Treat the cause

My environmental groiups have been going nuts about the Obama administration following the same "disastrous" policies on the polar bear as the Bush administration did. I believe they need to be a little less reactionary. First of all, the polar bear is not yet endangered. We are anticipating that they will become endangered in the near future because of global warming. Don't get me wrong; I think we should do everything in our power to protect the polar bears and the other species that already are endangered or may become endangered due to global warming, say, the ribbon seal. The trouble with using the ESA to push climate policy is that the ESA was not set up to deal with climate change and it is already a hated piece of legislation. Using this as a vehicle to push climate is a little like trying to get a rider on a bill that has already been passed.
This is not to say we shouldn't do anything about climate. President Obama has endorsed stronger limits on carbon emissions. Climate change is eventually going to threaten everything, not only the critters on the ESA. So we are doing something about the polar bear, although it has been a long time coming. Once we get a handle on carbon emissions, though the threat to the habitat will still be a problem for a while, THEN we can worry about disastrous policies. The thing that is threatening polar bears is habitat loss from global warming. Global warming is the symptom, and we are working on treating it. In the meantime, it doesn't help the environmental community's image any to be so alarmist.

Well, it's happened again

Wolves are set to again lose protections except for those in Wyoming. Remember how that went over last time? The Center for Biological Diversity is set to sue. It will be interesting to see if that accomplishes anything. Meanwhile, wolves are being shot from airplanes in Alaska, and with the promise of the illustrious Butch Otter, governor of Idaho, that he will be the first to purchase a license, I rather doubt that we can expect a different outcome from last year. I'm all for population control, but when the animal is so hated that it may very well be hunted to extinction (again, though I'm fully aware of how odd that sounds in the context of extinction) there have simply got to be some better controls. What those should be, though, I have no idea. There doesn't seem to be much deterrent to poachers, especially if they are well able to pay the fine.

And now, for an interruption

I swear I'll get back to environmental blog posts at some point, but right now things are absolutely crazy! I got to Chicago on Sunday, and I started my new job yesterday. There has been very little time for research or even just spouting opinions lately, and I'm sure my readers would like my opinions to be at least semi-informed. Also, there is no Internet access at the house where I am staying, so I must hie myself four miles to Panera whenever I want/need to use the Internet. Lastly, has anyonbe else experienced pain in the mid-thigh area from pressing on the gas pedal too long?