From PRI, Public Radio International and KCRW Santa Monica, this is To the Point.

Human behavior and the rest of the natural world.

Hello again, I'm Arminolny, and this is To the Point from Public Radio International,

a daily look at the issues Americans care about most.

The human contribution to climate change is one of the major themes at this week's meeting of world leaders at the United Nations.

People also are accelerating the extinction of other species.

The so-called Red List reports that 25 to 30 percent of mammals and amphibians are endangered, along with 70% of plants, all because of human activities.

On to the point, why should we care? What's the economic value of biodiversity? What does it have to do with our own species survival?

On reporter's notebook letter on, the president of Iran, and Free Speech in America.

First, here's the news.

Support for To the Point comes from subscribers of KCRW Santa Monica and from the Public Radio

International Program Fund, whose contributors include the Ford Foundation and the John D. and

Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Hello again, Mormon-Aulney, back with To the Point. The latest

red list shows that mammals, amphibians, birds, and plants are disappearing faster than ever

because of human activities. On To the Point, should we care that other species are becoming

extinct? What's their economic value?

What do they have to do with human survival? On reporter's notebook, Iran's Ahmadinejad has arrived in New York as America tests the limits of its free speech tradition.

First, this news update, General Motors, workers walked off their jobs today, the first nationwide auto strike since 1976.

Some 73,000 workers could be affected at 59 plants.

Tim Higgins reports for the Detroit Free Press.

Tim, thanks for joining us.

Thank you.

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