Review by Booklist Review
If this engaging book's subtitle states that the harvesting of icebergs--those blocks of pristine freshwater throughout the Arctic and Antarctic that have been frozen for millennia--can "save the planet," Birkhold himself seems far less sanguine about the prospect, instead teasing out the topic from several angles: the environmental impact of such harvesting, related oceanic laws on the subject, the logistics of transporting icebergs, the regions most in need of such help, the impact on the cultures from which the icebergs would be removed. As fantastical as it sounds, iceberg harvesting is already happening, its water being commercially available, if wildly expensive and on a limited basis. Birkhold's book could be critical in advancing a fulsome discussion of this controversial topic.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
This entertaining report by Birkhold (Characters Before Copyright), an Ohio State University humanities professor, dives into the contentious battle over harvesting icebergs. Water shortages driven by climate change could lead to a "Cold Rush" for icebergs, Birkhold contends, anticipating the legal, political, and cultural considerations that might accompany efforts to source fresh water from icebergs. The author details entrepreneurs' techniques for harvesting icebergs, which include using a barge-mounted crane to scoop up ice, rounding up small chunks of ice in motorboats, or encircling an iceberg with high-strength rope ("lassoing") for towing. Colorful profiles introduce the characters involved; there's Ed Kean, one of the "cowboys" who wrangles icebergs along Canada's "Iceberg Alley," and Kistaaraq Abelsen, an Indigenous Greenlander who is bemused yet wary of the growing efforts to commodify and export the ice that the country's residents treat as a public resource. Spirited explorations of the conflicting interests of entrepreneurs, glaciologists, engineers, and Indigenous people of the subarctic regions provide a far-ranging view of the challenges and possibilities involved in harvesting icebergs. This is a thought-provoking take on the hard decisions that will have to be faced in a climate-ravaged future. (Feb.)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A fascinating exploration of the potential use of icebergs to help solve the world's fresh water crisis. Law professor Birkhold examines the possibility of harvesting fresh water from icebergs, a process that could be game-changing as increasing numbers of people are unable to access clean water. According to a report by Water Resources Group, "by 2030 global demand for freshwater will exceed supply by 40 percent." Furthermore, "107 countries will lack a sustainably managed water source, and two thirds of the world's population will face regular water shortages." Given that two-thirds of the world's fresh water is locked in ice caps and glaciers, Birkhold began pondering the legalities and viability of harvesting this pure water. During the course of his research, the author traveled to meet with numerous experts, including the chief scientist at the International Ice Patrol, who stressed the dangers of moving icebergs; an iceberg "cowboy" who has been gathering iceberg water for breweries since the 1990s; workers on oil platforms, who must sometimes navigate dangerous encounters with icebergs; and a native Greenlander who helped the author "to understand how the deep cultural connection to icebergs resonates with the potential commoditization of the resource." Birkhold also looks at the possibility of towing icebergs. While it may be feasible, doing so would also be expensive and would likely lead to further detrimental effects on the environment, including changing the natural course of ecosystems and releasing more carbon dioxide into the environment. "Just because humans can do great things," he writes, "does not necessarily mean that we should…it is important to think critically about what we do with icebergs now, before we are enchanted by their charms and stunned by our own ingenuity." While the benefits may outweigh the risks, Birkhold warns that harvesting icebergs should be approached with caution in order to avoid a "Cold Rush" free-for-all. A simultaneously compelling and alarming examination of an important part of the Earth's biosphere. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
