Hey, some good news for a change! I just got the following email from WWF telling me that the polar bear is now listed as a threatened species.

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.

I have to admit, I'm slightly surprised. I assumed the folks at the Department of the Interior would bow to political pressure and decide to offer the polar bears no protection at all so the oil companies could get their hands on their habitat. Seems a little activism and vocal support can actually make a difference.

Isabella Rossellini

I have to admit, it's a pretty catchy title, but Green Porno is not your average porn. It's insect porn, so to speak. It's a short film series from Isabella Rossellini, and will be premiering on sundancechannel.com and HELIO's mobile service in May.

Meant to be shown individually or as a series, the "Green Porno" films are a comical, but insightful study of the curious ways certain creatures "make love." The inventive costumes and colorful sets contribute to the playfulness of the films. Their graphic look was specifically conceived for smaller screens such as cellular phones, computers, and various mobile devices.

"I've always been interested in animals and animal behavior," said Rossellini. "I wanted people to laugh, but then to leave and say, 'Wow, I didn't know about that.' That was my green intervention. It was to make people aware of animal life."

A few quick notes about bees. We all know that bees are essential to our daily lives, no matter how much we dislike their stingers. But with bee populations decreasing drastically over the past few years, their continued health has become even more vital. So to remind us all about our little buzzing friends, here's a few stories from around the web about bees.

First, in the UK, beekeepers are pushing for money to research ways to prevent the colony collapses seen here in the U.S.

Beekeepers have warned that most of the country's honey bees could be wiped out by disease in 10 years unless an urgent research programme is launched to find new treatments and drugs. They are to launch a nationwide campaign, including protests, to force the government to fund the £8m research project which they say is needed to save the nation's bees.