Story Behind the Polar4 Arctic Expedition
When I first visited the Arctic in March 2011, I was blown away by the overpowering beauty surrounding me in the rich landscape and clean nature. It was uncontaminated oasis amidst a world with so much pollution. I was there to film a documentary, and the more time I spent trying to capture the Arctic on film, the more I felt it begin capture and captivate me.
I returned several times to the Arctic over the following years for the purpose of filming, and with each journey I felt more and more certain that I need to do something to help preserve it. Although it is one of the most untouched places on Earth, and the negative effects of climate change are more measurable there than anywhere else. Funding for scientists to thoroughly research changes in land and animal life is insufficient.
I realized I needed to do something about it. Thus one day in March of 2014, the idea for Polar4 was born.
The purposes of the mission are discovery and preservation. To discover, we will bring international scientists to conduct experiments they would not otherwise be able to finance related to climate change, animals and nature. To discover we will also search for the remains of the airship Italia mission lost there in 1928. To preserve, we will bring global attention to the Arctic through video footage, celebrities and media coverage of the experiments and the search for the airship Italia, to inspire the rest of the world to take action.
If we do not act now, the average temperature of planet earth will raise by as much as 4° by the end of the century. Desertification, extreme heat waves, tropical storms and rising sea levels are just some of the catastrophic impacts, that will affect millions of lives and entire regions of the world.
This is why I am asking you as a contributors to help us research and draw awareness to this area, helping not just us, not just you and your family and friends, not just the animals alive now, but all future generations of human, plant and animal life.
The Arctic is a powerful place but it is not strong enough to survive climate change and pollution on its own. The way things are going and the way that it is melting, the Arctic that I first encountered back in March of 2011 will exist for future generations only in old photos, videos and memories of those lucky enough to have seen it.
Mission Details
The voyage will begin in August 2017 in Tromsø, as 30 scientists and crew members board 4 sailboats and begin a 4 week journey. Each boat will have a different focus - one will focus on science, conducting 16 experiments, another on Arctic ice mapping, another on media and celebrities to bring attention to the cause, and still another on finding the airship Italia, lost in 1928. Because it will be Arctic summertime, we will have 24/7 sunlight to ensure we able to accomplish as much possible during the trip. As the Captain of the mission, I will decide when and in what order we do each experiment depending on water and weather conditions.
Reasons and Ways to Contribute
We ask contributors to help us preserve the Arctic. We are doing this for you and we cannot do it without you. Our goal is to get 85.000 EUR of crowdsourced funding. This is the last 20% of the total budget of the expedition. But we need it and therefore ask for your support and give you great perks in return. If you contribute to our mission, you will be contributing to a planet with healthier air and water for generations and generations to come.
Your contribution will be used in one of the following ways:
- To help fund the 16 scientific experiments the scientists will perform, only with the full budget we can perform the 16 experiments as we planned.
- To help support the expedition costs, rental materials and post-research and outreach after the expedition.
How this will benefit you:
- It will benefit the health of the whole planet and this includes you and your family
- You can contribute to something incredibly important to help save future lives
- All the animals who live healthier longer lives in the Arctic would thank you if they could!
Our Impact is Your Impact
The success of the scientific experiments, of the search for the lost airship Italia and of generating worldwide media coverage for the mission depends not just on me and the scientists and the crew on the boats during the mission, but on all of the people who contribute their energy and money to help us get there in the first place.
The more attention we draw to the Arctic, the more we can ensure funding for scientific missions and for campaigns for preservation in the future. Every person who donates becomes a part of the mission as well as a part of the legacy of any success we achieve. Just as a team of us will take this journey to the Arctic, an even bigger and equally important team of us will help us achieve the means to get there.
Risks and Challenges
The Arctic Ocean combines freezing temperatures with volatile and unpredictable weather, meaning we will be at risk during the mission to severe and possibly life-threatening conditions. In addition, while on land, we will be surrounded by polar bears who do at times attack humans.
The crew and scientists will undergo rigorous survival and disaster training before the journey even begins, to ensure that we are prepared for every worst-case scenario. Each person on board will be aware of all emergency plans and trained in life-saving procedures should any kind of disaster strike. In addition, we will be in contact with emergency helicopter services in case of any medical emergency to ensure efficient and optimal care.