Earth Equity News

Arctic Sea Ice Shrank to Second Lowest Level on Record. AP, September 16, 2008. "Crucial Arctic sea ice this summer shrank to its second lowest level on record, continuing an alarming trend, scientists said Tuesday. The ice covered 1.74 million square miles on Friday, marking a low point for this summer, according to NASA and the National Snow and Ice Data Center in Boulder. Last summer, the sea ice covered only 1.59 million square miles, the lowest since record-keeping began in 1979… Even though the sea ice didn't retreat this year as much as last summer, 'there was no real sign of recovery,' said Walt Meier of the snow and ice data center. This year was cooler and other weather conditions weren't as bad, he said. 'We're kind of in a new state of the Arctic basically, and it's not a good one,' Meier said. 'We're definitely sliding towards a point where the summer sea ice will be gone.'"