TraditionallythoughtofasthelastgreatunspoiledterritoryonEarth,theArcticisinrealityhometosomeofthemostcontaminatedpeopleandanimalsontheplanet.AwardedamajorgranttoconductanexhaustivestudyofthedeterioratingenvironmentoftheArcticbythePewCharitableTrusts(thefirsttimePewhasgivensuchagranttoajournalist),LosAngelesTimesenvironmentalreporterMarlaConetraveledacrosstheArctic,fromGreenlandtotheAleutianIslands,tofindoutwhytheArcticistoxic.SilentSnowisnotonlyascientificjourney,butapersonalone.WhetherhuntinggiantbowheadwhaleswithnativeAlaskanswhoarestrugglingtoprotecttheirlivelihood,ortrackingendangeredpolarbearsinNorway,Conereportswithaninsider'seyeonthedangersofpollutiontonativepeoplesandecosystems,howArcticculturesareadaptingtothispollution,andwhatsolutionswillpreventthecrisisfromgettingworse.