If our global society continues down
its current trajectory of infinite greed and blatant disregard for the environment
and the species living within it, majestic polar bears will soon survive only
in history books. Their arctic habitat is
disappearing before their very eyes as a direct result of recent and rapid
climate change. If we want to save the
polar bear, we have to face the facts and start acting responsibly to exist
sustainably—today.
The available timeframe for these
bears to eat is shrinking along with the ice they depend on for food. This puts them at increased risk for
starvation and even drowning. As the sea
ice retreats from shore, polar bears must swim further, up to 60 miles, across
open water and rougher waves in search of ice to hunt on. More recently, according to the National
Wildlife Federation, researchers have even documented “cannibalistic behavior”
among starving polar bears, which was “previously unobserved.” This implies that the situation has become so
dire for polar bears that they have been forced to take extreme measures in a
desperate effort for their own survival.
Climate change, scientists agree, is
the driving force behind these warming waters and melting ice sheets. Each year as temperatures rise, the seawater
takes longer to freeze yet it disappears faster, a scenario that—if continued—leads
polar bears down a sure path to disaster.
Some people say that the current warming trend is merely a result of
natural fluctuations in the Earth’s cooling and heating cycles, as demonstrated
by the coming and going of past ice ages.
That may be true; however, the modern-day warming pattern is occurring
at such a rapid pace that it suggests humans are playing a significant role in
accelerating this process. As stated by
National Geographic, “humans have increased the amount of
carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by more than a third since the Industrial
Revolution. Changes this large have historically taken thousands of years but
are now happening over the course of decades.”
At some point (and soon), we as
humans have to realize that the globe is a finite place with limited resources,
and that our actions—both individual and collective—have impacts on the future
of this planet and all the species within it.
If we do not fully appreciate this statement for the stark reality that
it is and make substantial efforts to combat climate change now, we will soon
be living in a world where polar bears no longer exist. It is not a matter of if at this point, but when.
I sincerely believe, from the many articles
I’ve read and the documentaries I’ve seen, that polar bears will no longer
exist outside zoos during my lifetime, if drastic and immediate changes are not
made regarding the way we as a people and a society address climate
change. Former Vice President of the
United States, Al Gore, said on global warming, “Making mistakes in generations
and centuries past would have consequences that we could overcome; we don’t
have that luxury anymore” (Inconvenient
Truth). Whether or not politicians
are ready to stop arguing about who’s to blame for the sad state of our planet,
it is time to set aside our differences, accept some accountability, and
finally take action. For if we do
nothing, what will we say when our children ask us, “What was it like? When polar bears roamed the arctic.”
References
An Inconvenient
Truth.
Dir. Davis Guggenheim. Prod. Laurie David, Lawrence Bender, and Scott Z. Burns.
Perf. Albert Gore. Paramount Pictures Corporation, 2006. DVD.
"Polar
Bear." National Wildlife Federation. Web. 17 Sept. 2012.
<http://www.nwf.org/Wildlife/Wildlife-Library/Mammals/Polar-Bear.aspx>.
"What Is
Global Warming?" National Geographic. Web. 17 Sept. 2012.
<http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/gw-overview>.
