Letter of Concern from Will Steger:

"I have been to both poles numerous times and I’ve seen catastrophic consequences caused by climate change. I crossed both the Ward Hunt Ice Shelf in the Arctic and Larsen Ice Shelves on Antarctica. To the astonishment of scientists, both abruptly collapsed into the sea in the last decade as a result of climate change. I experienced first-hand the melting of the sea ice on the Arctic Ocean on two of my more recent expeditions which increased my concern about the speed with which the arctic is changing. The polar sea has lost almost half of its thickness and area in the last two decades. Its once reflective surface is now exposing the darker ocean surfaces; because darker surfaces absorb more energy than lighter ones, warmth is accelerated.

The polar regions have been my home for more than 45 years. To survive, I have become intimately familiar with their vast lands, wildlife, climates and cultures. The changes I see deeply affect me in a way neither a scientific study nor a satellite image could. Without action, life in the arctic faces extinction. With action, we can address the root causes and limit the impact. The latest findings from the scientific community state that the world has the capacity to reduce global warming in less than 30 years, using existing technology. I am confident that we can reduce our fossil fuel consumption and eventually chart a different course for the polar regions and our planet."

Our programs fall into three areas: we work with educators (K-12) by developing and supporting them with curriculum, professional development opportunities, and action resources. Our K-12 Education Program offers thought provoking interaction and practical solutions for educators and students through dynamic interdisciplinary lesson plans, an adventure learning program tied to expeditions, and annual Summer Institutes (professional development workshops) for educators.

The Will Steger Foundation's Emerging Leaders Program aims to educate, inspire, and engage a new generation of climate leadership on a local, regional, national, and international scale through youth leadership development (ages 15-25).We work directly with high school and college youth to support student leadership on climate change solutions.

We work collaboratively with local, state, and national decision-makers to craft sound energy policy and engage citizens across Minnesota and the Midwest. Our overarching goal in our policy efforts is to form consensus and alignment among key constituencies to enable policy changes in the U.S. that will enable global agreements, creating energy solutions and conservation strategies to avoid the worst consequences of global warming. Focusing on the movement to slow global warming, we work with elected officials at the state, regional, national and international level to create sound energy policies. We believe that Minnesota and the Midwest can demonstrate model climate policy and that the Midwest is integral to any national and international climate policy. We also advise elected officials on climate solutions and cultivate partnerships with government and businesses to build broader support for climate policy and solutions.

Our expeditions to the Polar Regions offer a unique view of people and places at the tipping point of climate change. Our programs provide authentic eyewitness accounts of climate change and a platform for furthering education, discussion and civic engagement.

We have executed three expeditions, two dogsled expeditions to the Canadian Arctic, and a Midwest youth delegation to the United Nations climate conference in Copenhagen to educate people about the impacts of global warming on the Arctic, the Midwest, and to influence national and international policy. Each expedition received significant national and international media attention and support from major corporations.

In 2007, we worked closely with Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty to place Minnesota as a national leader in state-wide climate solutions. Will Steger and WSF were asked to participate in the Governor's Climate Change Advisory Group, a group charged with developing recommendations for Minnesota's climate action plan. Over a two year time period, Will Steger gave his Eyewitness to Global Warming testimony to over 30,000 people at churches, universities, and major corporations. In 2008, WSF was selected as a finalist for the Minnesota Environmental Initiative Energy and Climate Protection award for our partnership approach. Also in 2008, National Geographic Adventure recognized our founder, Will Steger, with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his work with WSF and climate change. In 2009, our youth climate leadership program for high school students, YEA! Minnesota, was a finalist in the Minnesota Environmental Initiative Environmental Education category. We have trained over 500 educators at our annual Summer Institute for Climate Change Education and featured keynote speakers including, NASA's Dr. Jim Hansen, New York Times reporter Andrew Revkin and authors Bill McKibben and Naomi Oreskes. In addition, our climate change educational resources have received endorsements from respected educational bodies, including: National Geographic, the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE), the National Education Association (NEA), the Union of Concerned Scientists, and World Wildlife Fund (US).