Schools Sign Up for Polar Challenge
Two Bailiwick adventurers are engaging the help
of local school children in the fight against global warming.
Mr Steve Wright, from Alderney, and Simon
Elmont, from Sark, spoke to an audience of 160 Amherst Primary
pupils today at the start of a week of presentations to local
schoolchildren. The men will trek across Greenland in the spring,
to carry out experiments designed by the pupils.
Sponsored by Sure and Guernsey Gas, the two
Cable & Wireless employees are embarking on an unsupported 350
mile expedition. Mr Wright explained why: ‘Greenland 09 is all
about raising awareness of climate change amongst local children.
The Greenland ice sheet is melting. If we don’t halt that it’s
estimated that global sea levels will rise by seven metres,
spelling disaster for islands like ours.’ He added: ‘Simon and I
both have families and are passionate about helping youngsters to
understand the role of the environment in shaping their
future.’
The duo will each pull a 100 kilogram sledge
from the east to the west coast of Greenland, undertaking between
four and six daily measurements during the month long journey. They
will transmit the results back to local classrooms via the
Internet, for pupils to carry out their own experiments, as Mr
Elmont explained: ‘We’ll be measuring things like the calorific
value of fuel burning at different temperatures and altitudes, as
well as wind chill, air temperature and navigational readings.
We’ll be sending back data on a daily basis, for the children to
work on.’ He added: ‘We’ll be their eyes and ears on the
ice.’
Deputy Mike Collins, responsible for ICT issues
at the Education Department used to be a mountaineer, and said that
the expedition provided a rare educational opportunity: ‘We have a
local team undertaking an extreme challenge in order to put pupils
in daily contact with one of our most important and fragile
environments, using technology to share information over vast
distances. That’s very exciting and something that the Department
is delighted to be part of.’
Mark McConnell, Sure’s director of customer
operations, wished the team well: “We are very pleased to be
supporting Simon and Steve, who are firmly committed to engaging
local schools in the climate change debate. We wish them a safe
passage in what promises to be a very harsh environment.’
Mr Wright and Mr Elmont are no strangers to the
Arctic, having raised more than £30,000 for Great Ormond Street
Hospital through a previous polar expedition, in 2005. This time
they are raising funds for local sufferers of Motor Neurone
Disease. To donate online visit
www.justgiving.com/greenland09.