Module #5

"How are climate, cultures and oceans all connected?"

The Earth's oceans cover 70% of the planet's surface. People rely on the oceans for transportation, food and vital resources. The ocean's role of absorbing and distributing thermal energy affects climates. Alaska, as a region includes half of the United States coastline. Ocean temperatures drive atmospheric circulation. As the sea temperatures goes up, so does the evaporation rate. This rate effects wind and currents. Ocean currents inter-connect and have effects on oceans thousands of miles away and on the other side of the planet. Pollution originating on one coastline can travel on currents reaching areas of the world remotely situated within a decade or less. The oceans are truly connected.

The people of the world who live on or within 40 miles of a coastline will feel the effects of temperature changes of the waters: 1) fish populations my decrease, increase or move out of the area, 2) ecosystems change, and 3.) animals may migrate to different areas to secure a food source. The Alaska Native people who are subsistence living have seen the changes in warming climate first hand. Permafrost melting has caused an unstable foundation with houses collapsing into the sea, animal migrations are moving away due to lack of food and warming temperatures not conducive to their life management and change of plant life. Native peoples follow the fish, wildlife and plants that occur throughout the seasons.

I lived in Pilot Station, Alaska on the Yukon river for many years and our hunters had to go farther and farther from the village to acquire moose, caribou and seasonal birds. We saw ponds drying up and new vegetation take hold. The willows and tag alder are food to moose. We actually had moose moving closer to the village over the last 4 years. Bear are now numerous and a greater threat ( plus food source) during summer berry picking season. Overall, this village has not been more than 30% subsistence population for the last 2 decades.

This affects the cultural knowledge base of the upcoming generation. My school students didn't know how to set snares, flesh out animals, or read the ice in our area. Qassaq ( white man ) food was purchased with food credit cards at the local store or purchased from Span Alaska or other Bush food carriers. Fishing was still a big subsistence item during summers. Only the elders set nets under the river or pond ice to get pike, black fish or sheefish.

To conclude, oceans affect the climate which effects cultures that live near or along the coastline. Man is connected and greatly affected by the climate; his food source, transportation means and cultural ways are dependent and changeable by these forces. People will adapt only so much, before they are forced to move on or lose their culture in order to stay where they are now. Native Alaska subsistence living has been jeopardized by climate change. We are very much witnessing the lose of cultural ways of these people.