By: Erica W., Roots & Shoots Member Portland, Oregon

Many teenagers dream about visiting far off lands and having the adventure of a lifetime. Thanks to the Oregon Zoo and Polar Bears International I am one such lucky high school student, for I have had an incredible, life-altering experience that all began with a love for the Arctic.


This past October I attended a week-long leadership camp in Churchill, Canada, on the western shore of Hudson Bay, run by Polar Bears International. Founded in 1992 by world-renowned photographer Dan Guravich, PBI is a non-profit organization dedicated to conservation through research and education, specifically for polar bears.

Along with 15 other teens from around the United States and Canada, I learned what it takes to be an effective, passionate leader in my community and I had the chance to observe wild polar bears at close range. Through this observation, I witnessed the impact of climate change on the polar bears' habitat. Rising temperatures melt the Arctic sea ice that the bears desperately need; without ice, polar bears cannot hunt, breed or den.

I am an active Roots & Shoots member in the Leadership Corps at the Oregon Zoo as a ZooTeen volunteer and I've always been passionate in protecting our environment. Listening to the previous Ambassador speak about her trip, I knew that this was something I wanted to do. When I was selected to become this year's Arctic Ambassador, I literally couldn't breathe for a moment. Then the realization sunk in: I was going to the Arctic!

My adventure began in Winnipeg, where the teenage attendees and adult facilitators got to know one another. Early the next morning we were off to Churchill. Small yet interesting, Churchill held a lot of surprises for us; Hudson Bay in particular was a beautiful sight. It was a poignant moment, to see the water lapping against the shore of Hudson Bay, knowing that it ought to be frozen solid and covered with snow at this time of year.

Then came the pivotal moment of our day: our first polar bear sighting! To top it off, we saw not one, but two adult male polar bears, only a few miles outside of Churchill. Even now, I cannot express into words how amazing that moment was. I know that the entrancing sight of the bears lumbering gracefully across the tundra will be in my mind¿s eye for the rest of my life.

We boarded Buggy 16¿a large, bus-like vehicle 10 feet off the ground¿and began our two hour drive to the Tundra Buggy Lodge. During our drive, we spotted wildlife few other people have ever seen in the wild: a mother polar bear and her two cubs, Arctic hares, Ptarmigans, a Bald Eagle and a Snowy Owl. We were ecstatic by the time we reached our home: the Tundra Buggy Lodge, a stationary train-car set 10 feet from the ground.

The next five days followed a general pattern, though it never got old or tedious. Every discussion forced us to examine each side of the issue; presentations ranged from information on ring seals (the polar bear's preferred food choice), to captive management of polar bears, to giving a good presentation.

In addition to our daily work, we had distinct memorable moments as well. We celebrated Canada's Thanksgiving, met three native trappers, and took a helicopter tour over the tundra to visit an abandoned maternal den site. One special Sunday, a male polar bear¿that we dubbed Bob¿came to visit, and stayed with us until the day we left. Wednesday was our last day on the tundra; waking up to that final Arctic sunrise was almost unbearable, knowing that in a few short hours we were leaving our beloved lodge for the real world. And on Thursday, after many tears and goodbye's, a fellow Ambassador and I had the chance to visit Debby, the oldest polar bear on record, at the Assiniboine Park Zoo in Winnipeg; a fitting end to a whirlwind week.

Dr. Jane Goodall wrote in her novel Reason for Hope, "The planet's resources are running out. And so if we truly care about the future of our planet we must stop leaving it to "them" out there to solve all the problems. It is up to us to save the world for tomorrow: it's up to you and me." The simple, easy things that each of us can do at home may seem inconsequential, but Rome wasn't built in a day, and the polar bears won't be saved in one day either.

While politicians deal with the legal protection of our environment, you can take action on your own. Recycling, purchasing reusable and recycled products, turning off your power strip when not in use, changing light bulbs to CFL's and LED's and using public transportation more often are all examples of how you, the individual, can change the world, without turning your life upside down. And not only will you be helping your planet, you'll also be helping yourself by saving time, money and energy.

But it's up to you. You have to make that decision. I am ready to make that choice, rise to the challenge, and be the change the polar bears so desperately need.

The question is, are you?

About Erica W.
Erica is a long-time Oregon Roots & Shoots member.  Passionate about animals, Erica volunteers at the Oregon Zoo with the Leadership Corps and as a Zoo Teen.  This was Erica's first trip to the Arctic; she hopes it won't be her last!

If you are a Roots & Shoots member and would like to contribute to the next Roots & Shoots e-newsletter, email us at roots-shoots@janegoodall.org.