Not Enough Life Boats

The United States Department of the Interior today announced its decision to list the polar bear as a threatened species because of the decline in Arctic sea ice. The polar bear -- hours before a court imposed ruling requiring a decision on this matter expired -- is now under the protection of the United States government. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne is expected to explain this action by citing studies conducted in his own department indicating that the disappearance of Arctic sea ice off the coasts of Alaska and Canada may result in two thirds of the polar bear population disappearing by the middle of this century.
This is the first time the Endangered Species Act has been used to protect a species threatened by the impacts of global warming.
This is the first time -- just making sure we're clear on this -- that this government admits to direct culpability in the endangerment of a species. And now that the polar bear is on the list of 'to be protected' what, exactly, is this government that fails to provide sufficient and appropriate supplies to its soldiers going to do to protect polar bears?
Are we going to throw them life preservers? Are we going to fit them for water wings? We did this to the polar bears! So what are we going to do to help them?
Recycling newspapers seems like a trivial response. So does taking the bus to work and watching Al Gore's slide shows because those activities don't communicate outrage. Surely they are not the only responses we can muster. Surely there are more effective methods of saying to those who hold the power of life and death that greed and profligate living drown possibility.