Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Polar Bears Unprotected - Again

(Photo Credit: Minden Pictures)


The polar bears were supposed to be put on the Endangered Species act tomorrow (Wednesday, Jan 9) but the government has decided to delay that for "further study."

Evidence has clearly pointed to these bears being seriously vulnerable due to the melting ice caps and the increased challenges they face in being able to hunt for food. The have to swim farther which often results in them drowning. They have to walk further and go for longer periods without food, which is resulting in increased starvation.

I've seen various documentary films on this very subject and it's patently clear how very vulnerable these bears are.

Does the government care? No. They wait until the 11Th hour to announce they are delaying a move that would protect the polar bears and justifying it with bureaucratic bullshit.

My opinion is they don't want anything to potentially interfere with their desire to drill the hell out of Northwest Alaskan coast.

Environmental groups are promising to file suit tomorrow in hopes of forcing quicker action.

Excerpts:

A key piece of data under consideration is a September report from the U.S. Geological Survey that predicted polar bears could disappear from places where Arctic sea ice is melting fastest, including the northern coast of Alaska.

Two-thirds of the world's polar bears could be gone by 2050 if predictions about melting sea ice hold true, the report said. The ice is melting at least in part because of human-caused climate change, scientists have said.

"The Bush administration has squandered seven years denying the devastating scientific evidence of global warming," Kert Davies of Greenpeace USA said in a statement. "Stalling has cost us dearly, putting the polar bear at risk of extinction and jeopardizing the future welfare of billions of people around the world."


Read more here: U.S. Delays Global Warming Decision on Polar Bears

What's more important right now and for the future? Oil or Polar Bears? You know what I'd choose, and what many people would choose, but our beloved government would choose the former obviously.

Alternative sources of energy are available. The technology to make these alternative sources of energy usable are very available. So why continue to destroy more environment for what will be only a temporary solution?

Polar Bears Vie With Oil for U.S. Government Focus

Remember the oil spill in Norway last month? That's just one more prime example of what could very well happen up in Alaska if oil drilling commences after the lease is sold.

Screw the BS statements that the government claims they can strike a balance between oil drilling and protecting the environment. It bears repeating that oil spills can and DO happen. Contingency plans for this sort of thing have even yet to be drawn up. It's like kill first, ask questions later.

This news article is almost a month old, but it bears a repeat: Norway Oil Spill Contained but Stirs Fears for Arctic

Greenpeace has a statement about the decision to delay protecting the polar bears here: Polar Bear Decision Delayed

Hopefully there will be better news tomorrow, in regards to the lawsuit being filed.

Mahalo,

Dolphin


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