One of the biggest revelations of middle school is learning that Greenland is covered not in greenery but ice. Unfortunately, that’s becoming increasingly less true.
The Greenland ice sheet covers 1,062,545 square miles, or 80% of the country’s surface. But a considerable portion of the ice sheet has melted away over the past century: Between 1900 and 2010, the ice sheet has lost 9,103 gigatons of ice. And between 2003 and 2010, those annual losses have doubled.
The ice loss has contributed to a global sea level rise of about 2.5 centimeters over the period. While this may not sound like much, it’s enough water to submerge the entire U.S. highway system 98 feet deep - more than 60 times over. If this trend continues, the world’s largest island could disappear entirely.
Let's support those working to end climate change and keep the Greenland ice sheet right where it is!
