!
Did you know that one of the best ways to save sea ice for polar bears by motivating action on climate warming is to talk about it? By including climate change in your everyday conversations, you can help make climate action a kitchen table issue and policy priority. Scroll down to learn more.
Why Does It Matter?
The Arctic is warming three times faster than the rest of the planet, causing the sea ice to melt. In several regions around the Arctic, this is reducing the time polar bears have to hunt seals, increasing their fasting period, and forcing them to rely on their fat stores for longer periods. If the Arctic continues to warm at the current rate, we will see fewer polar bears in fewer places across the Arctic, making them more vulnerable to extinction.
Sea ice is the Earth’s air conditioner, it helps keep our planet cool and regulates the Earth’s climate. Melting sea ice doesn’t just impact polar bears, it’s bad for people too. In order to protect polar bears and the sea ice we all depend on, we need to move away from using fossil fuels for energy altogether.
Sea ice is as important to the Arctic ecosystem as soil is to a forest. Sea ice is much more than a frozen hunting platform for polar bears: It supports the entire Arctic food chain! When ocean water gets cold enough to freeze, it expels salt, causing channels to form inside the ice. As sunlight filters through, algae grow in these channels, creating an underwater garden that forms the base of the food chain. Together, we can preserve this habitat for polar bears, people, and other wildlife.
Learn Why Polar Bears Need Sea Ice
“If we’re not talking about climate change, why would we care? And if we don't care, why would we do anything to fix it?”
– Katharine Hayhoe, climate scientist
Learn More About Arctic Sea Ice
Photo: BJ Kirschhoffer / Polar Bears International
Facts About Arctic Sea Ice
Key facts about this remarkable frozen ocean ecosystem, the ice loss taking place, and how a shift to renewable energy can help reverse that trend.
Create Your Own Content
Download one of our Arctic Sea Ice Day graphics and create your own content!
Key Links & Polar Bears International Handles
Twitter: @PolarBears
Facebook: @PolarBearsInternational
Instagram: @polarbearsinternational
Short Link for more information: bit.ly/arcticseaiceday
Hashtags
#ArcticSeaIceDay #SaveOurSeaIce #TalkAboutIt #ClimateAction
Sample Posts
The following are some sample posts for use on social media with your own visuals or our included graphics. Kindly tag Polar Bears International and/or share a link to our website. We deeply appreciate your support in spreading the word!
Photo: Kt Miller / Polar Bears International
Make It Personal
Many places have been experiencing extreme weather events lately, making it the perfect time to talk about climate warming and melting Arctic sea ice.
Connect these events with melting sea ice and the importance of sharing your concern for the climate. For example: “Arctic sea ice is melting and we’re experiencing record heat and a prolonged drought. On #ArcticSeaIceDay, July 15, let’s talk about the need to act on climate change—for polar bears and all of us! #TalkAboutIt #ClimateAction
Share What You Learn or Re-Purpose Our Content
Discover the four major sea ice eco-regions with our chief scientist, Dr. Steven Amstrup! These four regions are defined by how the sea ice forms and changes in different parts of the Arctic throughout the year and how polar bears respond to these changes.
Tune in LIVE on July 15th to learn more about polar bears, belugas, and Arctic sea ice!
Explore facts on our website about Arctic sea ice and learn more about current sea ice conditions from the National Snow and Ice Data Center.
Celebrate the arrival of belugas whales in the Churchill River estuary's warm waters, and tune into our live Beluga Cams for Arctic inspiration. Learn why belugas need sea ice and take part in the Beluga Bits citizen scientist project!
