THE glaciers at risk they are the indicator of the climate emergency, their thinning weakens the territories on which they rely. And the planet as a whole, because with their disappearance nullifies one of the main water reserves of the Earth. And then the glaciers are beautiful and this is one more motivationand not the last, to get to know them better.
The first manual of glaciology for families
The opportunity to do it is The glaciers of Courmayeur Mont-Blanc the first manual of glaciology for families (Testolin publisher) created by Elena Motta and Ingrid Trojer with the illustrations by Valentina Blanco. Valentina is 45 years old ski instructor in Courmayeur and illustrator. The two authors of the texts usually bring the stories of glaciers in schools, from that of childhood to middle school, to make the children of Courmayeur aware of the beauty they look up to every dayon how to protect it and on what is the “state of health” of the many glaciers at risk in the area.
The ambassador of glaciers at risk
Valentina Bolco, illustrator of The Glaciers of Courmayeur Mont-Blanc.
A challenging topic that deserves all the attention of adults. But what should early involve the mind, and the heart, of the little ones. For this Valentina, Elena and Ingrid have invented an exceptional ambassador of glaciers at risk, Gargantua, a gentle giant. «We were inspired by Rabelais and his novel Gargantua and Pantagruel. We called it back into service after 500 years» says Valentina.
How is a glacier formed?
The Giant’s Tooth, photo Getty Images
The book explains in a simple way complex concepts such as snow metamorphism, the instability of the slopes, he proposes the basic terminology that every amateur glaciologist must know. And it provides an accurate map of which ones are the glaciers of the complex and how their situation has evolved over the years. But explore even more curious aspects, from the origin of names such as the Brenva or Thoula glacier, to domestic experiments that can lead to an understanding of the physiology of glaciers.
A manual to overcome the lockdown
“I am the topics of the chats that Irene and Elena usually have with the boys and the girls from the schools of Courmayeur» explains Valentina «And who had to interrupt for some time due to Covid. From that situation was born the idea of putting all these stories, all these stories in writing, to give all the kids in the valley the opportunity to share them. In this way the project by Valentina, Irene and Elena, thanks to the collaboration between municipality of Courmayeur, Safe Mountain Foundation And Skyway Mont Blanc it can also go downstream. To the aspiring glaciologists of Turin and Milan, for example, who can already find it in the specialized bookshops of their cities».
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