What Can We Do to Help Save the Polar Bears?

What Can We Do to Help Save the Polar Bears

It's true - if things continue as they are right now, our children will grow up in an era where there are no polar bears. The Arctic is melting.

The rate at which it is warming is twice that of the rest of the world. The more ice that melts, the more dark ocean that gets exposed, which attracts more heat, and speeds up the melting even more.

Polar bears need the ice to survive. With no ice, polar bears have no platform to stand on while they hunt seal.

Polar bears are not efficient land hunters, although that is unfortunately where they are heading.

Inefficient land hunting skills will lead to starving cubs and inadequate reproduction numbers.

This is not just a sentimental statement aimed at making you feel bad for the polar bears - this is real. The sad part is that it is our fault, and the effects of global warming will be more far reaching than polar bears - it will effect us all.

Greenhouse gas emissions from power plants and petroleum-operated vehicles are probably the largest contributors. The US produces more greenhouse gases than any other nation in the world.

So what can we do?

Anything and everything. To begin with, it would probably be beneficial to stop fishing in the Arctic to protect the few polar bears that are left.

Renewable energy sources are imperative. Renewable energy will lower our greenhouse gas emissions AND allow us to avoid drilling in the Arctic and further disrupting the ecosystem.

We also need to start taking smaller measures at home. Each and every one of us. Change your light bulbs to CFLs. Walk or carpool when you can. Recycle. Reuse. Cut down on your waste.

One simple way to do this is to start using reusable shopping bags instead of plastic bags and begin composting some of your garbage.

You may feel that you're only one person and can't really make a difference. However, the impact comes when all of us start doing little things to help the environment.

We've got some momentum going with this green movement - let's take it to the next level...if not for ourselves, for the 100% completely innocent polar bears who are now suffering from our indiscretions.

David Kraft is a freelance author that writes about a variety of subjects. He supports eco-friendly living and green products such as reusable shopping bags. For more information about eco-friendly living, visit his reusable bags site.

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