Glaciers in the Greenhouse

"Glaciers in the Greenhouse" is a photographic trip through time looking at how well Alpine glaciers are withstanding the "greenhouse effect."

Using over 50 historical postcards and photographs from around 1900 and comparing them with contemporary photographs, this exhibit documents the retreat of the Alpine glaciers in Switzerland, Austria, France, Italy, and Germany. The photographers of the recent photographs went to great lengths to provide as exact duplication of the historical postcards and photographs as possible. Through these comparative studies, one can then use landmarks to see the change in the glaciers.

In addition to the comparative photographs, a write-up includes a wealth of information about how the summer of 2003 affected the glaciers. For example, approximately 2 meters of ice melted from the Zugspitze and the "Zero-Degree Border" was above 4000 meters until mid-September.

The effects of the melting Alpine glaciers are numerous and influence everything from tourism to farming. Winter sports become problematic, melting permafrost leaves the ground unstable, water reserves disappear, and when the glaciers fade the mountains aren't kept as cool causing the greenhouse effect to accelerate. Like the rainforests, the glaciers of the Alps provide priceless benefits that we have only begun to comprehend.

"Glaciers in the Greenhouse" runs until January 26, 2005, at the Alpine Museum in Munich (Praterinsel 5, 80538 Munich). The museum is open Tuesday through Friday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.