alert! Polar bears on U.S. threatened list

1. The Green team members from grade 7 and 8 led the way in creating a new garden at our school's entrance today.

All together there were 15 students, Ms. R and Ms. Bell helping to put everything together. Wasn't it strange that the school got a mysterious delivery of mulch on MONDAY?

2. The girls grade 7 bathroom is currently being painted. By the end of the year, the Green team will have left its legacy (and beautified the school at the same time).


3. Students of the Green team were discussing the possibility of supporting the polar bear with our fund raising money. For more information on sponsoring check out this link.
Here is today's (May 14th) World Wildlife Fund's notice:


BREAKING NEWS: POLAR BEARS GIVEN NEW PROTECTIONS

Dear V,

The U.S. Department of the Interior has listed the polar bear as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act, which gives the bear important new protections. More than 16,000 WWF supporters spoke out for this icon of the North during the public comment period on the proposed listing. Thank you!

WWF also thanks the 22,000 activists who opposed the sale of oil and gas leases in Alaska’s Chukchi Sea, within prime polar bear habitat. Unfortunately, despite an outpouring of public opposition, the Minerals Management Service recently opened nearly 30 million acres of the Chukchi Sea to oil and gas exploration. Because of the polar bear’s new threatened status, however, MMS will need to ensure that its actions do not jeopardize the polar bear’s continued existence.

The polar bear was listed due to the threat from climate change-induced loss of its sea ice habitat. Based on current ice models and projections for polar bear populations, experts believe that two-thirds of the world's polar bear population may be lost by 2050. While the Endangered Species Act listing is an important step forward, urgent additional action is needed by governments and societies to reduce our carbon footprint.

Please [ http://wwf.worldwildlife.org/site/R?i=aHPf9L93zx0KhFh4ubqqxg.. ]forward this update to your friends and family and urge them to get involved as WWF activists. We are counting on your continued support as a part of our team. Thank you again.

Sincerely,

Margaret Williams
Priority Leader,
Bering Sea and Kamchatka
World Wildlife Fund



P.S. Have you seen our polar bear TV spot featuring WWF supporter Sharon Lawrence? Watch it now and learn how you can get a FREE WWF T-shirt.