Way to Save the Polar Bears PPO Fans
By: Pete Phillips
January 9, 2007

i could run the adopt-a-polar-bear program

It's not too often that I get to write a thank-you post, but I can't be proud enough of all you loyal visitors (since the news came out over the holidays). Because of an article that I wrote last year, and the action that the world took in response, the polar bear has been proposed to be added to the endangered species list. Somebody must've told George W. that they're so cute and cuddly, so his administration's going to try to save them!

Right off the bat I'll talk to the other side (the side that wishes all polar bears would drown): Yes, the polar bear population has statistically risen lately, but that's because they're smart animals. When the polar bears grow in numbers it's so that they can fight us for land, since we're melting the ground right from under them. It's also a response to the signs of their pending decline. Remember WWII? It's like that. People came home and had babies all over the place-- streetcars, benches, hospitals, basketball courts-- everywhere! This was because it'd been a while since the soldiers had gotten some domestic lovin' AND because so many lives had been lost, they had to start catching up. Polar bears are doing the same thing. It's preventative.

Peeps be illin' all the time, and some of them say that this proposal to put the polar bear on the list is a move to look politically sensitive, not be actively helpful (I'm lookin' at you Wall Street Journal). Other people (like hippy tree-huggers) will say that government is finally catching up and looking ahead. We're both wrong because nothing is absolute, but who cares why it's happening? The point is that someone's taking the polar bear problem seriously.

No one has talked about my Adopt-a-Polar-Bear program yet, but I still think it's a viable option. I've looked into getting a two-bedroom apartment so I'll have a place for my bear. I do worry about our cultural differences and how we'll make things work, but ultimately I think all the trouble would be worth the experience and the help I can provide for our mother earth. I urge you all to consider adopting a polar bear if the opportunity comes up.

I do have to say that my pride is overflowing that we've accomplished one more thing as a PPO community. I don't know which (if any) of my friends come here anymore, but it's good to know that political advocates and earth-loving movers and shakers are coming by to get things done. It's not too often that we take a stance on issues, and it's certainly no indication of how big the issue is when we do pick one to stand on. Don't stop thinking about stem cells, racism, starvation, etc. We're just asking you to remember polar bears too.

So thanks to everyone for all of your actions in helping protect the polar bear. Rusty (which is what I'll call my polar bear when I get him) would have a ball living with me, and I with him. Sometimes it gets sad living alone, and it would be nice to have him around. Maybe I'll have to wait a little longer, but that's okay with me. If global warming goes on through the years, maybe Rusty can move in when I'm older. He can play with the kids. They can feed him fish. Life can be good with a polar bear, but it's better if they can live on their own.