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As FRANk is using a polar bear icon on it’s website we feel we need to pay something back for using the bears IP.  That’s why we are sponsoring a bear every year. Here’s another way to spread the message: A life jacket for Polar bears:

From Inhabitat: As the climate crisis mounts and Arctic icebergs slip away, polar bears are suffering starvation, population declines, and drowning as they must swim further and further to find food. Seeking to raise awareness for the endangered species’ plight, ADDI Concepts has taken wildlife preservation literally by designing a life-vest for displaced polar bears struggling to stay afloat as their homes sink into the sea.

ADDI - a Swedish design agency has done the work to promote awareness and not as a physical solution. One of the most interesting comments suggests using old oil platforms to make artificial islands for the bears to rest on, replacing the melting icebergs. What a cool idea. Or so I thought. After researching for a bit I found this answer by a WWF employee:

gs.bmp“Some people have suggested that artificial platforms placed in the water could act as a home for the bears. In reality, however, one must recognise the vast scale of the Arctic and the area normally covered by ice. It would not be practical to replace that with artificial platforms. Such platforms are also no substitute for the role of sea ice in food production. Sea ice is part of a vital arctic food web, sustaining plants and animals from single-celled creatures all the way up to seals. Without this food web, polar bears cannot survive.” 


This answer was posted on a site called “Get Satisfaction“. Their byline? Customer service doesn’t have to suck. The service is a very cool application enabling a conversation between real employees and consumers. I tried to look for Telstra but came up with a two comment thread about nothing. Perhaps this is a US focused service for now, but a great idea for any company.