Gannat Elabed

LBST 2301-337
Professor Tina Katsanos
September 25, 2018

Documentary Critique

Directed by Jeff Orlowski, ​Chasing Ice​ is a documentary that depicts the central idea of

distinct changes occurring across the Arctic. The documentary revolves around James Balog, an

environmentalist who wants the world to know about Earth’s climate changes. He embarks on a

brave yet dangerous and cold adventure by setting up cameras around glaciers to observe

changes on ice. This was a multi year adventure, and there were thousands of images. With the

help of Balog’s persuasive pictures of these glaciers over various periods of time, it may be

easier for the world to understand today’s global catastrophe. Dr. Sylvia Earle, a National

Geographic Explorer, said that James’ unique photography skills have the advantage of

communicating images of nature to the current life we live in. ​Chasing Ice​ is an insightful

journey on how rapidly ice melts per day in different parts of the world and has become so scarce

due to high atmospheric temperatures.

With a masters degree in geomorphology, James Balog observed the history of hunting

and endangered wildlife. Rather than being interested in science, he learned more towards photos

and the messages they conveyed. Balog is a photographer with the core belief that one of the

most powerful issues in our world today is between the interactions of humans and nature.

Featured by the National Geographic, Balogs image on the cover of “The Big Thaw: Ice on the

Run, Seas on the Rise” was the most read magazine in the last five years. This suggests that his

photos had a multitude of people convinced that there are in fact dramatic changes on Earth
because for some individuals, seeing is believing. In fact, James’ work was influential enough

for Richard Ward, an employee of Shell Oil Company, to quit his job because he became a

believer of climate change.

There were various producers as well as narrators for ​Chasing Ice​ who held credible,

professional positions. For his journey, Balog had lots of help and support from individuals at

the National Geographic as well as filmmakers, engineers, and climatologists, such as Dr. Jason

Box at Ohio State University, who spoke out to important claims. Photographer and oscar

winning filmmaker Louie Psihoyos viewed Balog as someone who looked at what humanity is

doing to nature at a larger perspective. Dr. Thomas Swetnam, director of Tree-Ring Research at

the University of Arizona, stated that within the last 20 years, the U.S had an increase in length

of fire season with larger and hotter fires due to human activity. Furthermore, Dr. Gerald Meehl,

a senior scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, perceived that greenhouse

gases occur in small amounts but an increase can cause both damage and danger. During his

quest at the glaciers, Balog created a multi-year project called the Extreme Ice Survey (EIS). The

goal of this project was to set up 25 cameras across the glaciers and shoot every hour of daylight

to observe how precisely the landscape was changing. In Iceland, for instance, there were

delicate electronics to record in even the harshest conditions on the planet that withstand

hurricane winds at -40 degree temperatures. Since this was a complex quest, Balog had the help

of EIS engineer, Adam Lewinter, and photo assistant Svavar Jonatansson to ensure camera

quality and effectiveness every few months. . Sadly, six months after setting up the cameras, the

glacier had changed so much it was barely recognizable. Most, if not all, of the ice had

drastically melted. Balog’s pictures and videos from these cameras are hardcore evidence for
those who do not believe in climate change. In regards to emphasizing the central idea of ice

melting so quick that we now have to chase it, the film was highly effective.

The documentary accurately emphasizes global warming and its impacts on the Arctic.

Gaining fame over his breathtaking photography and Extreme Ice Survey project, Balog’s

images can help an audience easily understand and visualize environmental changes that are

happening to ice and compare nature to what it once “was” to what it “is” now. James Balog

shared his discoveries at a United Nations climate conference in Denmark to raise awareness on

the issues of climate change and how it is affecting glaciers around the world. In one of the

camera installations, Greenland ice sheets are thinning which causes ice to dump into the ocean.

When glaciers break big icebergs into the ocean, a calving event is occuring. The duration of

calving takes about 75 minutes and results in excessive melted ice. This is evident to the

multitude of peninsulas that happen to be melting, which suggests that geological change is

caused by humans. Dr. Tad Pfeffer, a Glaciologist at the University of Colorado and his stance

on the evolution of ice in the Arctic. Dr. Pfeffer stated that ice sheets preserve climate and when

snow is added to the top, it turns to ice. However, he was able to observe that atmospheric

carbon dioxide has risen due to the human contribution to CO2, which has approximately

increased by 40%. According to Dr. Pfeffer, if the glacier gets too warm and thins out, the

volume of frozen ice will drop and climate will cease to matter because the sea levels will rise

anyway. Additionally, the air we live off of is changing because of the sad fact that plants and

animals are gradually going extinct. Dr. Terry Root, a Senior Fellow at Stanford University,

concluded that more and more species will continue to go extinct because CO2 levels are
increasing and the airs natural environment is no longer healthy. Therefore, it is predicted that

mass extinction will occur within the next 200 years.

Although the overall message of ​Chasing Ice ​was properly conveyed and emphasized,

some aspects of the film were either ambiguous, overemphasized, or simply irrelevant.

Throughout the documentary, it was mentioned that human activity by atmospheric gases and

CO2 was the result of environmental changes. However, there was a lack of in-depth information

to mention specifically ​why/how/what/​ dimensions of human activity is contributing to make

these changes occur. There is very little emotional emphasis on the fact that this entire mess was

initially caused by humans, and even though human activity is mentioned, it is not depicted as

something to really consider or take seriously. Additionally, I personally felt that the

documentary was inconsistent on focusing on the central idea by constantly shifting between

James’ personal and professional life. The film narrated irrelevant information about Balog’s

medical issues regarding his knees and the surgeries he will need, which strays far from the

documentary title and its topic of ​Chasing Ice.​ Through the course of the entire film, there was

only one main point repeatedly being made : ice glaciers melting and the how ice is changing.

Ice melting among glaciers is entirely overemphasized and repeated through the documentary,

and there was absolutely no mention about marine life or the ecosystems in the Arctic and how

they will be impacted. The same conclusion was being made over and over again, which gives

the audience less new information. James Balog exposed his discoveries to the United Nations

conference, but the film lacks the conclusion if that was enough to influence more of the public

to believe in global warming and climate change.

 During the EIS Project, Balog and his team were able to distinctly see for themselves just

how much glaciers were changing. Unfortunately, Solheim Glacier in Iceland had receded

several hundred foot within a year which meant that the glacier had come to an end due to

excessive amounts of climatic changes. Moreover, large natural features were disappearing much

sooner than they’re supposed to. Since sea levels will rise and cause land to flood, the minimum

of 150 million people will be displaced and have to move elsewhere. This sad truth ties in with

the ​Sustainable World Sourcebook​ definition of climate refugees, a reference to individuals who

will have to relocate as a result of economic disruption (water shortage, health epidemic, etc).

When sea levels rise, hurricanes and tornadoes are intensified because there is more high water

across coast lines. Everyday, ice is melting from glaciers and the water is being pushed inland

due to great amounts of water near coasts. James Balog’s journey was a successful one simply

because of the undeniable evidential transformation of a healthy world gone interrupted. From

photos and videos to international conferences, Balog vividly illustrates the withering away of

ice resulting from the sequence of events regarding humans against nature. ​Chasing Ice​ is an

insightful journey on how rapidly ice melts per day in different parts of the world and has

become so scarce due to high atmospheric temperatures.

Bibliography

● Chasing Ice​ (2012). Video. United States. Jeff Orlowski.

● Hawked, Paul. ​Sustainable World Sourcebook: Critical Issues, Inspiring Solutions,

Resources for Action.​ 4th ed., Sustainable World Coalition, 2014.