Fri 21st Sept, 9am GMT (10am UK)
Watch Jethro’s latest video diary, direct from Svalbard (duration: 2:45mins), one of the last for the Youth Voyage, and find out what’s been going on up there. If you are a pupil at Frome Community College join both Jethro and Keith Brindle both online for a quick QA at 9.30am GMT (10.30am UK). Follow the link below!
Join Jethro and Keith’s Live QA »
Watch Jethro’s first video diary »
View the initial questions to Jethro »

Live QA with Jethro and Keith Brindle following the broadcast

Fri 21st Sept, 9.30am GMT (10.30am UK)
Following the broadcast they will both be online live from the Arctic for 30 minutes to hear your responses and to answer any more questions. So stay online once you’ve watched the broadcast and follow the link below.
Join Jethro and Keith’s Live QA »

Jethro and Keith Brindle’s Live Arctic QA Session

Friday 21st Sept, 9.30am GMT (10.30am UK)
Following the new video diary from Jethro, he and Keith Brindle will both be online live from the Arctic for 30 minutes to hear your responses and answer questions. The live QA will take place on this page on Friday 21st September at 9.30am GMT. To take part check back and follow the instructions below.
Watch Jethro’s latest video diary »
Watch Jethro’s first video diary »
View the initial questions to Jethro »

How to take part in the Arctic QA

This Arctic QA session will open at 9.30am GMT (10.30am UK). For 30 minutes following this Jethro and Keith will log in and be available to hear your response to the video and answer any more questions you have.

*IMPORTANT* (After 9.30am GMT) “Refresh” or “Reload” this page using your web browser “Refresh” button. You will see a comments box appear below. If you are from Frome Community College login to your account (use the login link in the footer or above the comment box) and then enter your questions and comments for Jethro or Keith.

*IMPORTANT* During the session you need to “Refresh” or “Reload” this page every few minutes to see new comments and follow the discussion. If you can’t see anything happening refresh the page!

Keith in London, Svalbard.

Anchored deep within the bay of Trygghamna, hugging the western shoreline about 200-300m offshore. Jozef, the student from the north of England and I were the first on deck. Incredibly peaceful, with clear skies and the waters around us reflecting the mountains with almost black mirror clarity.

Jozef spotted an adult reindeer on the shoreline. Though he is hard to see against the barren backdrop, he remains adjacent to the ships mooring. Others are now starting to get up and take photos of our first big sighting.

After breakfast we are going on shore for a walk around part of the bay with our guide Christian. We need to jump into an inflatable Zodiac to get from the Noordelicht to the shore, which will only carry 8 of us at a time. Christian will carry a gun, in the unlikely event of us meeting a hungry Polar Bear.

Around lunchtime we journey north to Ny-Alesund, a 20 hr journey along the West coast of Spitsbergen. A 3 hour watch has been organised to keep an eye out for wild life and any dangers. Everyone gets to do at least one night shift.

After days on preparing, training and being shadowed by cameras in London and the long haul first to Stockholm, then Oslo, then Tromso, it felt wonderful to finally be on the Noorderlicht. The sense of relief once we started to moved through the waters and away from Longyearbyen was apparent by the quiet that passed over us all as we watched (and photographed) the mountains to the North and South, separated by the dark, still Arctic waters.

The Noordelicht is an amazing vessel with a crew steeped in as much history as the ship itself. Built in 1912, the original steel hull remains in tact, principally because it is thicker than the average schooner to allow her safe passage through the ice sheets she regularly navigated in her earlier days. The interior is wood throughout and though the cabins are small, they are comfortable. The cook, Anna, has a 3 m2 galley in which to muster up meals for the 19 of us from Cape Farewell and the crew of 5. The food I had this evening was easily the tastiest I’d had since leaving home in Frome; homemade soup, salmon and cheese and grapes to finish.

After about 2 hours on board, Doriana (one of the students from Canada) went along the bowsprit. With breathtaking confidence she travelled almost the full length of the 60 ft bowsprit without batting an eyelid. Not to be outdone I also gave it go. With nothing more than a flexible net underfoot I managed about 15 ft before turning back to the safety of the ships deck. Maybe tomorrow I’ll attempt to go a little further.

Before leaving Longyearbyen we visited the Cape Farewell school.

It has gone almost completed dark tonight. Last night a little light remained throughout…..I know because I kept waking up to look out of the hotel window at Longyearbyen.

Mark Maslin, who authored the acclaimed ‘Global Warming – A Brief Introduction.’ put the challenge into perspective by starting his talk on the science of climate change with ‘We cannot address the issue of future world climate change without also addressing the issue of current world poverty.’ Though rich in science content, Mark repeatedly challenged the notation of simply looking at climate change as solely a scientific issue, by pointing out the often devastating socio-economic or political impact of purely scientific responses to climate change…

Charlie Kronick, an inspirational defender of the environment for over 20 years, spoke on the power of activism with both humour and humility and ended by reminding his listeners of 3 salient points regarding climate change;

1. There is no debate regarding the science
2. It’s not to late to change things
3. The solutions already exist

Charlie did not imply that the existing solutions are purely technological, but rather that a step-change was needed away from the prevalent ‘Greed is Good’ mentally that drives our need for more and more stuff.

Tonight I set off towards the Nordic Arctic with 12 students from around the world, Mark Maslin (who unfortunately for him I’m sharing a bunk with), Jess an art teacher from London, Suba a one-time biology teacher and now dance director, Colin a media specialist, Duncan and Joe the film crew, artist Dan Harvey and 5 crew on board the Noordelicht and I ask myself ‘Why are we bothering?’.
And for me the answer is ‘The Lorax.’ I have two boys, one 5 and the other 3, and being a good dad I occasionally listen to my wife read them stories at night. One story they love is ‘The Lorax’ by Dr Seuss, which tells the tale of how a creature called the Oncelor chops down all the Truffalo trees to make Theads which are ‘a thing that everyone needs.’ In doing so the Once-ler deprives the Bar-ba-loots bears of a home, fills the air with ‘smogulous smog’ and pollutes the river with ‘slopperty slop.’ Dr Seuss uses mixed-up words, mixed-up poetry, bright comic illustrations and the oddest creatures with the oddest of names to tell the real story of environmental pollution, corporate greed, deforestation, consumerism and habit lose. And my boys are captivated by every word and every image. It’s a great story. But if, one night, I was to say to them ‘Right boys, get the whiteboard out, tonight I am going to talk about deforestation’ they’d be asleep before you could say ‘Dad do you know just how dull you are sometimes.’ It is the same story, but told differently. One is engaging, passionate, creativity and springs from the author’s desire to tell this particular story (and the other is a bit like being in one of my science classes).

Yesterday Charlie Kronick told us that ‘There is very little that science can do that can change a persons feelings.’ But stories, especially our own stories, told creatively….. well that’s a different story altogether. And that is what this expedition does. It gives the 12 pupils and everyone else on the Noordelicht, their own stories about climate change that combine the creativity of art and science and which they can tell in their own words.

There is one other reason why ‘The Lorax’ is the answer to the question ‘Why are we bothering?’ But I’m not going to tell you that one, you’ll have to buy the book and find out for yourself. It’s a great story.

Keith Brindle (Science Teacher)
Keith, Science Teacher at Frome Community College in Somerset, will work with mark to provide help to the pupils with their science projects.