By the way, the iceberg shown in the background of the photo from his video is a fake – done by CGI. That’s not a good way to start in my opinion. The man is Alex Bellini, a “professional adventurer and motivational speaker” who plans to live alone on a melting iceberg off the coast of Greenland for one year, to emphasize the urgent need for climate change action. Apparently, he thinks melting icebergs is a recent phenomena.
According to Treehugger:
This bold one-man campaign comes at a time when a chorus of scientists, organizations and policymakers continue to warn about the accelerating loss of Arctic ice.
Thus, extreme circumstances seem to call for extreme measures, but for this former finance student from northern Italy who has already run 23,000 kilometres (14,291 miles) of marathons, rowed solo across the Mediterranean, Atlantic, and Pacific oceans, this new project seems even more extreme.
Watch Bellini explain his actions himself:
Starting in spring of 2015, Bellini plans to find a suitable iceberg in the northwest region of Greenland, where he will remain for up to a year as it slowly melts. Provisioned with with 300 kilograms (661 pounds) of dried food, Bellini will shelter in a survival capsule, the Kevlar-reinforced kind used for ocean oil rigs, until it becomes too risky — at which point he will take to the sea in the capsule, floating adrift until he is rescued.
===============================
Place your bets now, I don’t think he will make it past about six months. Most every time we’ve seen people go to the Arctic to “emphasize the urgent need for climate change action” they find that the Arctic isn’t as warm and tolerable as they think it must be, and they come woefully underprepared. Just ask the Catlin Expedition, the Polar Defense Project, and the “Row to the Pole” folks, all of whom failed miserably. They tended to view the Arctic like this BBC story did:
People, I had to shut my office door cuz I cannot control my laughter.
You won’t see me living on an iceberg for a year.
However, you will see me in my kayak at the North Pole next month – yes, the real North Pole, not the one 5 KM off of Peggy’s Cove.
I gotta get the kayak out of layaway at Dick’s and stat training.
Al Jazeera has committed to media coverage for me.
I made a comment on Alex’s facebook page:
“Alex, the Arctic warms as a negative feedback to declines in solar forcing, and it cools with increased forcing of the climate. Your concerns about Arctic ice loss are completely misplaced.”
He replied:
“Hi Ulric. thanks for your contribution to the discussion. I agree with you, however Adrift doesn’t have only scientific purposes.”
He’s gonna want some shoes. Because dying alone with no shoes is sad.
Moreover, those shoes should be non-toxic to Polar Bears.
You know, just in case.
Ive got an idea. How about people who think humanity is killing the planet itself actually acted on their beliefs “to highlight climate change”. There is no need to convince us lowly plebs who “deny science”. I doubt all of them would even need to follow suit to have a greater impact countrywide, all without any new laws or taxes. No need to convince anyone except those who claim to already be convinced.
Im told by some I know that I am the problem as a skeptic. I find this a bit silly honestly. Think of it, we have a large portion of our population who think the entire earths systems might fail yet even they persist in their “evil” ways. If the devout in large part wont change their lifestyle that seems like much more of an issue then the people who dont see that there is an issue. It would be like a religion having the view the problem in the world is that not everyone agrees with the religion the believers themselves do not practice, DOH. you cant make this nonsense up.
Bellini plans to find a suitable iceberg in the northwest region of Greenland, where he will remain for up to a year as it slowly melts.
Wouldn’t a suitable iceberg for his purposes be one that is expected to melt away in six weeks? He WANTS the thing to melt under his feet, the faster the better.
4 months ’til he becomes Polar Bear poop. Or does he intend to scare them away with pepper and a bell (well known joke!)
If it is melting then how do you live on it. In one year it would be a goner, that is according to the chorus of AGW supporters!
How about we sneak a couple of animatronic polar bears onto the iceberg in the middle of the night then stand back and film the reaction. Green with shades of brown, the new Enviro-colour.
This man is clueless. As many has pointed out, icebergs are unstable and roll as they melt. Depending on its shape this guy might be thrown into the sea long before it has melted significantly, and you don’t want to be near a tumbling iceberg.
Thanks all!
Have had a grim-mish week, but have now smiled, laughed, chuckled and howled with weeping eyes at your comments.
Hugely, hugely appreciated.
Auto.
Hmmmm…..if icebergs didn’t always melt anyway he might have something to show.
But, at most, all he’ll show is, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.”
On a positive note, If they can’t mount a rescue mission this winter his body will be well preserved until spring ;0)
Only if he gets trapped in the rescue capsule and frozen in solid. Polar bears love carrion.
I wonder, if the cuddly poley bears had a choice among eco-activists, would they “go vegan”?
A Far Side cartoon:
Two Polar Bears at an igloo…..
Maybe he can catch a ride on the peterman iceberg, That thing looks tall enough to discourage the occasional polar bear ;0)
Easier to fake than a Moon landing.;)
was there a full moon just before this announcement; what else could explain this idiocy?
if he can melt the iceberg, he will be allowed to sleep with my wife to see if he can go two for two. I think he will have better luck with the ice berg.
The polar bear beat him:
[IMG]http://blogs.news.com.au/images/uploads/floatypoley.gif[/IMG]
(here’s your stranded poley bear image)
http://blogs.news.com.au/images/uploads/floatypoley.gif
just use naked URL to post image – no tags required
Watching this guy die from self-inflicted stupidity is not how I like to win a debate. I hope he reconsiders and gets the help he needs to ensure he enjoys a long happy life.
Along with the other ……. oh, how to describe them
http://www.explorersweb.com/polar/news.php?url=susan-eaton-nwp-snorkel_1381437537
Lets go snorkel the north west passage in summer
I’ve been to Barrow, you do not go swimming in summer, despite the tourist dept brochures
It is ************** cold
This is like the guys who were going to row to the North Pole.
Its the media sendoff that matters. Big headlines. When those rowers quickly quit nary a peep from the media. So also with this guy. Big media sendoff. Nary a peep when he packs it in a few weeks later.
Let’s be honest here. Alex Bellini is an adventurer and motivational speaker, so he’s in the business of taking risks and challenging himself. Mountain-climbing, particularly those known to present extreme, life-threatening conditions falls in the same general category. Where he goes wrong, and where the whacko factor comes in is his connection of this enterprise with the CAGW meme. However, even that may be calculated to bringing in publicity and funding. In which case, he’s just a liar and one more of many climate prostitutes and carpetbaggers.
Yes, but the entire daredevil concept is suspect. No doubt crowds rush to watch fools risk their lives, and more than a few bucks have been made on that aspect of human nature.
Guys like this gain credibility especially among the no fear generations who share the idea apparently, that one can be a hero by risking one’s neck performing some unnecessary feat of endurance, skill or acrobatics, cameras rolling of course, and then posting the video on youtube where all can admire the daredevil stud’s.total awesomeness.
A showoff taking unnecessary risks is about the last person I’d listen to for advice about anything.
.
Are you sure that’s not Bill Nye the Science Lie with a beard? Just wondering…
Based on Yves Frenot views on Chris Turney’s Antarctic expedition, maritime rescue operations may have been re-prioritized since. But Alex Bellini may get some cool whale close-ups while waiting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPge_0lea3o.
Imagine all the environment unfriendly work required to generate the funds required – starting with those commuting in their cars to earn it.
I would like this story so much better if it was MANN TO LIVE ON MELTING ICEBERG.
Since all of the Arctic ice is supposed to melt next year, he could just camp out close to the North Pole. Since the ice sheet moves around over time, he may have to relocate every couple of weeks. But once all the ice is melted at the North Pole, a small boat can just motor in and pick him up. That would be much simpler for everyone, as we would know exactly where he is.