Something I forgot in my response to the long version was the sense of hope I get from species protection. The treaties and work of the activists to get people to stop commercial whaling is a major achievement. When I lived in CA we would take visitors to the coast and often we saw whales just off the coast. In Point Reyes National Seashore, the protection of Elephant Seals allowed them to recolonize the California Coast from Mexico and now there are thriving populations. Wolves have been reestablished in many places. In my state of Wisconsin, Bald Eagles were almost extinct and now they are abundant. Same with Turkeys, Sandhill Cranes, Sturgeon, and Ospreys. This has all happened in my lifetime. People can work together to make a better world and stop catastrophe.