Armed with a GoPro and selfie stick, Obama gives us a glimpse of how Alaska's glaciers are under threat
He's already on Twitter and Instagram, and on his recent Alaska trip he showed off his skills with a GoPro and selfie stick to bring attention to the threat of climate change.
Here's the video Obama took at Alaska's Kenai Fjords National Park, which was posted on the White House website and @WhiteHouse twitter account last week.
Watch @POTUS go behind the camera in Alaska to talk about the impacts of climate change: http://t.co/eAVC9RjeMVhttps://t.co/5y0EZH9RKi
- The White House (@WhiteHouse) September 2, 2015
Despite his semi-amateur zooming skills, the president's message was clear. He explained how Alaska's glaciers have been retreating in what he called "a signpost of what's happening with the changing climate."
Exit Glacier, one of the glaciers Obama visited, has retreated more than 1.2 miles between 1815 and 1996 (about 43 feet per year), according to the National Park Service. The total amount of water that has melted off Alaska's glaciers over the past 50 years would fill a billion Olympic-size swimming pools.
Over the past 50 years, Alaska has been warming twice as fast as the lower 48 states, Obama said. Temperatures in the state have increased by an average of 3.4 degrees Fahrenheit over the past 50 years, and are projected to heat up by an additional 3.5 to 7 degrees by mid-century, according to the EPA.
The rest of the video consists of shots of the president amidst the stunning Alaskan scenery, with the incongruous sounds of marimba music in the background.
- Saudi Arabia wants China to help fund its struggling $500 billion Neom megaproject. Investors may not be too excited.
- I spent $2,000 for 7 nights in a 179-square-foot room on one of the world's largest cruise ships. Take a look inside my cabin.
- One of the world's only 5-star airlines seems to be considering asking business-class passengers to bring their own cutlery
- Experts warn of rising temperatures in Bengaluru as Phase 2 of Lok Sabha elections draws near
- Axis Bank posts net profit of ₹7,129 cr in March quarter
- 7 Best tourist places to visit in Rishikesh in 2024
- From underdog to Bill Gates-sponsored superfood: Have millets finally managed to make a comeback?
- 7 Things to do on your next trip to Rishikesh