Felicity Long
It's hot in Europe, and Icelanders are in no mood to tiptoe around the topic of whether the extreme weather is the result of climate change or just a big old heat wave.
After all, this is a country that elected an outspoken environmentalist, Katrin Jakobsdottir of the Left-Green Movement, as its prime minister and where efforts at conservation are not left to chance but are regulated by various government bodies.
Despite these efforts, and because no one country can fight the battle to limit carbon emissions alone, Iceland's Okjokull glacier has become a casualty of climate change.
The glacier, nicknamed "Ok Glacier" by locals, has lost its status as a glacier as a direct result of global warming, according to glaciologists -- and Icelanders are making a lot of noise about it.
On Aug. 18, the country will mark the demise of Ok Glacier with a monument and ceremony that will be preceded by a night of fireworks and floating candles at Jokulsarlon glacial lagoon in southeast Iceland. Viewers around the globe can watch the fireworks show via webcam on Aug. 17.
Ok Glacier was Iceland's smallest glacier before its demotion, but glaciologists fear the country's other 400-plus glaciers -- for the record, glacial ice covers 10% of Iceland's surface -- are also in imminent jeopardy.
How can travelers to Iceland become part of the solution?
One way is by joining one of a handful of experiences specifically designed to encourage responsible travel, which in turn helps fight the effects of climate change and gives back to the destination, according to Sif Gustavsson, chief executive officer of Iceland Cool. The marketing communications consultancy company collaborates with travel suppliers to help raise awareness about climate change and the effects on Iceland's glaciers as well as to preserve Iceland's cultural heritage and biodiversity.
"Education through travel is the biggest defense we have against the effects of climate change," she said. "Visiting a place like Iceland where the threat of climate change is visible and tangible helps people understand what is at risk in a very real way. When you're on a glacier tour and see with your own eyes the massive scar in the Earth's surface left behind by a receding glacier, it impacts you on an emotional level."
Gustavsson recommends working with a tour operator or licensed guide when visiting glaciers, both to ensure a safe experience and also to learn from specially trained glacier guides.
"Iceland's exotic nature is a magnet for independent travel spirits, and I get that, but it's not a DIY destination," she said. "Most of Iceland's glaciers sit atop active volcanoes, so there's more to think about than just slipping on the ice."
Into the Glacier's new Through the Rugged Highlands tour, for example, the only guided tour in Iceland that travels to the former Ok Glacier, departs daily from Thingvellir National Park, only about 30 minutes from Reykjavik. The five-hour daytrip, which also transports guests through the Glacial Highlands, an area visited by fewer than 1% of travelers to Iceland, will operate until the highland roads close for the season in the fall.
Gustavsson also recommends the three- to four-hour Into the Glacier's Ice Cave Experience on Langjokull glacier, only about 90 minutes from Reykjavik, which explores the natural ice caves and the world's largest ice tunnel carved deep inside Iceland's second-largest glacier.
Into the Glacier participants can also make their tour "carbon neutral" for a donation of only about $4, which goes toward planting trees throughout the destination.
Gustavsson encourages parents to include children in these adventures, which she said are open to kids of all ages. "[They are] a great way to start them young on climate change education and awareness plus, it's fun."
During the month of August Into the Glacier will post daily education and responsible-travel tips using the hashtag #IntotheGlacier on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.