Apex predators critical to saving global economy

It's the good rich guys against the bad rich guys. Ralph Nader hosted Ted Turner and Peter Lewis at the New York Public Library.

From HuffPo:

Philanthropist and CNN founder Ted Turner has turned his sights to renewable energy -- and he had some fighting words for the wind industry at the kickoff to its annual convention on Monday. "Let's go out and kick their asses. That's what they need, a good ass-kicking," Turner told the group assembled for the American Wind Energy Association's conference.

Montana's governor Brian Schweitzer was also in attendance at the conference:

He used Montana ranch-style anecdotes to describe the imperative for America to increase its energy independence. Schweitzer also compared the growth of domestic energy to the Apollo program to reach the moon and referenced Tom Brokaw's book, the Greatest Generation, on the contribution made by Americans during World War II. "The question is," said Schweitzer, "can we be the Greatest Generation?" To become another such generation, he suggested, the nation must tap its own vast resources to develop clean, affordable American wind power.

Steve Casimiro posted his argument for the need for apex predators in the wild at NewWest:

In Yellowstone National Park, the extirpation of wolves led to a flourishing elk population, which then overgrazed trees. Reductions in numbers of lions and leopards in parts of Africa has led to a rise of olive baboons, increasing contact with humans and the spread of intestinal parasites in humans and baboons. The decimation of sharks in the Chesapeake Bay has led to a proliferation of cow-nosed rays, which have over-consumed oysters. The authors said that to restore healthy ecosystems, land managers must also restore or reintroduce large predators. And just a note to those who would reflexively favor cattle over wolves: Cows are not part of a natural, healthy ecosystem.

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The 20 largest debtor nations.