Originally Posted by joefrog 
Well, how about we start here:
Between 1965 and 1970 the population of polar bears was estimated at only 8,000 - 10,000 and it was classified as an endangered species.
Fortunately, in 1973, an international agreement banned the hunting of the polar bear, only the native Inuits being allowed to kill them. Since the ban, the polar bear population has steadily increased and the current population worldwide is now between 20,000 - 40,000.
That work for you? Numbers are up on Polar bears. Up a lot actually. This is all more feel bad about your lifestyle nonsense. You like paying $4 or even $5 for a gallon of gas? It is coming, and coming soon. Just remember to blame those evil gas companies, it is there fault we don't let them drill or refine more.
Do you think that the number of Polar Bears before European contact was 8,000-10,000? The reason that the legislation was passed to protect the Polar Bear in 1973 was because it had been hunted down to such a low population level. Now that the polar ice is melting, they are starving because of a loss of critical hunting habitat.
This phenomenon
IS happening, whether or not we humans are having all that much to do with it. However, there are very few things on this planet that our actions do
not have a large effect upon. This planet is all we have; it needs to be respected, no matter what.
