Regardless what you were doing at age 19, there's a great chance it differs greatly from Parker Liautaud's experience.
On Dec. 3, the Yale University sophomore began his attempt at breaking a world record for the fastest ski trip from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole. The 397-mile expedition is expected to take at least 22 days. Yesterday, Liautaud's expedition blog—hosted by trip sponsor and insurance broker Willis Group Holdings—said he had been braving -4-degree temperatures with more than 200 nautical miles remaining to reach the South Pole.
The 22-day record attempt is one portion of the 2013 Willis Resilience Expedition, which includes an additional 18 days of collecting scientific, climate data over the course of a 1,900-mile hike from Union Glacier to Leverett Glacier. With the help of veteran explorer Doug Stoup, Liautaud is completing a study with snow samples, measuring and transmitting climate data with the pilot model of the ColdFacts-3000BX weather station.
Aside from responses about the frigid conditions, Liautaud mostly wants to talk about one thing—climate change. By skiing across a territory most people only read about, he hopes to demonstrate the parallel between his own perseverance and the endless possibilities and potential of our planet and the people who live on it. If a Palo Alto, CA native can make it to the South Pole, let alone break a record, surely we can tackle a complex but manageable issue like climate change.
"There are many people who believe that climate change is an issue that is just too big a challenge for us to overcome, but we cannot be intimated by the scale of the challenge," he said about a year ago when he announced his journey.
"We must remember that success in the face of difficult circumstances depends on our ability to take one strong step forward at a time."
Liautaud has maintained that attitude for about a week now, even going as far as to say he's "lucky to be here" in his latest blog entry. Liautaud has hiked to the North Pole three times since he turned 15, but that doesn't make this adventure any easier. He pulls a 180-pound sled for much of his 12-hour days, sometimes facing winds traveling at 20 to 30 knots.
There's room for loneliness, too. Stoup is the only person accompanying him. A six-wheel Toyota Hilux serves as the communications hub for the expedition and follows the two men, filming, streaming and providing data.
"In the 24 hour daylight of Antarctica, they will experience temperatures up to -40 degrees centigrade and one of the most hostile environments on earth," according to the Willis Resilience Expedition website.
According to Willis, the attempt is unsupported because the truck provides no assistance Liautaud and Stoup. They planned to change into their skis at Leverett Glacier to begin the ‘Coast to Pole’ speed record. Liautaud also has a chance to become the youngest male to achieve that feat.
Liautaud partnered with academic institutions on each of his trips to the North Pole to gather climate data. As an ambassador for One Young World, he has already begun bonding with other young leaders from around the world who are concerned about the dangers of climate change.
He has addressed more than 1,200 delegates from 190 countries with One Young World and is buddies with Al Gore, who deemed him "an inspirational young man" via Twitter after the two spoke at the Social Good Summit in September.
Liautaud came face to face with climate change during one of those North Pole trips, where he came about 15 miles short of reaching the pole.
"The temperature got really, really high, there was drift away from the North Pole, and the summer melting period started a little early," he told his student newspaper, The Yale Herald, earlier this year.
That led him to focus on research, until his ongoing expedition, of course. The geology and geophysics major wants to become a scientist and be the catalyst for productive conversations regarding climate change.
"By productive, I mean actually engaging policy makers, and we did that a little bit last year," he said. "We created a campaign [named Wake-Up Call], in 87 countries.
"We changed policies in countries like Nepal [and] Algeria."
In order to break the record, Liautaud and Stoup will need to travel about 18 miles per day. The previous record is just two years old, set by Christian Eide of Norway. His coast-to-pole trek took 24 days, one hour and 13 minutes.
"I’m happy with our progress so far. It’s been mentally challenging at the end of each day," Liautaud said in his blog for day No. 4.
"Everything’s all good here, good spirits."
Visit EcoWatch’s CLIMATE CHANGE page for more related news on this topic.
Here are three new films to watch this Earth Week that will transport you from pole to pole and introduce you to the scientists and activists working to save our shared home.
1. The Year Earth Changed
Where to Watch: Apple TV+
When to Watch: From April 16
The coronavirus pandemic has brought home the stakes of humanity's impact on the environment. But the lockdowns also proved how quickly nature can recover when humans give it the space. Birds sang in empty cities, whales surfaced in Glacier Bay and capybara roamed the South American suburbs.
The Year Earth Changed captures this unique year with footage from more than 30 lockdowned cities between May 2020 to January 2021. Narrated by renowned wildlife broadcaster David Attenborough, the film explores what positive lessons we can take from the experience of a quieter, less trafficked world.
"What the film shows is that the natural world can bounce back remarkably quickly when we take a step back and reduce our impact as we did during lockdown," executive producer Alice Keens-Soper of BBC Studios Natural History Unit told EcoWatch. "If we are willing to make even small changes to our habits, the natural world can flourish. We need to learn how to co-exist with nature and understand that we are not separate from it- for example if we closed some of our beaches at for a few weeks during the turtle breeding we see that it can make a huge difference to their success. There are many ways that we can adapt our behavior to allow the natural world to thrive as it did in lockdown."
2. After Antarctica
Where to Watch: San Francisco International Film Festival
When to Watch: 12 a.m. PST April 9 to 11:59 p.m. April 18
In 1989, Will Steger led an international team of six scientists and explorers to be the first humans to cross Antarctica by dogsled. Steger and his team weren't just in it for the adventure. They also wanted to draw attention to the ways in which the climate crisis was already transforming the icy continent and to rally support for the renewal of the Antarctic Treaty, which would keep the continent safe from extractive industries.
In After Antarctica, award-winning filmmaker Tasha Van Zandt follows Steger 30 years later as he travels the Arctic this time, reflecting on his original journey and once again bringing awareness to changes in a polar landscape. The film intersperses this contemporary journey with footage from the original expedition, some of which has never been seen before.
"Will's life journey as an explorer and climate activist has led him not only to see more of the polar world than anyone else alive today, but to being an eyewitness to the changes occurring across both poles," Van Zandt told EcoWatch. "But now, these changes are happening in all of our own backyards and we have all become eyewitnesses. Through my journey with Will, I have learned that although we cannot always control change, we can change our response. I feel strongly that this is a message that resonates when we look at the current state of the world, as we each have power and control over how we choose to respond to hardships, and we all have the power to unite with others through collective action around a common goal."
After Antarctica is available to stream once you purchase a ticket to the San Francisco International Film Festival. If you miss it this weekend, it will screen again at the Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival from May 13 to May 23.
Tasha Van Zandt
3. The Race to Save the World
Where to Watch: Virtual Cinema
When to Watch: From Earth Day, April 22
While many films about the climate crisis seek to raise awareness about the extent of the problem, The Race to Save the World focuses on the people who are trying to stop it. The film tells the story of climate activists ranging from 15-year-old Aji to 72-year-old Miriam who are working to create a sustainable future. It follows them from the streets to the courtroom to their homes, and explores the impact of their advocacy on their personal lives and relationships.
Emmy award-winning documentary filmmaker Joe Gantz told EcoWatch that he wanted to make a film about climate change, but did not want to depress viewers with overwhelming statistics. Instead, he chose to inspire them by sharing the stories of people trying to make a difference.
"Unless millions of people take to the streets and make their voices heard for a livable future, the politicians are not going to get on board to help make the changes needed for a sustainable future," Gantz told Ecowatch. "I think that The Race To Save The World will energize and inspire people to take action so that future generations, as well as the plants, animals and ecosystems, can survive and thrive on this planet."
Check back with EcoWatch on the morning of Earth Day for a special preview of this inspiring film!
- 3 New Documentaries to Watch While Quarantined This Earth Day ... ›
- Movies to Watch This Earth Day: EcoWatch Staff Picks - EcoWatch ›
- 3 New Environmental Docs to Watch This Fall - EcoWatch ›
- Earth Day 2021: Join the Global Youth Climate Summit ›
- Spare Yourself the Guilt Trip This Earth Day – It’s Companies That Need to Clean Up Their Acts ›