Candy has a new opinion piece in The Bee

[feistylady]

read it here:
Opinion - Endangered but ugly: A PR dilemma - sacbee.com
Candy wrote a really good article in The Bee that might be of interest to those who are interested in preserving our natural resources for future generations to enjoy.

[RanchHQ]

Five years ago I learned all about The Endangered Fairy Shrimp and the near-threatened Spadefoot Toad.

At that point I began to wonder how I lived for 52 years with no knowledge of The Endangered Fairy Shrimp and the near-threatened Spadefoot Toad.

Not only was I amazed that The Endangered Fairy Shrimp and the near-threatened Spadefoot Toad was an issue but that people had time to worry about The Endangered Fairy Shrimp and the near-threatened Spadefoot Toad.

Then I realized that some people made a living using The Endangered Fairy Shrimp and the near-threatened Spadefoot Toad as an issue.

What a World.

[Birdieman]

Maybe she can write an article about the endangered "way of life" because people would rather save the Fairy Shrimp and the Spadefoot Toad than build homes for the very children they are having. Should be a really good article.

[DBCooper]

I read the article and can see her point of view but what exactly does near threatened mean?

[Matthew]

Originally Posted by DBCooper

what exactly does near threatened mean?

Near Threatened (NT) is a conservation status assigned to species or lower taxa which may be considered threatened with extinction in the near future, although it does not currently qualify for the threatened status.

Near Threatened - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Near_Threatened

[DBCooper]

So where do humans fit into the whole species classification system?

It sounds like another nebulous way of scaring the public into voting for the demogogue of the moment.

[Birdieman]

The birth rate to death rate in America is 2 to 1. The average works out to 1 new person in the U.S. every 10 seconds. People have to live in housing, the price of being humans is no more Fairy Shrimp, Spadefoot Toads or Tiger Salamanders. I can live with that.

[Matthew]

Originally Posted by Birdieman

The birth rate to death rate in America is 2 to 1. The average works out to 1 new person in the U.S. every 10 seconds. People have to live in housing, the price of being humans is no more Fairy Shrimp, Spadefoot Toads or Tiger Salamanders. I can live with that.

While I agree the environmental lobby goes too far, I don't believe any species needs to face extinction due to our need for homes. We are smarter than that. It's not a them vs. us.

[Birdieman]

Originally Posted by Matthew

It's not a them vs. us.

You're right it's not a them vs. us. It's us before them. 2112 is all about natural selection, just ask him. Answer this question, which would you rather have, the Fairy Shrimp or more homeless people? Fairy Shrimp or affordable housing? Fairy Shrimp or better roads and highways? Fairy Shrimp or more schools? I could go on for hours but I think you get my point.

[Matthew]

Originally Posted by Birdieman

You're right it's not a them vs. us. It's us before them.

I agree. Sometimes putting us before them requires us to save them. Take bees for example. Many of us will die without them.