Arctic Rice Shelf Collapse
After our web and press guy, Dave Walsh, on board the Arctic Sunrise noticed a rather amusing typo in a recent draft press release - this is what he sent back to our communications department in Amsterdam for a giggle.
The Petermann Rice Shelf has collapsed, dumping five billion tonnes of glacial rice into the ocean, according to cooks on board the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sushi today.
This follows last week’s revelations of how polar bears are starving due to the rapid decline of Arctic sea rice, following the breakup of the Lincoln Sea Rice Bridge, which flooded the rice fields of the Nares Strait.
“The collapse of Petermann is a perfect example of what’s known as the nori roll effect”, said Jason Box, well known chef from the TV programme Extreme Rice Survey. “When you get rice pushed to the bottom of a fjord like this, it rolls up all the fish and seaweed together, and allows the rice sheet to slip. Climate change is definitely on the
menu here.”
The Arctic has now left Petermann floating rice tongue, having taken swift evasive action earlier this week, to avoid getting trapped between pressure ridges of thick sea rice pudding from the Lincoln Sea.
“The best way to navigate through this multi-year rice is to simply avoid it”, said experienced rice pilot Arne Sorrenson, on board the ricebreaker Arctic Sushi. “It’s one thing to punch your way through a thick layer of Basmati, but getting through a plate of sticky risotto is well nigh impossible”.
“With Greenland’s rice sheet continuing to slip into the ocean, we’re seeing the potential for sea rise around the world, especially in Pacific island nations like Pilau”, said Greenpeace expedition leader Melanie Duchin, over a glass of saki.
The Arctic Sushi is currently anchored in the Kane Rice Bowl, 80 nm south of Petermann. Lunch 12-1, Dinner 6-7, booking essential, phone
Call +551 655 755 455 for reservations.
[Obviously - Our ship is actually investigating the impact of climate change on ICE! You can read all about the more serious side of this expedition over on the Climate Rescue Blog. But if you're interested in RICE - you might want to check out our campaign to save the world's most important food and sign the petition against GM rice! ]
Follow Greenpeace »
Comments
I think we need to do more to keep them sane. They've clearly lost it ;)
Posted by: Juliette | July 25, 2009 12:33 PM
Can't help but feel there is a grain of truth in this article
Posted by: Eggfried or boiled | July 25, 2009 1:27 PM
I deplore the fact that ice is melting in the arctic. Such a waste of a what is, after all, quite a decent, recreational drug.
Posted by: tarkovsky | July 27, 2009 1:54 PM