I read Ishmael and studied it in depth. I disagree with part of the book that claims the human race looks to technology to save the planet, but the technology isn't enough and will never be enough. Perhaps I'm in the category of people he's talking about, but I do believe that technology will progress to the point that pollution can be reduced to extremely little amounts.
About his proposal that humans were the first 'animals' to become sentient, and that the other animals would follow suit -- I'm still not sure what to make of that. Under extremely certain conditions did primates evolve, and while given an 'infinite' time slot to do it in, anything is possible, I see this highly unlikely in the course of human existance without genetically altering the animals somehow.