Maria Canton
Northern News Services

Cape Dorset (Oct 23/00) - Two summers without berries, skinny seals are raising concerns among Cape Dorset students.

The high school environmental studies class has joined scientists and long-time residents who believe global warming is taking its toll on the territory.

"The amount of snow has reduced here, we haven't had berries for two years, the seals are getting skinnier and fish and wildlife stocks are diminishing," said Grade 11 student Mary Taukie.

"We've lived here all of our lives and every year what was normal becomes less and less -- we can see the effects of global warming."

Global warming can change the environment that plants and animals need to survive, melt the permafrost and alter breeding cycles.

A report released by the World Wildlife Fund last month concluded that many plants and animals in the North will not be able to keep up with climate change in this century.

"I'm on the land almost every weekend and we can see the changes," said Johnnybou Ashevak, who is in Grade 12.

"For example, it doesn't really get cold here any more, but polar bears need to live in cold places. Now the ice melts early and comes back late and our polar bear populations are affected."

The class of nine started studying global warming and the greenhouse effect in September.

As they studied, alarm bells started ringing: they could see its impact on Cape Dorset.

"As far as doing our part in Cape Dorset, I guess we could stop burning our garbage and try not to pollute the community -- produce fewer greenhouse gases," said Ashevak.

"We don't have a lot of vehicles here, but we do have snowmobiles. What we can do is get our thoughts out to others and let them know."

Greenhouse gases are produced by the burning of fossil fuels. The emissions collect in the atmosphere and trap the sun's heat. In the North, mining and oil and gas production and refining produce large amounts of greenhouse gases. As Nunavut strives to bring new projects on board, emissions will likely increase.

The students of Cape Dorset are not prepared to stand by and watch. They will continue to study their home community, make their findings known, and hope that they are making a difference.