Glacier Friday

November 24th 2023

25% of all online sales on November 24th will fund the protection of glaciers in Iceland.

Glaciers make Iceland an extraordinary place. Let's do what we can to keep it that way.

Glaciers dominate the landscape in many parts of Iceland. They are the view from our home and a destination during the weekend. They shaped our mountains and created our rivers which carve up the landscape and make our country so extraordinary.

Icelandic glaciers are one of the reasons we exist as a company and we want to protect them. All our glaciers have slowly but surely been disappearing through the years. For the past four years we have donated part of our sales to funds that all have one thing in common: protect our nature.

25% of all online sales today will fund the protection of glaciers in Iceland.

This year, we will be supporting the Icelandic Glaciological Society. Whether you shop with us or donate to the Icelandic Glaciological Society directly, you will be helping preserve the Icelandic glaciers for future generations.

The Icelandic Glaciological Society was founded in 1950 to support research about our glaciers. There, both scientists and laymen get the opportunity to work together towards the same goal – documenting the disappearance of our glaciers.

Glacier Friday

Since 2019, we have not participated in Black Friday. Instead, we have donated 25% of our online sales to fund organizations that all have one thing in common: protect our nature.

2022 | Iceland Glaciological Society

25% of online sales on Friday, November 25th, went to The Icelandic Glaciological Society.

2020 | The Icelandic Wetland Fund

25% of online sales on Friday, November 27th, until Monday, December 30th, went to The Icelandic Environmental Association.

2021 | Iceland Glaciological Society

25% of online sales on Friday, November 26th, went to The Icelandic Glaciological Society.

2019 | The Icelandic Environmental Association

25% of online sales from Friday, November 29th, until Monday, December 2nd, went to The Icelandic Environmental Association.

Eyjafjallajökull | 2000 - 2023

Tindfjallajökull | 2000 - 2023

Collaboration between 66°North and JÖRFÍ

2021-2022

The Iceland Glaciological Society (Jöklarannsóknafélagið, or JÖRFÍ) conducted expeditions with the purpose of resurrecting mass balance measurements on Tindfjallajökull glacier and Eyjafjallajökull glacier. In short, two measurements were taken - in May, to measure the accumulation of snow during winter by drilling through the winter layer of snow, and in the fall months to measure the rate of ablation in the summer. This provided an assessment of the glaciers' condition. The aim of the project was to increase understanding of the mass balance of smaller glaciers in Iceland and to promote awareness of glacial changes during global warming. The team also took the opportunity to film footage when the mass balance measurements were taken in the spring and fall. Findings from the project were presented at the Glaciological Society's fall meeting and a short video was put together with footage from the trips.

2022-2023

Historical photographs of glaciers in Iceland have recently been collected and this includes the scanning of photographs owned by the Glaciological Society. The photographs provide insight into the changes that Iceland's glaciers have undergone over the past decades, dating all the way back to 1900. Part of the collaboration consisted of visiting specific locations and retaking the photographs. A comparison of the images shows in a simple and effective way how glaciers have retreated, and this plays an important part in documenting changes to Icelandic glaciers. Select pairs of photographs will be published on the web browser for Icelandic glaciers (islenskirjoklar.is) and on social media for the Glaciological Society and 66°North.

Svínafellsjökull | 1940 - 2019

The retreat of the glaciers

Glaciers in Iceland began retreating rapidly after 1995, and their shrinking marks one of the largest effects and clearest manifestations of global warming. A number of small glaciers have vanished during this period and it has now become clear that many glaciers will vanish in the coming decades. Since the turn of the century, Icelandic glaciers have shrunk by approx. 850 km2, which is the equivalent of about one Langjökull glacier, whereas since 1900 we have lost what equates to about three Langjökull glaciers.

Glacial lagoons have formed in front of numerous glaciers and the lagoons grow larger as the glaciers retreat. Volunteers for the Glaciological Society carry out measurements on various glacier termini across the country. Many of Iceland's larger outlet glaciers have retreated by hundreds of meters in the last two years. As an example of this, Dyngjujökull glacier has retreated by 500 m, Síðujökull glacier by 300 m, Breiðamerkurjökull glacier and Hagafellsjökull glacier by 250 m, and Þjórsárjökull glacier by 100 m.

Fjallsjökull | 1988 - 2021

Fischersund x 66°North

Jöklalykt

Jöklalykt draws inspiration from the haunting future of glaciers. These ancient figures in the Icelandic landscape are now quickly disappearing. The fragrance portrays the long dormant earth that has been buried underneath the glaciers for centuries and is slowly appearing as the glaciers shrink, year after year.

Last years

Glacier Friday

2020

Carbfix

It has never been more important than it is now for the world’s scientific community to work together to find solutions to carbon dioxide emissions. The team behind the Icelandic company Carbfix has developed a method for sequestering CO2 in stone.

Read

2020

At Glacier's end

Chris Burkard is a world renowned adventure photographer with a passion for Iceland. He's explored the furthest reaches of the country over the last decade, growing a strong affinity to documenting the glacial river systems that run from the highlands all the way down to the ocean.

Read

2021

Where the ice melts

Ragnar surveys Drangajökull’s east side for the second time. He took over from his father, Þröstur, who did it for 25 years. Þröstur took over from his uncle, Guðfinnur, who had been in charge for the previous 50 years.

Read