Charlotte Lavender

Mr.Condron

English IV Honors

1 May 2020

Saving the Polar Bears

Think about how much your life would be affected if your home and food were taken

away from you. Your whole life would change and it would be nearly impossible to survive.

Unfortunately, this is a reality for polar bears as their needs for survival are constantly being

threatened by climate change. The warming temperatures are causing icebergs to melt which is

where polar bears live, hunt and spend most of their time. Climate change has an effect on the

entire environment in both the Arctic and Antarctica and the lack of food and habitat is causing

the bears to become more violent and aggressive to people living in the areas around them.

Because of these circumstances and living conditions, there has been a decrease in reproduction

between polar bears, causing the future for polar bears to be in danger. Many organizations

around the world are working together and creating solutions for climate change, but it is not

enough. Based on extensive research, it is clear that those who want to help save the polar bears

need to understand the effects of climate change on their habitat, examine how they can help

through an environmentally friendly lifestyle, and to inform and bring awareness to the

community around them.

The first step towards a solution for polar bears is identifying the problems climate

change has created for them. The conventional lifestyle for polar bears has always been living on

the icebergs and spending the majority of their time on the ice. Icebergs have also been the ideal
spot for polar bears to hunt and search for seals. However, over the past few decades this has

become almost impossible as climate change has put both polar bears and seals in danger. Diane

Cole writes, “With seal hunting becoming more difficult, bears search for other options. Some

swim even further out to sea, where they may drown. Others wander inland and turn to

scavenging when they come across garbage left by humans”(Cole). The thinning ice is leaving

polar bears to turn to unconventional ways to search for food. The polar bears moving inland and

eating waste left by humans nearby shows how much their lifestyle is affected by climate

change, they never before had to depend on garbage for food. Unfortunately, the shortage of food

has caused polar bears to become more aggressive and violent towards each other and people.

Since climate change and warming temperatures have increased, so have polar bear attacks on

humans. Todd Atwood, a wildlife life biologist at the US Geological Survey, found that there

have been 73 cases of polar bear attacks on humans leaving 63 people injured and 20 people

dead. Most of the bears involved in the attacks were hungry male polar bears who were in a

predatory manner (“Polar Bear Attacks”). The polar bear attacks on humans were caused by

hunger and their need for survival. The polar bears are malnourished and moving to places of

human settlement is their solution for their hunger. Climate change has not only made polar

bears hungry and aggressive, it has also led to a constant decrease in polar bear population. From

2001-2010, the population has decreased 40 percent (“World Wildlife”). The lack of food has

had a serious impact on the future for polar bears. Female polar bears have not been able to eat

enough and store up enough body weight and fat to undergo pregnancies (Cole). Climate change

has caused polar bears to be now classified as an endangered species.

 Ending climate change and stopping the harm it causes to polar bears requires individual

action. There are many small changes that people can add to their everyday lives to start living a

more environmentally friendly lifestyle. One major thing people can do to help climate change is

to use less paper. Today ,it is easier for people to limit the amount of paper they use because a lot

of the world now depends on technology. Consciously using less paper will result in less paper

needed to be produced and not as many trees will need to be cut down and used for paper.

According to the EPA, The United States Environmental Protection Agency, “​By recycling one

short ton (0.91 t) of paper you can save 17 mature trees”(“Make A Wish”). Everytime someone

avoids using paper, more trees are saved which results in a better environment for everyone.

Another change that can be made to create a more eco-friendly lifestyle is by eliminating using

plastic bags and using canvas bags instead. Plastic bags require more materials to be used for

single use production and everytime more plastic is produced, the amount of plastic pollution

increases. Canvas bags are better for the environment because they are reusable and can help

decrease the amount of single use plastic being used (Evans). On top of being environmentally

friendly, canvas bags are sturdier than plastic bags and can hold more items at a time. Canvas

bags can also be used for storing and packing items because they are a lot stronger than plastic

bags (“Make A Wish”). These are just two minor changes that can help put an end to climate

change and improve the lives of all the polar bears in the fight for survival.

The individual responsibilities to end climate change and help save polar bears will be

more effective if more people are aware of what they can do to help. One of the best ways to

help contribute to saving the polar bears is to bring awareness to more people and communities.

Educating others on climate change is what will help create a global response to the warming
climate. Global climate strikes and protests have captured the attention of people all around the

world and have encouraged many people to become knowledgeable about climate change and

more mindful of the things they can do to help. The Global Climate Strike is meant to disturb

people around the world with the effects of climate change. These strikes involve people

demanding for action to be taken to address climate change. It brings awareness to the shift of

weather, temperature and the change in sea levels (Global Climate Strike). This is one of the

most impactful opportunities for individuals to take part in bringing awareness to climate change.

There is more power when people work together for a cause, so if there are more people involved

it will cause a bigger effect. These strikes bring awareness to the most vulnerable communities

and the ones hit the hardest by climate change. These include places that suffer from human loss

and animal endangerment (Global Climate Strike). The global response caused by the

international strikes can help better the environment and living conditions for polar bears. The

strikes mainly focus on solving problems like the warming climate which is what directly affects

the lives of polar bears.

The future of polar bears depends on these steps to fix climate change. A solution needs

to be created before climate change leaves permanent damage on our Earth and the polar bear

population. If the world does not take action towards climate change, it could lead to polar bears

becoming extinct. Polar bears were not meant to live on disappearing icebergs and cannot

survive in their environment when the temperature is continuously changing and getting warmer.

Climate change has ruined their source of food, their habitat and their ability to reproduce. These

are the three most important things any animal needs to survive and the warming climate is

taking it all away from polar bears. ​ Understanding the effect climate change has on polar bears
and their survival is the first step to rescuing polar bears and getting them out of danger. To fix

the problems caused to their habitat, people who want to help save polar bears should look into

creating and living a more eco-friendly lifestyle and should spend time informing and teaching

the community around them about the effects of climate change.

Admin. “Ten Easy Ways To Live A More Eco-Friendly Lifestyle.” ​Wheels For Wishes,​ Wheels

For Wishes, 24 Feb. 2020,

www.wheelsforwishes.org/news/live-a-more-eco-friendly-lifestyle/​.

This website goes over ways to live a more environmentally friendly lifestyle including

diet and small changes to make around the house.

Cole, Diane. “The Plight of Penguins and Polar Bears.” ​U.S. News & World Report​, vol. 146, no

3, Apr. 2009, pp. 76–78. ​EBSCOhost​,

search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=36885936.

Diane Cole explains the effects the warming temperatures have on both the Arctic and the

Antarctic. The warmer climate is affecting polar bears who depend on icebergs and the

arctic weather for survival.

Evans, Posted byDavid. “Why Are Cloth Bags Better Than Plastic?” ​Plastic EDU,​ 26

Dec. 2019, plastic.education/why-are-cloth-bags-better-than-plastic/.

 Evans goes over the benefits of using cloth bags over plastic bags

“Global Climate Strike - Urgent Climate Action: Mission2020.” ​mission2020.Global​,

mission2020.global/dont-be-late/heartbeat_global_climate_strike/.

This organization explains the mission of the Global Climate Strike and why people

should become a part of them.

Molnár, Péter K., et al. “Predicting Survival, Reproduction and Abundance of Polar Bears under

Climate Change.” ​Biological Conservation​, Elsevier, 29 Apr. 2010,

www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006320710001473​.

Molnár shares predictions on population and survival of polar bears and how climate

change will affect their reproduction and future as a species.

“Polar Bear Attacks on Humans Rising as Climate Changes.” ​New Scientist,​ vol. 235, no. 3135,

July 2017, p. 17. ​EBSCOhost,​ doi:10.1016/S0262-4079(17)31408-2.

New Scientist shares important data that shows the increase of polar bear violence

created by the rise of climate change.

“Polar Bear Population Decline a Wake up Call for Climate Change Action.” ​WWF​, World

Wildlife Fund,

www.worldwildlife.org/stories/polar-bear-population-decline-a-wake-up-call-for-climate-

change-action​.

World Wildlife shows the effects the melting icebergs have on the polar bears and they

show how much their population has decreased.