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

Whale Poop

(Artist credit: Jeff Wilkie)

It's in the poop ... whale poop that is.

The Japanese whalers have zero need to be hunting these mammals for "scientific purposes." All they need is the poop.

Read more here: Crap Science Beats Lethal Methods


Speaking of the whaling hunt currently underway in our Southern Oceans, Greenpeace finally has an update, and so far, it's not good.

For a country that claims they are doing all of this killing in the name of science, they sure are doing their devious best to hide and to ensure this is as much of a covert operation as possible. 69% of the Japanese citizens are opposed to their country's whaling, and yet it's their taxes that are paying for Japan's military to be out there ensuring that Sea Shepherd and Greenpeace are basically blindfolded and handcuffed.

Read more: The Race to Save 1000 Whales


One of the last great wilderness frontiers we have on this planet is up in Alaska near the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. But shhh, don't tell that to the oil companies because they could give a crap. All they want is their oil.

It's now up to the courts whether or not Shell will be allowed to drill. Alaskan citizens and various environmental groups are, of course, protesting allowing any drilling to take place, much less allowing for drilling to be done for "exploratory purposes."

Read more here: Court Asked to Block Alaska Oil Drilling

Haven't people learned from the oil spill recently in San Fransisco? Accidents happen. So for Shell to say: .."they have conducted a thorough environmental analysis and measures in place already protect whales and other wildlife. They also emphasized the drilling is for exploration only and oil extraction would require more study," is bullshit.

The polar bears are already struggling to survive and have become an endangered species. Orcas, Belugas, and other whales and mammals call this area their home. Even exploratory drilling can do irreparable harm to the wildlife of this region.

There's going to come a day when all we'll have left of our sea and land friends, are memories or pictures.

We don't need more oil. Our planet is just about out of places left for humanity to destroy and / or to exploit.

Mahalo,

Dolphin