The Bear Witness of Climate Change

The congressional environmental committee had been engaged in deep debate over climate change; the democrats were determined to lower America’s dependency on fossil fuels, while the republicans insisted on their Trumpian position to protect the use of coal and oil. Suddenly the lockdown alarms blared wildly throughout the building. The senators waited patiently for an announcement through the PA system on what the possible threat is, but the intercom produced static in response. The committee fell into a wordless atmosphere with fear replacing the heat of the debate. No one dared to speak.

A thunderous pound echoed through the heavy oak double doors of the main entrance. Every senator froze in terror. Another blow struck the doors. Whimpers of despair rose. The doors were struck again, weakening the hinges.

“Little pigs, little pigs, let me in,” a gruff voice mocked followed by another threatening whack. The senators cowered behind their chairs, afraid to be visible when the mysterious threat appeared. As they all stared at the feeble door, they noticed a creature with white fur peering in. The final blow threw the wooden slabs down to the ground. A large white polar bear stood erect on its hind legs, in a terrifying attack position scanning the area. Screams from a few female senators filled the room immediately.

“Excuse me, just to be sure, this is the environmental and public works committee, correct?” The white furred fiend inquired politely. No one moved or even tried to respond. Irritated, the bear growled, “Ok, let’s try this again. Is this the Environmental and Publics Works committee? Someone needs to tell me cuz I’m awfully hungry.”

“Yes…yes it is,” spoke a bald headed man, trembling.

“Perfect,” the bear trotted in and rested its front paws on the podium in front of the members. “I apologize for my threatening intrusion, but I need to have my voice heard.” The bear glanced around, noticing everyone was hiding behind their chairs. “Please, return to your seats, I promise I mean you no harm.”

Bewildered, the senators cautiously climbed back into their cushioned seats.

“Right, let’s get the obvious out of the way, shall we?” The bear displayed a peaceful demeanor. “I’m a polar bear. I can talk. Ooo, shocking. I know,” sarcasm spilled from its lips. No one laughed.

The lead senator, overcoming his fear, was the first to speak. “Al-alright. What is it you want, Mr. Bear?”

“Ms. Bear,” The bear corrected. “I am here on official business. You see, I have lost my family and home.”

Another Senator found courage. “Your home? Where would that be?”

The bear covered her eyes with a paw. “Americans,” she muttered under her breath. “The Arctic Circle obviously. Where did you think I came from? A zoo? Where many of my cousins are imprisoned for the sake of human entertainment?”

Everyone became stoic.

Ms. Bear lowered her head. “My family has all perished with the lack of ice in the Arctic Circle. Based on what I have read, a lot of it has to do with the decisions that you Americans keep making. This whole dependency on oil needs to come to an end. Surely, you have heard of climate change or global warming, right?”

A republican senator stood up vehemently. “It’s a hoax! Haven’t you noticed Washington DC is under a blanket of snow?!” Ms. Bear shot a carnivorous eye at him. He retreated back to his seat, hoping not to anger her.

“I have noticed,” she stated calmly, “but to simply base climate change on one snowfall makes you an idiot. Climate change is the long term effects of your love for fossil fuels. Your cars, lights, and everything that uses oil is what continues to warm the planet.

“In turn, it’s destroying my home, weakening the ice. I was a young cub when my mother was trying to keep my starving brother and I alive by teaching us the ways of the Polar Bear. She was explaining how we need sea ice and depend on it to find food. As she was walking across the ice, it broke and she fell through. She tried valiantly to climb out of the water, but every time her paw struck the ice, another piece broke off until panic overcame her and the frigid liquid swallowed her alive. The northern temperatures never became cold enough to strengthen the ice and now my mother rests in her watery tomb.

“Sadly, without the training of my mother, I had no idea how to feed my orphaned brother or myself. We were forced to leave the Arctic Circle in search of a new home. However, that required swimming to distant unknown lands, which would take hours. I managed to eat from a scarce source before we left, but my brother failed to find food. In his much weaker condition, he lacked the strength to complete the journey. I had to leave him while he was drowning, unable to stop or assist him. The loss of my family became my motivation to swim on.

“Once I made landfall, I found a quiet place to conceal myself near a strange building and mourned their deaths. Weeks later, young humans entered that building. I learned they were attending school and sat under their classroom windows, taking in the lessons. Five years later, I learned about your American politics. Senators, I have come a long way to ask you to please change your positions on climate change. We are already an endangered species and there are many—”

“We have located the threat!” Darts flew through the air and landed on Ms. Bear’s chest. She roared violently and turned toward a small group of armored humans weilding a small rifle. She swiftly prepared to attack, but moved in a drunken stagger. Her body became limp and fell atop the podium, shattering it to pieces. Every senator witnessed the bear lie unconscious on the floor and were left with an important decision.

“Shall we head to vote?”