OCT 2022
UNA THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF WORLDWIDE FRIENDS
ICELAND'S LOCAL MARKETS
THE HANDPRINT CONCEPT
JOURNEY THROUGH THE DIAMOND CIRCLE
the project of handmade products | p. 6
a developing approach to sustainability | p. 10
let's go on a trip with volunteers | p. 16
ABOUT THIS MAGAZINE
Dear reader, we are pleased to present you the October 2022 edition of UNA magazine, the official online periodical of the Worldwide Friends organization in Iceland. Since 2002, WF Camp has been gathering young and enthusiastic people from all over the world to work on environmental protection, as well as conducting international and peace-oriented activities. The main idea of this magazine is to collect and share the knowledge that participants get here in the Work Camp. All the photos (except screenshots and shots from filming) and articles that you can see on the pages of the publication are taken and written by WWF volunteers. The experience of beach cleaning, traveling to the most beautiful places of Iceland, getting acquainted with local markets, and reflecting on ecology and stability in the world are just some of the topics that await your reading. Enjoy!
CONTENTS P. 6
P. 8
P. 10
P. 12
P. 15
GO LOCAL FOR LOW CARBON
P. 16
OUR DIAMOND CIRCLE
P. 18
AURORA BOREALIS: FACTS VS FOLKLORE
P. 21
ICELAND’S NATURE VS SALMON CULTURE
P. 24
DEVELOPMENT OF THE ICELANDIC LANGUAGE
P. 26
OUR EXPERIENCE IN THE EAST CAMP
P. 29
ICELAND AND ITS FILM SETS
EFFECTS OF E Y J A F J A L L A J Ö K U L L ’ S ERUPTION IN 2010
THE HANDPRINT CONCEPT
THE GREAT PACIFIC GARBAGE PATCH
SUSTAINABILITY & PEACE
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TEAM Jennifer Lejoly, author I'm Jennifer and I'm a 21-year-old student in communication from Belgium. I'm here in Iceland as a camp leader to discover a new country and to get to know people from different places. I also feel very concerned about the environment and what is happening around me. That's why I wanted to bring my energy to a project that supports the environment.
Margarita Aleeva, author & designer My name is Margarita, I'm a 22 years old journalist from Russia. I came to Iceland to take part in a photography project to improve my professional and personal skills. Due to the current global situation, the way to Brú from St. Petersburg was long, however, the WF Camp has become an inspiring example for me, proving that sharing knowledge and cultural values in conditions of instability is especially necessary.
Luzie Nickel, author
Marie Michels, author My name is Marie, a 20-year-old German girl, and I have been volunteering in Iceland for 4 weeks. I love Icelandic nature, and helping to protect the beautiful beaches was very nice because I think taking action is the first step to take care of the environment!
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I'm Luzie, 18 years old. I'm from Hamburg in Germany. Besides the fact that I like to be active and spend time outdoors, I have always been fascinated by the Nordic countries and interested in the environment, which is why I decide to be a part of this project for three months right after my graduation. As soon as I landed here, I fell in love with the island, especially with its impressive and diverse landscapes. Being here and having all these wonderful people around makes me feel happier and more free-minded.
Hanna Zöbisch, author I'm Hanna, 19 years old, from southern Germany. In September 2022 I spent my time in Iceland and was fascinated by the breathtaking waterfalls and volcanoes, aurora, and lupines. I had too many blueberries, but it was worth it. Thanks to other volunteers, I can solve the Rubik's cube in my free time when I'm not singing, dancing, or playing the ukulele. I still want to see a lot of the incredible nature, but before I'll do my part to remedy the shortage of midwives. Thanks to everyone who enriched my time in Iceland.
Merit Hahn, author I love traveling, hiking, climbing, and just being outside. That's why I, Merit from Germany, am here. Iceland is a magnificent and unique place, an island that was not even supposed to break through the sea's surface. But it did and joins now as the geologically youngest country. I'm very interested in geology and climate change which I also wanted to study, and I think Iceland is just more than a perfect spot to experience that on my own.
Muriel Klein, author My name is Muriel, I'm 18 years old and I came to Iceland from Germany because I wanted to do something for the environment and meet new people from all over the world. I'm glad that I decided to join, as the nature and the overall atmosphere here is just unbelievable.
Marina Sefes, author I am Marina from Greece. I came to Iceland to gain experience both as a leader, but also as an international citizen. And Iceland has given me both!
Marlene Seelmeyer, author My name is Marlene. I'm from Germany, 17 years old. After graduation, I wanted to take a gap year to see the world and meet new people. I came to Iceland because of its beautiful nature and because I wanted to help the environment. When we first arrived at the camp, I fell in love with the boundless landscape, which reminded me of many distant planets, as in one of my favorite films «Interstellar», which was also filmed here.
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Go local for low carbon
Pullovers hand-knitted by the villagers of Stöðvarfjörður
This kind of store is not something specific to this village, says one of the managers. Small handmade boutiques are part of the Icelandic culture. It is not unusual to find them in other Icelandic villages. According to the manager, making her products is something very important: «it gives me a lot, when I give people gifts, I like to make them myself». What motivated the opening of this shop was especially the idea to open a space for tourists, to allow them to discover a nice activity in Stöðvarfjörður.
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Here in the east camp in Stöðvarfjörður, nature stretches for miles. Indeed, the village is relatively small, with a population reaching with difficulty 200 inhabitants. But this does not mean that there is nothing to do. In this village, there is a small store that sells handmade products. You can find pullovers, gloves, scarves, hats, and other hand-knitted products made by local people or food products made from plants directly picked in the hills such as tea, jam, honey, or therapeutic products. The project is run by about 30 people, all from this village, who give their time and energy to make unique and local products.
Indeed, tourist activity cannot be neglected, since almost one million visitors come to Iceland every year. Opening this type of store allows foreigners to consume responsibly, be environmentally friendly, and discover typical products of the region.
« When I give people gifts, I like to make them myself »
Metro: a new fastfood chain which uses local products
Then it perfectly demonstrates the importance of producing and consuming locally. Beyond the desire to offer a place of discovery to tourists, it also promotes the short circuit. The advantage of this one is that it allows to avoid the addition of preservatives or any other food additive as well as to reduce the rate of importation. Although, the importation of horticultural products remains present in Iceland due to the cold temperatures and the grounds that are not propitious to the growth of certain food. Some exotic fruits and vegetables such as bananas can still be grown in greenhouses heated by geothermal energy. But, we still notice that Iceland tries to detach itself as much as it can from the importation, particularly concerning food. Indeed, Iceland occupies only the 33rd place on the list of European importing countries. Then we can give an example of the determination not to import food products since 2009. Following the financial crisis of 2008, the last McDonald’s closed its doors because of the import prices of the ingredients to leave a place to Metro. A new fast-food chain that uses local products to produce burgers. Finally, handmade and local are the key words of Icelandic culture. The island is close to its land and likes to use its resources. Therefore, we can say that it is concerned about its environment and that it loves its culture.
Pullovers hand-knitted by the villagers of Stöðvarfjörður Although Iceland tries to reduce its import rate as much as possible, by privileging local products like the small shop of handmade products, the export rate is a bit higher. Indeed, Iceland gains three places on the rankings and is, therefore, in the 30th place of the most exporting European countries. If some food is difficult to grow on the island, others are available in large quantities as fish
for example which represents more than 60% of exports. Finally, when we talk about the environment, we must keep in mind that producing locally has a cost and the solution to this cost can sometimes be found in the export.
Jennifer LEJOLY
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The crater of Krafla
Effects of Eyjafjallajökull’s eruption in 2010 The eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in 2010 made daily life stand still in large parts of the earth, especially in Europe. But the eruption had larger effects than the visible changes. Eyjafjallajökull is a 1660 meters high icecapped stratovolcano located on the southcentral coast of Iceland. It had been dormant for nearly 200 years when the eruption began on the evening of 20th March 2010. The eruption was small-scale with negligible ash production, it ceased on 12th April but only two days later, on 14th April, an explosive subglacial eruption started in the caldera beneath the Eyjafjallajökull ice cap where profuse quantities of fine-grained silicic ash were produced. The strong northwesterly Passat winds over Iceland at that time carried
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the ash southeastward into the crowded airspace of the United Kingdom, continental Europe, and even western Asia where it caused a major disruption to air traffic in northern Europe. Airports for example Spain and Morocco had some short closures due to ash also being advected into their air spaces. It was declared the biggest aerial shutdown in Europe since World War II. The plume reached a height of nine and a half km on the first day, later five to seven kilometers. Also, the plume was very active with explosions and lightning.
Diseases created by the eruption Since the last comparable eruption happened before humans started to make research and record data, many universities have started research to learn more about the health risks associated with volcanic eruptions. The European Society of Pulmonology and the University of Iceland conducted two studies concerning short- and long-term risks. A short-term study was conducted between six and nine months after the eruption. Symptoms of the people living in the affected areas were severe cough, dyspnoea, phlegm, and eye irritation. Regarding the long-term consequences, which appear three to four years after an eruption, asthma, and other pulmonary dise-
ases as well as eczema are clearly above the average. Researchers concluded that living near a volcano after a major eruption increases especially the risk of respiratory diseases. Along with the physical impact, the psychological one should not be neglected. For the local population, the biggest ash fall to date occurred on April 17. On that day, a rural community south of the volcano was covered in an ash cloud about a kilometer thick, and the air quality was 25 times worse, due to ash as high as ever before. Living in a crisis can cause stress, anxiety, and depression which leads to PTSD.
Geothermal activity Besides the rising numbers of chronic and mentally ill people, Iceland’s nature is severely affected as well. Volcanic ash emissions and subsequent aerosol deposition to the ocean’s surface have frequently been implicated as a source of iron and caused changes in the oceanic iron circle. Bioassay experiments conducted with ash collected in the sea under the plume also demonstrated the potential for associated iron release to stimulate phytoplankton growth and nutrient drawdown. Due to the toxicity of iron, fewer phytoplankton grows, and fewer nutrients are available. Researchers conclude it has a significant biological effect due to a general change in biogeochemistry composition, which can change the ecosystem lastingly.
« Volcanic ash emissions and subsequent aerosol deposition... caused significant changes on the oceanic iron circle » Regarding the changes, it can be said that Eyjafjallajökull’s eruption has been one of the most powerful in the latest history. Since 130 active or dormant volcanoes can be found in Iceland, the studies about health risks and natural impacts are not only important but also fundamental for similar future events. With the risks in mind, it is, at least for the population, easier to prevent diseases for example by wearing protective cloth. Merit HAHN Marie MICHELS
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A new perspective of
THE HANDPRINT CONCEPT
sustainable development
Speaking about ecology and sustainability, we often concentrate on the negative consequences of our life activity and use the footprint concept. This term consists of two components: the demand and the supply of nature. We view society and its discoveries as a kind of issue, and the environment as a resource depleted by constant consumption. People need clean water and air, healthy nutrition, and a stable climate for a good life. At the same time, many processes that sustain us (including the supply of goods and services) are becoming simpler, faster, and more accessible, but have a significant and frequently adverse impact on nature. People’s daily habits, including water and electricity consumption, product choice, garbage sorting, etc., play a significant role in the Life Cycle. But let's imagine a person who knows nothing about climate change, deforestation, species extinction, and global pollution. If they start researching the topic, they will likely find a lot of materials and social campaigns about the footprint and the harm caused by humanity.
The result of exploring these issues can be motivating, but sometimes pessimistic calculations and forecasts create an overwhelming and frustrating effect. The footprint issue has a global scale and largely depends on the decisions of politicians and corporations. Of course, it doesn’t mean that ordinary people aren’t responsible for the state of the environment. For example, researchers from Harvard Extension School (2017) believe that positive changes can be caused by small steps everyone takes in their daily life. From this point of view, we may try to create more handprints intentionally, and not only try to reduce the footprints we leave unavoidably.
Volunteers at the Brú Camp PAGE 10
TWO TYPES OF HANDPRINTS The concept of the handprint is comparatively new and doesn’t have a final interpretation. According to the Case Study by G. Norris and A. Phansey (2015), a handprint means positive changes that society makes for the environment. Thus, the researchers identify two ways to leave a handprint: preventing or reducing a negative trace (choosing a reusable bag instead of multiple plastic bags) or creating positive changes that wouldn’t happen themselves (planting trees). Using the concept of a handprint can help many people move from theoretical thinking
to action. It’s psychologically easier to cause small positive changes than to struggle with global negative consequences. Organizations and countries can also make their «handprints»: invest in environmental development, find more eco-friendly alternatives, etc. But those of us who are not members or leaders of large and influential companies can start with simple and more understandable steps. After all, by studying sustainability issues, we can not only focus on the sense of guilt for exploiting natural resources but also learn to treat the world with gratitude and care. Margarita ALEEVA
Farm in Brú
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THE GREAT PACIFIC GARBAGE PATCH Introduction The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a collection of marine debris in the North Pacific Ocean. Also known as the Pacific trash vortex, the garbage patch is two distinct collections of debris bounded by the massive North Pacific Subtropical Gyre. A gyre is defined by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as a large system of swirling ocean currents. Beach cleaning However, it also refers to the air-bags patch as a vortex of plastic waste and debris broken down into small particles in the ocean. The North Pacific Subtropical Gyre is formed by four currents rotating clockwise around an area of 20 million square kilometres: the California current, the North Equatorial current, the Kuroshio current, and the North Pacific current. Most debris in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is plastic. Plastic is not biodegradable, meaning it does not disintegrate and simply breaks into tinier and tinier pieces, known as microplastics. Many people picture a «garbage patch» as an island of trash floating on the ocean when in reality, these patches are almost entirely made up of micro-plastic.
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Micro-plastics can’t always be seen by the naked eye. Even satellite imagery doesn’t show a giant patch of garbage. The micro-plastic of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch can simply make the water look cloudy, intermixed with larger items, such as fishing gear and shoes. No one knows how much debris makes up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch because it is too large for scientists to trawl. In addition, not all of the trash floats on the surface. Denser debris can sink up to several meters beneath the surface, making it nearly impossible to measure. 80 percent of the plastic in the ocean is estimated to come from land-based sources, with the remaining 20 percent coming from boats and other marine sources. However, these percentages can vary by region.
Big fishing net
Impact on the environment Marine debris can be very harmful to marine life in the gyre. For instance, loggerhead sea turtles often mistake plastic bags for jellies, and Albatrosses mistake plastic resin pellets for fish eggs and feed them to chicks, which die of starvation or ruptured organs. Seals and other marine mammals are especially at risk. They can get entangled in abandoned plastic fishing nets, which are being discarded mainly due to inclement weather and illegal fishing. Seals and other mammals often drown in these forgotten nets-a phenomenon known as “ghost fishing”. Marine debris can also disturb marine food webs in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre. As microplastics and other trash collect on or near the surface of the ocean, they block sunlight from reaching plankton and algae below. Algae and plankton are the most common autotrophs, or producers, in the marine food web. Autotrophs are organisms that can produce their nutrients from carbon and sunlight.
« Sea turtles often mistake plastic bags for jellies » If algae and plankton are threatened, and the entire food web may change. Animals that feed on them, such as fish and turtles, will have less food. If populations of those animals decrease, there will be less food for apex predators such as tuna, sharks, and whales. Eventually, this will make seafood less available and more expensive for people. These dangers are compounded by the fact that plastics both leach out and absorb harmful pollutants. As plastics break down through photo-degradation, they leach out colorants and chemicals, such as bisphenol A (BPA), that have been linked to environmental and health problems. Conversely, plastics can also absorb pollutants, such as PCBs, from seawater. These chemicals cab them enter the food chain when consumed by marine life.
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MEASURES THAT ARE TAKEN/DEBRIS REMOVAL
It’s really difficult to clean up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch because most of the plastic is micro-plastic or below the surface, which makes it difficult to remove from the ocean. Another problem is the size of the patch, also mentioned earlier in the article. However, there is an organization, which tries to get plastic out of the ocean. The Ocean Cleanup is a nonprofit organization developing and scaling technologies to rid the oceans of plastic. They work on a combination of closing the sources of plastic pollution and cleaning up what has already accumulated in the ocean and doesn’t go away by itself. Their goal is to remove 90 percent of floating ocean plastic by 2040. To achieve this goal they created a U-shaped net system nicknamed «Jenny». Guided by two boats, the half-mile-long installation works by catching large and small debris from the seawater in a funnel-shaped net. Once it is full of trash, workers empty the plastic onto the boat before taking it ashore to recycle. Another positive aspect of this installation is that it is not a danger to marine life, because of its slow speed. In Jenny’s final test run, the team found the system scooped 19,841 pounds of debris from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Removing 20,000 pounds of trash is a feat, but only addresses a small piece of the problem. A 2018 study estimated that the Great Pacific Garbage Patch contains roughly 79,000 tons of plastic. The cleanup installation showed promising results, but most researchers agree efforts should also be put toward preventing plastic from entering the ocean in the first place. A 2020 study found that more than 11 million tons of plastic are being dumped into oceans every year, a figure that could nearly triple by 2040. Installations like Jenny also do little to address the substantial accumulation of plastics on the ocean floor.
Concusion So it may not be possible to entirely get rid of garbage patches. Some of the materials will take a very long time to break down in the environment, while other materials, like plastics, may never fully go away. Large debris, like fishing nets, can be removed by people, but debris in the garbage patches is also mostly made up of micro-plastic. To prevent marine debris, we need to understand where it is coming from. It’s hard to identify specific sources, but we know that marine debris can enter our waterways and ocean in a variety of ways. Ineffective or improper waste management, dumping or littering, andФstormwater runoff all leads to
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to marine debris. If we want to stop pollution everyone, including the government, businesses, and people, will have to make some meaningful changes.
Muriel KLEIN Marlene SEELMEYER
SUSTAINABILITY & PEACE According to the Government of Iceland, about 85% of the total primary energy supply in the country is provided by local renewable energy sources. The United Nations says that the island state used imported fossil fuels until the early 1970s and switched to renewable energy sources to ensure the stability of its economy. There have been several crises in the global energy markets that have shown that Iceland should become independent from oil and coal imports. It was a long, complex, and nonlinear process involving both local entrepreneurs and politicians. Alexander Frolov, deputy general Director of the Institute of National Energy of Russia, believes that the issue of the country's transition to green energy is primarily economic rather than ecological. Reforming the country's energy market requires large expenditures, including investments in infrastructure and the search for suppliers. Such a process takes years and requires large expenditures of the state budget, so even developed countries cannot succeed in this right away.
CAN A GREEN ECONOMY MAKE THE WORLD MORE STABLE? Due to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict occurring in February 2022, an energy crisis began worldwide. Many countries have felt their dependence on Russian gas and oil supplies. Apparently, in the coming years, governments that oppose Russia's position will look for alternative energy sources, including renewable ones. But till then, fossil fuels are an essential political and economic weapon with which it is possible to destabilize global markets. Perhaps in the future, the relative independence of countries from energy imports could become the basis of global stability. Alexander Etkind, a professor of history and the Chair of Russia-Europe relations at the European University Institute, believes that the topic of sustainability should be the main one in the 21st century. Meanwhile the «competition for resources» is a challenge to the civilized world. The chaos that has reigned, one way or another, involves society in a military discussion.
But regardless of the situation, it is important to continue talking about the environment, the pandemic, and other natural phenomena with global consequences. Building green energy and moving away from gas and oil dependence is a matter of time. The search for solutions to environmental problems should not be stoped. Even if this cannot interrupt military conflict, then at least it can unite people from different countries who want to explore the topic and transfer knowledge further. «In the midst of every crisis, lies great opportunity», Albert Einstein said. It remains to be hoped that the current situation can become a great lesson for humanity and a step toward the creation of new economic and political systems.
Margarita ALEEVA
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OUR DIAMOND CIRCLE The splashing waterfall The first stop we made was at the famous waterfall «Dettifoss». With its height of 45 meters, width of 100 meters, and average flow rate of 193 meters cubed per second it is one of the most powerful waterfalls in Europe. To get to this waterfall we had to pass a big black stone desert. Even if you arrive at one of the several vantage points you can’t even see the whole waterfall because of its size but also since the spray is immense. When standing there you feel like getting soaked, so pack a swimsuit.
Iceland’s geothermal activity After an hour-long drive, we arrived at our second stop — «Krafla». This volcanic area Dettifoss waterfall stretches over 100 kilometres whereas the Crater has a width of 10 kilometers. The clear blue «Lake Víti» located in the middle of the volcano once was a glacier that melted in 1724 due to many volcanic eruptions. Due to continental drift, the continental plates diverge and magma leaks out meaning the «Krafla» is still active. Not only magma but also sulfurous steam as well. Nearby there is the so-called «Námjafall», a geothermal area that belongs to the «Krafla». Due to Iceland being located between the European and the North American plate the earth's crust is thin therefore the ground gets hot and Fumarole develops. Fumaroles are holes in the ground from which volcanic gases and steam are released due to Iceland’s volcanic activity.
The whole area around «Krafla» including «Námjafall» looks so different from what we have seen before and somehow feels like being on another planet.
Game of Thrones cave Not far away there is a small lava cave — the «Grjótagjá Cave», which appeared to be our next stop. The geothermal spring inside this cave was used for bathing until approximately 1970 when it became too hot due to volcanic activities. After a short steep entry, one finds
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themselves directly in the cave and is even able to touch the water. Grjótagjá is very famous among «Game of Thrones» fans since this cave served as a filming location. Though the cave was smaller than we expected it is still worth a visit.
The troll field At our next stop – «Dimmuborgir» – you can still see traces of volcanic activity from more than 2000 years ago in which the volcanic system «Krafla» was involved too. The lava developed into rock piles up to 20 meters high forming dramatic structures. Legend has it that these piles of stone are frozen trolls. As soon as we arrived at this place you could somehow feel the mystical atmosphere occurring.
Time to relax The whole day was rounded-off by a visiting the «Myvatn Nature Baths» also called «Green Lagoon». Although it might be a tourism hotspot this lagoon is way less crowded than the even more famous «Blue Lagoon» near Reykjavík. In this natural bath containing lots of minerals, there are two baths connected by a small bridge. Swimming or just sitting and talking in the lagoon during the sunset was immensely relaxing and such a unique experience after this long day.
The perfect end Although the Lagoon should have been the end of the excursion the journey didn’t stop even after arriving back home. The whole day was filled with seeing impressive but also stationary sights and traces of the past. So when we arrived home there was something else waiting for us: the Northern Lights or also called Aurora Borealis. Although we already had the luck to see them a few times it is still something very special since they are looking and dancing in the sky differently every time. All in all, this was the perfect ending for this amazing day where we realized again how diverse, unique and impressive Iceland’s nature is and how thankful we are to get to experience it.
Hanna ZÖBISCH Luzie NICKEL
Námjafall PAGE 17
AURORA BOREALIS: FACTS VS FOLKLORE
Magical Lights dancing in the sky! Awe-inspiring colors and movement. For most people, seeing them is a dream come true! Of course, we are referring to the Northern Lights, aka the Aurora Borealis. But what is this beautiful phenomenon?
Let’s begin with some facts... What is an Aurora? The Northern Lights result from collisions between charged particles released by the Sun, with Oxygen and Nitrous particles from the Earth’s magnetic atmosphere. They are mostly visible around the Earth’s North and South magnetic poles (Aurora Borealis and Aurora Australis respectively), and their color depends on the gas atoms that meet the Sun’s charged particles.
Aurora Borealis vs Aurora Australis Both Auroras happen simultaneously and are almost mirrored images of each other (depending on the season and the Earth’s magnetic field changes). The only reason why the Aurora Borealis is more popular than its southern sibling is its location. The Aurora australis can be seen from very remote parts of the lower hemisphere, thus accessibility makes it easier for travelers to view the light show from the North.
The green Aurora is produced by Oxygen particles
Southern (on the top) and northern (on the bottom) auroras
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While Nitrous particles create bluish or purple hues
Where can we see the Aurorae from? Under the correct circumstances, the lights can be seen from many places around the world, but mostly closer to the magnetic Poles during a clear night. For the north, the areas with the most visible Auroras are Greenland, the Scandinavian coast, Iceland, Siberia, Northwestern parts of Canada, and Alaska from September to April. For the south, Antarctica, and the southern Indian Ocean from May to September.
A brief history of the Northern Lights Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei named the Northern Lights in 1619, Aurora after the Roman goddess of dawn, and Boreas after the Greek god of the north wind. However, the earliest suspected record of the northern lights is in a 30,000-year-old cave painting in France. Also, according to NASA, a royal Babylonian astronomer reported the phenomenon on a tablet dated to 567 B.C, while a Chinese report from 193 B.C. also contains notes about the aurora. Nevertheless, the scientific theory behind the marvelous sight was not put to paper until the beginning of the 20th century.
Myths and Legends North America Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei named the Northern Lights in 1619, Aurora after the Roman goddess of dawn, and Boreas after the Greek god of the north wind. However, the earliest suspected record of the northern lights is in a 30,000-year-old cave painting in France. Also, according to NASA, a royal Babylonian astronomer reported the phenomenon on a tablet dated to 567 B.C, while a Chinese report from 193 B.C. also
contains notes about the aurora. Nevertheless, the scientific theory behind the marvelous sight was not put to paper until the beginning of the 20th century.
Europe Indigenous Greenlanders believed that the lights were the spirits of stillborn children. Some also believed that if you whistle to the Aurora, it will come down and dance next to you. In Sweden, the lights were believed to be gifts from benevolent gods or good omens of benevolent gods, or good omens of future good harvest and fishing seasons.
In Finnish, the word for aurora is «revontulet», which means «fox fires». Thus, the aurora was caused by a fox running fast across the snow and its tail sparked flames up into the sky. The Greeks and the Romans thought the lights represented the path of the dawn, named Aurora. She rode her chariot across the sky every morning to warn her siblings–the sun and the moon (Helios & Selene)–that a new day was coming. Contrary to European countries, for France, England, and Italy-the few times the lights were visible in that part of Europe- the lights seemed to correlate with war, plague, death, or other tragedy. So, the bright sky was an omen of bloodshed or ill fortune.
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Asia The Chinese people rarely saw the aurora. However, when they did see a rare display, they thought the northern lights were the flames from the breath of good and evil dragons, battling each other across the night sky. In Japan, it was believed that children conceived during an Aurora will be born with good looks, intellect and great fortune.
A poet, Grímur Thomsen (d. 1896), depicts a powerful image of nature, the lights and gods in his poem Ásareiðin [The Ride of the Gods], which begins (Grímur Thomsen 1934:1):
Russia Similarly to the Chinese, Russians believed that the aurora was a massive fire dragon, but according to the Russians, the fire dragon would descend to earth while a village’s men were away in order to seduce the remaining women.
Iceland In Iceland, the northern lights were thought to relieve the pain of childbirth, but only if the mother didn’t look directly at them. If she did, it was believed that she’d give birth to a crosseyed child. During the 18th century, the lights were often feared for being able to put one under a spell, and in the 19th century, it was believed that the lights uncovered hidden people, probably the dead. Also, it was believed that if an individual looking at the lights for too long, they would get «absolutely mad». In Norse mythology, the lights were believed to be the glow from the shields and armor of Valkyrie warriors. However, it was also believed that the aurora is the «Bifrost Bridge», an arch that connected the earth to Valhalla.
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«Far and wide I see the horseman’s dust cloud roll forth from the heavenly pole — the clearest splendor of the aurora. — Óðinn rides fiercely the whole length of the winter road»
So... dancing lights of insurmountable beauty, tales of Gods, and good fortune. How better to describe this beautiful event in the sky? These are the Northern Lights! Have you seen them? What was your first thought? Incredible, no? Marina SEFES
ICELAND’S NATURE VS SALMON CULTURE
Fáskrúðsfjörður salmon farm Today aquaculture in Iceland represents one of the most flourishing sectors in Iceland essentially concentrated in the fjords of the east and the west. In these giant Icelandic fish farms, the specie that is farmed the most is salmon. The positive economic impact of these industries has been one of the main reasons for the development of these farms. But aquaculture is not an easy activity and must be controlled and regulated to ensure proper operation and avoid any risk of disease. These infrastructures have been particularly criticized for their environmental impact.
The salmon industry in figures The salmon in Iceland is relatively present due to good climatic conditions. On the island, there are 250 rivers, where almost 1/3 are considered salmon rivers. According to the website «Statistics Iceland», salmon production increased from 2015 until 2018, with a total of 13,448 tons of salmon in 2018. The production of salmon in aquatic cultures represents export revenues totaling ISK 30 billion in 2021. Among the different infrastructures, open-net farms
represent 3⁄4 of the fish farms in Iceland. These are favored over landbased farms due to their lower cost. These farms are thus well-trained industries, with a single goal, to make a profit.
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How to release from disease? As said above, in Iceland, open-net farms are mainly present. But unfortunately, they are accompanied by a series of problems. In particular, about the spread of diseases and parasites in the waters of the fjords. Indeed, some diseases, such as sea lice, spread easily due to the ideal conditions created by these cultures. Generally, sea lice are not as easily transmitted at sea as in a confined space. In addition, open nets allow the spread of lice to other wildlife in the fjords, which can create epidemics. Until now, salmon farm companies have hidden this problem by saying that the cold temperatures of the fjords are not favorable to the development of lice. But with global warming, temperatures tend to increase and the problem becomes more and more important. Chemical solutions like pesticides will have to be used more and more. Although salmon are known to be resistant to these pesticides, other species in the fjords, unfortunately, do not survive. To defend themselves, the Arnarlax company, which has open net farms in western fjords, claims to use preventative methods against sea lice, such as using other fish species in the pens that primarily feed on sea lice. However, the North Atlantic Salmond Fund in charge of promoting sustainable fish farming will admit that this fish, often deployed in large quantities in the nets (nearly 800'000 in 2020), have as their only role to eat the lice and finish the rest of their life rotting in the nets.
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Fáskrúðsfjörður salmon farm
« Generally, sea lice are not as easily transmitted at sea as in a confined space » The environmental impact of these farms is not to be underestimated. The ecological problems are multiple. Starting with the risk of escape from farmed fish. Every year, thousands of salmon manage to escape from the nets. Farmed salmon, like wild salmon, are inclined to reproduce, which is a problem at the genetic level. Indeed, fish born and having lived all their life in a net, are genetically less able to survive in the wild. However, if genetically weaker salmon reproduce in large quantities, the species is guaranteed to decline. Another problem with aquaculture is the food given to these fishes. Many companies like Ice Fish Farm, which owns salmon farms, especially in the Fáskrúðsfjörður fjord, claim to be sustainable. However, to produce salmon on a farm, you need food, and that food comes directly from the fishery. This means that about one-third of the annual catch is used to produce fishmeal and fish oil to feed the farm animals.
«About one third of the annual catch is used to produce fishmeal and fish oil to feed the farm»
Finally, aquaculture farms are far from being sustainable knowing that each year millions of tons of fish are captured to allow these cultures. Then, the waste produced by these farms is not filtered and is directly found in the surrounding waters compromising the well-being of other species present in the fjords. As a comparison, in 2017 the production of salmon in aquaculture in Iceland amounted to at least 10'000 tons of salmon. However, the production of 10'000 tons of salmon discharges as much wastewater as the entire city of Reykjavik. Note that since 2017, the production continues to increase in Iceland with a total of 53'000 tons of salmon produced in 2021. Moreover, Iceland is only in 4th place as the largest exporter of salmon in Europe.
Volunteers collecting tires coming from the salmon aquaculture
Dead fish found near the salmon farm
Solutions? One of the solutions proposed by NASF is to increase production in closed land-based enclosures which would solve almost all environmental problems such as unfiltered waste, escape problems, sea lice, and pesticide problems. But as said above, these special farms have a cost. However, even in closed enclosures with reduced environmental risks, the process is
not more sustainable, because the problem of intensive fishing to feed the fish is and will always be present. Jennifer LEJOLY
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DEVELOPMENT OF THE ICELANDIC LANGUAGE Only 300 thousand people speak the Icelandic language, even though the country has approximately 370 thousand inhabitants. But what are the reasons and how did the language develop throughout the last centuries?
Ulfarsfell Until the 1000th century A.C. the Nordic countries shared the Scandinavian language. Around that time settlers came to Iceland and the language started to develop differently than in continental Scandinavia. Because of the isolated location and long distance to other countries, the influence is rare, and the language did not change much throughout the past centuries. It might be that Norwegian pronunciation influenced Icelandic speech when relations between the two countries were at their closest in the fourteenth century.
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On the other hand, some changes in pronunciation did not appear in the Icelandic language until 400 years later. Before the late XIV century, German loan words probably came first and largely into Icelandic by indirect routes. Moreover, Icelanders became acquainted with European gallant culture, partly through romances translated from for example French in Iceland, and some new words entered the language. The bestknown of these is the Icelandic word «kurteiss» which would be «courteous» in English.
« They rather come up with new words themselves than accepting foreign terms »
Fáskrúðsfjörður Furthermore, writers indicate the purity of the language used in their literature and it shall not be changed since it is pure already. Over time, a few words changed, but in the last two centuries, there has been something of a return to Old Icelandic forms in, for example, vocabulary. Conscious cultivation of the language has been, first of all, responsible for this movement. If we disregard the many neologisms of Modern Icelandic, the present-day written language is in many aspects closer to Old Icelandic than to the Icelandic found in most printed books published between 1540 and 1800. Most of the population have felt it an honor to possess a language, so they have minimal trouble understanding the literature created centuries ago.
They are very proud of it and are extremely determined to preserve it as pure as possible for future generations, which means that they rather come up with new words themselves than accept foreign terms. The language of some social groups, or at least their written language, became very much intermingled with Danish, but everyday speech and the stories and poems of the people at large kept alive the greater part of the native lexicon. In addition to that, English and Danish are very popular, and many children grow up with the English language without knowing Icelandic. But due to the belief in goblins, elves, trolls, and other magic creatures the literary variety is encouraged to be kept alive.
In conclusion, we can say that the Icelandic language is declared a special phenomenon which, as a consequence of the country’s isolation, did not change much throughout the past but is now endangered due to the first digital century. The English language is replacing Icelandic more and more. Despite this fact, Icelanders are enthusiastic about preserving their language and keeping it alive as much as possible.
Merit HAHN Marie MICHELS
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OUR EXPERIENCE IN THE EAST CAMP Work
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Volunteers removing lupins
When we do beach cleaning we are brought to different beaches around, which are approximately 40 minutes away. Once we arrive there we start walking along the beach and pick up the trash we find. Most of the time the beaches are already pretty clean but there is always some hidden trash between bigger stones or wrapped in seaweed. For lunch, we eat what we brought with us for example bread and fruit. After work at around 3:30 pm, we are brought back to the camp. Also part of the beach cleaning is the sorting in the days after.
Volunteers doing beach cleaning
Our work in the east camp contains four different workspaces: removing Lupins, beach cleaning, doing little repairs around the house, and writing articles. A workday with Lupins usually starts at 9.00 am. We hike up the hill next to the house and remove the Lupins with the shovels, put them into bags, carry them down the hill and bring them to the recycling center. We work for about five hours and take a break for lunch at 2 pm.
We sort the trash into different materials and weigh it for the statistics. Another task we are doing is renovating the house. We sand the walls, paint them, cut grass, or plant flowers in the garden. Furthermore, if the weather is bad we write articles about our own experience in the camp or environmental issues around the world. During this work,
we experienced the environmental issues of Iceland closely and how everybody can help to solve these problems.
Workshops Workshops are normally three times a week after work but it depends on the number of camp leaders and how often we can do it.
People In the camp, you get to know a lot of different types of people from different countries and cultures. During the weeks you spend together in the camp you get to know each other well and new friendships are formed. Having the same goal of helping the environment and working together to achieve it makes you closer. But not only work but also free time makes you find common interests (soccer or chess).
Soccer in Stöðvarfjörður
In the past weeks, we only did a few workshops about interesting topics like startups that try to find solutions for different environmental issues. For example, we talked about the organization which tries to save coral reefs with the help of LEGO. Another interesting workshop a volunteer did was about the walk of privilege. During this workshop, we learned how privileged most of us are compared to many other people around the world. In the upcoming weeks, we are going to participate in more workshops by Vincent, the new camp leader who will talk about environmental concerns in his home country Guatemala. The first workshop of his we had yesterday was really interesting because he doesn‘t only show videos but also talks from his own experiences.
We, for example, got to know three people from Japan which was interesting because the majority of us have never met Japanese people before and during our time together we got to know their country a lot better. They taught us a little bit of Japanese and in return, we taught them, German. We also met a lot of new people from our country with the same sight on environmental topics which is important too because it is a lot easier to keep in touch after leaving the camp. Living together with all of these different kinds of people is also good to learn how to act in various social situations. For example during my free time, during work, or while cooking food from different countries.
Free time We don’t have anything specific we do in our free time here in the east camp. I have been here for nearly 6 weeks and what we do after we work or at the weekends
completely depends on the other people who are in the house. If we have a busy weekend with over 20 people in the house it's more likely that (if the weather is good of course) we go out for a hike to the waterfall or play soccer together. The waterfall is quite beautiful and the walk to get to there is pretty easy, so everybody can join if they want to. Normally I’m not a big fan of playing or watching soccer, but being here and playing with everyone is one of the best things you can do in your free time. Especially because it unites everyone, from all different cultures and backgrounds and even if they don’t have the best English, just because everyone knows how soccer works. If we are fewer people or are just exhausted after work we usually don’t do such «big» activities. Two weeks ago we started a 3000-piece puzzle, which is still not finished, but we keep on working on it and it is just so funny to see everyone so concentrated around our small couch table
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trying to make sense of all the blue pieces belonging to the sky.
When we first arrived our local swimming pool was still open and we could get in for free because we were volunteers so we spent a lot of time in the pool together. We held competitions about who could dive the furthest and who could be in the cold tub (which was only 4° C) the longest or we just sat in the hot tub and talked. If the weather was particularly good - which just means sun and maybe over 10°C - we got into the ocean together before we went to the pool. That never lasted long because the water is only about 8°C but it sure was a lot of fun.
dance moves. But not only dancing but also singing is a big part of what we do. Sometimes we have people here who bring their instrument like a ukulele or we just sing along together while the speaker is on. Asides from those things we also spend a lot of time just sitting together talking and getting to know each other. Because we are from so many different cultures, our lifestyles are so different and it is really interesting to hear what life is like on the other side of the world. Tiny things that we normally don’t think about can be a huge difference. But just talking about some topics together and hearing what everyone has to say about them is interesting. Some people also like to bake in their free time which the rest of the house enjoys because we get to eat cake or cookies, and others do a cooking contest. But sometimes we also just spend our days reading or watching movies together, especially if the weather is bad or we don’t have electricity because of a bad storm. Muriel KLEIN Marlene SEELMEYER
Dancing is also one of our big talents, no matter if it's on the soccer pitch after a match or in the kitchen after we had dinner. We dance pretty much everything from disco fox, salsa, rumba, cha-chacha, and Latin dance to techno or just the cotton eye joe. Because we are people from all over the world we can always learn some new dances or just some new
Hike to the waterfall
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ICELAND AND ITS FILM SETS Iceland is known for its beautiful landscapes, every year more than a million tourists come to Island to discover the country. But tourists are not the only people attracted to this country. The island also attracts a lot of film producers. Indeed, the expanse of the landscape offers spectacular film scenes. Let’s discover some movies made in Iceland.
Trapped aka Ófærð (2015-)
From top to bottom: photos behind the scenes of «Interstellar», «Game of Thrones», «Batman Begins»
The Police try to solve a mysterious murder in a small frozen town in Iceland. The main setting takes place in the North of Iceland, in Siglufjörður. The Norræna ferry scene was filmed in Seyðisfjörður in the East of Iceland, while the pool party scene took place in Hafnarfjörður near Reykjavik.
Black Mirror: «Crocodile» (2017) A small traffic accident is investigated by an insurance agent, using equipment that shows people’s memories. But one of the witnesses, successful architect Mia Nolan, will go to lengths to cover her mysterious past. The episode is filmed in various locations across Iceland, including Lake Kleifarvatn on the Reykjanes Peninsula, Lake Grænavatn, the Baula volcano near Bifröst and the craters of Grábrók, Reykjavík City Hall and the Harpa Concert Hall.
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Game of Thrones (2011-2019)
Sense8 (2015- 2018)
Royal Families fight over the land of Westeros, while old enemies return to cause havoc. The Gates of the Moon depicted in the series were filmed in Þingvellir National Park, while the lava field of Dimmuborgir near Lake Mývatn sets the main Wildling Army camp. Other locations include Lake Þingvallavatn, the Hverfjall Crater, the Stakkholtsgjá Canyon and the area around Katla volcano. Last but not least, one of the most popular mountains in Iceland, Mount Kirkjufell on the North coast of Snæfellsnes Peninsula, was the set of Arrowhead mountain.
Eight mentally linked individuals from around the globe search for a way to survive a threat that wants to exterminate their kind. In this series, we see several locations in Iceland. Some of the include Keflavik airport, Reykjavík University, and Broken Dock in Reykjavík. We also see Harpa Hall where Riley’s father performs in an orchestra. Lastly, some scenes were filmed in the Hvalfjörður Tunnel and on Reynisfjara beach in south Iceland.
Interstellar (2014)
The story works as a prequel to The Alien Saga, and follows a team of explorers on a distant moon. Most of the scenes shot in Iceland include the most powerful waterfall in Europe, Dettifoss, and the Hekla volcano.
In order to save mankind, a group of astronauts travels through a wormhole in space. The Svínafellsjökull glacier in south Iceland is one of the country’s most popular glaciers. In this film we see it featured as the icy surface on which Matthew McConaughey steps.
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
The Tree of Life (2011)
Captain America vs Iron Man. Some of the filming locations of Captain America include the small picturesque ton of Vik.
The story of a Texan family in 1956. The setting for the origins of life was filmed around the Krafla volcano in Northern Iceland.
Prometheus (2012)
Shot from the film «The Secret Life of Walter Mitty»
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013) An almost unemployed negative assets manager at Life Magazine embarks on a journey to find a missing photo negative, and save his job. The movie was filmed in various Icelandic locations including Seyðisfjörður, where Walter Mitty skateboards on the road. Also, Höfn plays the part of Greenland, while we see glimpses of Vatnajökull National Park and Grundarfjörður.
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The Valhalla Murders aka Brot (2019) A police officer from Oslo travels back to his hometown to investigate Iceland’s first serial killer case. The opening scene of the series takes us near Ægisgarður street at the Old Harbor in Reykjavik. But the most famous landmark of the series is the troubled boys’ house seen in the poster. This is actually the Símstöðin í Brú, located in Hrútafjörður. It used to serve as a telecommunications center in the 1950s, while nowadays it houses volunteers from the Veraldarvinir (aka Worldwide Friends) organization!
Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) & Star Wars: Rogue One (2016) The movies follow the story of the main characters of the Star Wars Saga. The volcanic black sands and green moss mountains of Iceland’s Mýrdalssandur and Reynisfjara beach are used as the planet Lah’mu, while the Krafla volcano of northeastern Iceland is filmed as the planet of Eadu in Rogue One. Eyjafjallajökull glacier is the filming scene for the terrifying Starkiller base in The Force Awakens.
Batman Begins (2005) Batman sets to clear Gotham of its criminals. In the film, the Svínafellsjökull glacier poses as Bhutan in South Asia, in the trekking scene across the ice to find Ra's al Ghul.
Noah (2014) The epic biblical drama’s scenes of the land before the Flood were mostly filmed in the Reynisfjara black sand beach. Some other filming locations include the Reykjanes peninsula and the area around Lake Mývatn in the North.
Katla (2021) The eruption of the Katla volcano brings forth mysteries in the small town of Vik. In the series we can see the significant Katla volcano with its beautiful Ice cave, as well as the small southern town of Vík í Mýrdal and its Black Sand beach. We also get glimpses of the Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach and the DC-3 Plane Wreck on black sands of the Sólheimassandur area.
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (2020) Aspiring Icelandic musicians Lars and Sigrit take the opportunity to represent their country in the Eurovision Song Contest and make their dream come true. Most of the filming took place in the small fishing village of Húsavík and includes the Húsavík wooden church, port, and cemetery. The song «Volcano Man» takes place in the Valahnúkamöl beach in the southwest, while we get glimpses of Skogafoss and Godafoss waterfalls.
James Bond: Die another day (2002) James Bond is sent to investigate the a North Korean terrorist and a diamond mogul, who are suspected of working together on the development of an international space weapon. The famous car chase on the frozen lake was shot at Jökulsárlón, or commonly known as Glacier Lagoon. Other filming locations include Höfn and the Vatnajökull Glacier.
Lost in Space (2018-2021) The Robinson family traverses the galaxy in search for a new planet to call home. The shots of black beaches in the film were taken in Dyrhólaey beach on the south shore of Iceland.
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Thor the Dark World (2013)
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)
Thor begins his fight against the Dark Elves in order to save the Universe. Scenes shot around Landmannalaugar, near the volcano Hekla in South Iceland depict Svartalfheim, the Realm of the Dark Elves. We also get a view of the Dettifoss waterfall and the Ásbyrgi canyon as the set of Asgard.
Lara Croft fights enemies in her attempt to discover ancient artifacts. The depiction of Siberia in the movie is actually filmed in the Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon in South-East Iceland.
The Fate of The Furious (2017) The movie follows the new trials faced by the crew. The well-known race car scene was filmed in Lake Mývatn in the north of Iceland, specifically in Skútustaðir. We also get glimpses of Akranes, a small village in West Iceland, close to Reykjavík.
Journey to The Center of The Earth (2008) A scientist travels to the center of the Earth in search of his missing brother. The movie follows the story of Jules Verne and actually depicts the entrance to the center of the Earth in Snæfellsjökull.
Fortitude (2015 - 2018) The story of the first ever murder in the safest place on Earth, the town of Fortitude. The British psychological thriller was filmed in the small town of Reyðarfjörður, located in east Iceland.
Stardust (2007) A young man makes a promise to find a fallen star from a magical kingdom. Some scenes in the movie were shot in Diamond Beach, which is full of small icebergs, aka Diamonds.
Vikings Season 5 (2017) The series follows Ragnar Lothbrok, a Viking warrior and farmer, that sails out to explore distant lands. The opening scene of the series in the «new land» takes place in Dyrhólaey Black Sand Beach. Later we encounter the Skógafoss Waterfall and the Krýsuvík geothermal area. After a few episodes we get a beautiful view of the Dettifoss Waterfall as the main settlement in the series.
Oblivion (2013) A veteran is sent to find the last resources in a post-apocalyptic planet Earth. The film was shot at the Hrossaborg Crater in North-East Iceland, around Jarlhettur in the western part of the Highlandsand near the stunning Dettifoss Waterfall.
From left to right: shot from the filming and a screenshot of «Oblivion» Marina SEFES
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SEE YOU IN OUR NOVEMBER EDITION
+354 8682324 workamps@wf.is Brú 500 Stadur, Iceland
