UNESCO’s 5

The choice of ICE CARE’s 5 glaciers, was based on a document by UNESCO, entitled: “Case Studies on Climate Change and World Heritage”
The report highlights 5 glaciers that are dramatically affected by climate change. These are the glaciers we will climb from 2009 until 2012.
UNESCO’s report was coordinated by Augustin Colette, at the time UNESCO’s consultant for climate change. In a recent conversation (by e-mail), he sent me an enthusiastic: “…congratulations for this exciting project!”

Because it’s absolutely pro bono, ICE CARE puts me at a state that borders the statute of divinity and of furious madman! That’s probably why people indulge to pay some attention to my requests.

Driven by Colette’s reassuring statement, about ICE CARE’s public interest, I’ll probably get in touch with UNESCO to set up some kind of collaboration protocol.

UNESCO’s stamp provides enough confidence, that we’ve chosen the right glaciers…unfortunately, these glaciers were selected primarily because of the amount of data available to document the impacts of climate change….there are of course other glaciers currently at risk…

Q&A

Ice Care started as a ‘civil movement’ (as someone put it in a meeting), by a couple of friends who like to climb, but know little about climate change.

Soon enough this naïf attitude was cornered and proved unsustainable in the long term.

Tiago Bettencourt suggested I would prepare a tutorial about global warming – with all due right.

Recently I came across Zé Diogo Quintela (rather famous Portuguese humorist) on the street. We’ve known each other for ages, so I invited him to become the first official Ice Care ambassador. He throws a couple of intelligent questions at me – which is quite normal for someone publicly endorsing a cause.

- ‘Is it really happening? Isn’t our climate naturally variable? Why is it different now? Is it really serious?’

- ‘can we really do something? Switching off mobile chargers has any effect whatsoever?’

Natural and healthy skepticism, I would say – very common to the majority of people, like me and him, who need a veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeery good reason to decline the comforts of ignorance.

By then I’d realize the urge to explain the dimensions of the problem to everyone (like me and him….).

In London I found an excellent book by Bill McGuire - '7 years to change the planet’. Based on that book, I’m preparing a sequence of ppts with Q&A according to the following issues:

1. What is happening already?
2. Is it already too late?
3. What is Ice Care doing?
4. What can I do?

In the meanwhile, here are some ideas that can be applied immediately:

. Eat less meat! – we’ve exhorted the guilt upon cars and planes, but ‘…the meat industry conspires to generate an astonishing 12% of global emissions […]almost as much as all cars, trains, boats and planes put together.’

. Switch off unused equipments! – if everyone in the UK ‘…made sure that the appliances were properly switched off when not in use, we could do away with 2, or maybe 3, of the 10 new nuclear power plants currently in the planning stages.’

First Book

Congratulations Ice Care! Congratulations Zé Diogo to be more precise!

He’s first book “Aventura ao Máximo – os novos exploradores lusos” will be launched in the end of December!
I expect this to be the first of a long series of traveling and adventure books.

Treino fim de semana 15 e 16

Para além da preparação física semanal, alguns membros da expedição já começaram a fazer treino específico para o Kilimanjaro.
Já fizemos alguns treinos de pernas, bicicleta e resistência.

A partir de agora, vamos passar a divulgar no blog os treinos em equipa, que organizarmos ao fim de semana. A ideia é – quem quiser participar é bem vindo!

No próximo Sábado, estamos a combinar encontrarmo-nos às 9h na Guia (bomba da Repsol) e/ou às 9:20h na Panisol da Malveira – podem aparecer num ou noutro.
A ideia é fazer umas subidas à Peninha (cerca de 3horas), que podem incluir, no fim, um treino de escalada em rocha – mas ainda não decidimos, porque isso seriam outras tantas 3 horas pelo menos e eu preciso de dar assistência à família.
Não é preciso levarem equipamento técnico de escalada – nós levamos, até porque queremos levar algum lastro.
É preciso levar bom calçado, água e comida (barras energéticas ou sanduíches).

Quem quiser vir numa de passeio, também pode. Desde que depois se sinta à vontade para fazer o percurso ao seu ritmo, independente do resto do grupo.

See you there

Trash attitude

The ultimate goal of the Ice Care project is to induce a few changes in daily behaviors. That’s all!

I recommend this enlightening 21 minute movie.



Back when I was living in the Netherlands, through several different conversations, I came to realize, different countries have different ways to apply their norms.
In Nordic countries everything is regulated by law – it’s either mandatory or forbidden.
In the US everyone can be sued – the courts settle everything.
In Portugal everything is socially regulated – either it’s socially accepted and everyone does it, or it’s rude.
As awkward as it may seam, we have observed this in very many different cases.

That configures my ambition. To create the social attitude in Portugal, that socially condemns non eco-friendly behaviors.

On the phone with my friend yesterday, I told him I was at the train station, on my way to Lisbon. (I live in Estoril - 20 min away)
His first reaction was: “What’s wrong with your car?!?!”
I’m hoping, in the future, this story will become like an anecdote of the way things used to be.
This represents the typical (very typical) Portuguese attitude, which is neither driven by intelligence nor logic.

In a nutshell, I’m aiming to change this kind of attitude of waste of precious resources, in our everyday life.

Organizing the expedition

Ascending the Kilimanjaro is not the most endeavoring human challenge, but it’s far from being a walk in the park.

Organizing the expedition requires rigorous planning and expertise.

Have a look at the first video of the preparation:

Ice Care sponsored by MEO

Whenever I mention the Ice Care project the idea is pretty well accepted!

People like the cause, like the adventure, like the Kilimanjaro and like Africa.
There’s something romantic about this project, that makes people breath differently for a while.
Ice Care brings out the dreamer in each one of us – which has been a little blurred by the crises.

Part of the credit, is due to the project itself – it’s pretty ‘round’, pretty well thought of.
The few pessimistic thoughts generally have to do with the economic situation:
- ‘You can’t expect to get sponsored by banks’
- ‘Everyone is afraid nowadays’

Fortunately, a few solid companies, understand the market volatility and adopted a ‘show must go on’ attitude!
That’s what I’ve found, with rejoice, last week on my meeting with MEO.
Following the agreement with Sapo, to become another Ice Care media partner, Portugal Telecom continues to support our initiative.
MEO set up a budget to support the Ice Care project, thus becoming our first official sponsor!

During the meeting, we have naturally discussed the issues concerning the visibility plans and return of investment, but also the pioneering and human value of the project.
It’s rare to have Portuguese people engaged in a global cause, and developing projects at a international level.

Congratulations MEO for your vision and thanks for your vital support!

Portuguese antropologist Joana Roque de Pinho is helping out with Ice Care

Recently I came across na interview with Joana Roque de Pinho, in TSF (portuguese news radio broadcaster).
http://tsf.sapo.pt/podcast/files/pet_20080825.mp3

Joana is taking her Ph.D. in Human Ecology at Colorado University.
For her thesis, she lived for 2 years, among the Maasai tribe in Kenya.

I established contact with Joana immediately upon listening to the interview. Since then, we’ve been spending some time discussing ideas over phone and e-mail.

Joana has given a very significant contribution to our field research, providing contacts of local translators, bibliography and further recommendation on local protocol.
The most important contribute resides on the enthusiastic tone of her daily e-mails, from which and can just barely sense the interest of both her thesis and herself.

In a recent e-mail Joana wrote:
‘by the end of your field research, you can buy a goat and offer a ‘nyama choma’ to your hosts. (they’ll kill it and prepare it themselves). I’m so jealous of you! And I’m missing it so much!’
I can imagine! Myself, I’m almost considering staying with the research team and skip the summit.
You are obviously very welcome to join the expedition in May! Finish your thesis quickly and come along!

Thank you very much for everything Joana! Your genuine support has been quite reassuring!
(photo by Margarida Vilas-Boas)

(fotografia de Margarida Vilas-Boas)

Sapo becomes Ice Care media partner

I’ve nurtured quite a chunk of projects in my life, and developed the gut feeling to spot the no-turning-back point.
There is an instant in time, when my projects spring life of their own, thus becoming independent from its creator.
I felt that thrill on my first meeting with Portugal Telecom group. That day the Ice Care became an entity…spread its wings and took off.

We’ve discussed several ideas to implement together.
After this one meeting, I remember talking to a friend saying: ‘Can’t go back now! I really must climb the Kilimanjaro now!’
Meant as a joke, obviously, there’s nothing I want more now than start the expedition.

A couple of weeks later, Sapo formalizes its relationship with Ice Care, as media partner.

On the roadmap there are a few communication activities:
. creation of www.icecare.org;
. hosting of Ice Care blog on Sapo platform;
. on-line communication of several themes such as: environment / ecology / adventure / climate change;
. creation of a video blog with: training videos / expedition videos / pedagogic videos / etc.

This partnership with Sapo is very important for Ice Care, considering the momentum internet content has been gaining, surpassing occasionally the attractiveness of television.
According to my good friend Jorge Vassalo – developer of http://ateondevaiscom1000euros.blogspot.com/ which I strongly recommend to adventure enthusiast – his award winning blog had more than 120.000 unique visitors! And most visitors on Monday mornings, I wonder why?

Thank you Sapo, for your trust and support!

Silva and Gerber brands support the Ice Care Project

Arriving home that day, I felt the urge to play with my new toys!

Men will always be boys, right?

I remember being 12 – spending my day on a bicycle in the narrow streets of Colares, in the middle of summer. There was a compulsory daily visit to the local gun center. We were 5 or 6 boys mesmerized by the shotguns and knifes…we never bought anything. Those were the days of harmless slingshots, useless compasses and pointless flashlights used during the day inside a darkened room. But also of bush knives, twigs sharpened with penknives and bird traps. Can this be the remains of hunter-collector instinct? Maybe...

Lying on my bad, like spoils of a police recovery… I’ve got:

. 2 magnificent SILVA compasses (one Ranger 3 and one Voyager 8040)

. 4 headlamps SILVA with high performance LEDs

. 3 tactic flashlights GERBER – that can use 3 different types of batteries

. 2 sets of GERBER multi-plier and knife GERBER

. 1 knife and axe GERBER Gator Combo Axe

. 1 GERBER Sport Axe

This first set of equipment represents part of SILVA and GERBER support to Ice Care project. Dual Brand, the company representing these and other outdoor brands in Portugal, has been extremely helpful in counseling and supplying equipment.

The know-how and expertise of Ricardo and Tiago (Dual Brand owners), was a priceless support to our project – we are even thinking about creating a series of videos on equipment technical features and usage training, which will be available at the web site http://www.icecare.org/, once it’s on-line.

Thanks Ricardo,

Thanks Tiago,

Thanks SILVA,

Thanks GERBER

...for the equipment and for the memories…

Tiago Bettencourt joins Ice Care expedition

In the year 1985, Bob Geldof organized Live Aid.
Until today, Live Aid remains in our memories and in our hearts (it’s worth remembering ‘there comes a time...’
I dare even the most stoics among you, to view this video without getting at least a little emotional)




During the following years, other artists have followed.
We’ve been witnessing Bono’s initiatives for humanitarian causes.
And more recently the Foo Fighters, engaged the global warming challenge, with the first carbon free CD (meaning the carbon emissions necessary for the production of the CD were compensated by forestation projects sponsored by the band).

Now it’s time for Portugal, at our proper scale, to make the connection between music and global causes.

Today, I was very glad to get the official confirmation that Tiago Bettencourt will participate in the Ice Care expedition!
Tiago strikes me as idealist and irreverent thus, the perfect match for our expedition. Despite preferring ‘…downhill than climbing…’ on a bicycle, Tiago is not afraid of engage in the projects he believes.
Furthermore, climbing Kilimanjaro for a cause, and relating to local communities will certainly provide the artist with lots of inspiration for his future work.

Thank you Tiago, for your support!

More about the artist:
http://www.myspace.com/tiagobettencourt
http://tiagobettencourtemantha.blogs.sapo.pt/

National Geographic Channel suppports Ice Care

I couldn’t be much older than 7 or 8, but I still remember the vast collection of National Geographic magazines at my grandmother’s.
I used to spend hours looking at pictures of remote places and familiar animals.
Little did I know that, the prestigious institution would be using my own material years later.

Recently, over lunch with Fox’s country manager, several collaboration possibilities popped up:
. youtube style videos for NGC’s website;
. storyboard production of a program for the international channel;
. some sort of joint exhibition, of the photos of the expedition or even create a DVD.

These and other formats are still in discussion – One thing is certain – The National Geographic Channel endorsement on Ice Care project is a very important reinforcement for us!