BP: Master of Disaster

BP Is Criticized Over Oil Spill, but U.S. Missed Chances to Act

Another disaster unfolds as a result of our nation’s dependence on oil and our “brilliant” idea of offshore drilling. We heard earlier last week about an oil leak in the Gulf Coast, coming from an oil rig explosion one mile beneath the ocean. This leak has grown to releasing over 5000 barrels of oil per day, with estimates that it could take up to 90 days for the rig to be halted. 11 workers on the rig were also killed as a result of the explosion.

What is the public’s reaction? Anger? Disgust? Distrust? In the first article released in the NY Times, there was not even a mention of the perpetrator. It seems it is just now crossing the minds of many public officials, the significance of this disaster. Fisherman who depended on the sea and shore for their livelihood are left with no help or resources, and all this coming just as they had been working so hard to recover from multiple natural disasters. My heart goes out to all those affected by this unfortunate event. I hope to see more action brought forward. The article mentions BP has taken every possible plan on action and is “doing its best. “Here you have the company that is responsible for the accident leading the response to the crisis,” said Tyson Slocum, director of Public Citizen’s Energy Program. “There is a problem here, and the consequence is clear.” It was clearly ignorant to think a massive oil spill would be able to be contained a mile beneath the water and 50 miles from the shore, with the agitator in charge of the cleanup. Seriously!? Its quite a hefty task. Take every profit possible needed to do the job of cleaning up the mess they created. “If the government determines that the responsible party is not up to the job, it can federalize the spill, running the cleanup operations without the private company but billing it for the cost. This is a last resort, however.” Why is this a “last resort”? The consequences of this event just further my conviction that we are in a very unhealthy position. #1. We need a clear distinction between business and government. Lobbying on behalf of matters that in the end are not beneficial to the human welfare should not be taken seriously. #2. We are so dependent on oil that events such as this can happen and no real, sustainable solutions can be brought about. It seems we have come to value profit over people, neglecting to think of the countless scores of men and women who die every day in an endless oil war. This disaster is yet another result of the system currently in place. We, the people, need to get stand up for what is right, and what is clearly wrong. We need to write, sing, shout, buycott!, tell our friends/families/classmates, that we are “MAD AS HELL, AND WE’RE NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE!”

*Taken from an ingenious 1976 movie called Network- an excerpt from a speech by Howard Beale:

"“I don't have to tell you things are bad. Everybody knows things are bad. It's a depression. Everybody's out of work or scared of losing their job. The dollar buys a nickel's work, banks are going bust, shopkeepers keep a gun under the counter. Punks are running wild in the street and there's nobody anywhere who seems to know what to do, and there's no end to it. We know the air is unfit to breathe and our food is unfit to eat, and we sit watching our TV's while some local newscaster tells us that today we had fifteen homicides and sixty-three violent crimes, as if that's the way it's supposed to be. We know things are bad - worse than bad. They're crazy. It's like everything everywhere is going crazy, so we don't go out anymore. We sit in the house, and slowly the world we are living in is getting smaller, and all we say is, 'Please, at least leave us alone in our living rooms. Let me have my toaster and my TV and my steel-belted radials and I won't say anything. Just leave us alone.' Well, I'm not gonna leave you alone. I want you to get mad! I don't want you to protest. I don't want you to riot - I don't want you to write to your congressman because I wouldn't know what to tell you to write. I don't know what to do about the depression and the inflation and the Russians and the crime in the street. All I know is that first you've got to get mad. (shouting) You've got to say, 'I'm a HUMAN BEING, Goddarnit! My life has VALUE!' So I want you to get up now. I want all of you to get up out of your chairs. I want you to get up right now and go to the window. Open it, and stick your head out, and yell,
[shouting] 'I'M AS MAD AS HELL, AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!'”"

I feel I may have gone off on a tangent, but I can not help but get emotional on issues involving “Beyond Petroleum”, and the way our government is handling the serious matter. Blame should be assessed, administered, and sustainable solutions should be brought about.

My opinion: BP should correct the imbalance left on the effected ecosystems, apologize to the public and ensure it never were to happen again, after making every effort and spending an enormous amount of money to restore all the coastal waters. Lets not forget about the late 80s Exxon Oil Spill Crisis, a lot of which is still indebted to the government for the accident. This is 5X bigger!

Oil should start being phased out of our daily lives. It's not going to last forever! In fact, we’'re going to hit the peak oil pretty soon, and then we’ll really feel it when they can gauge us on gas prices. It means major changes. More options on the table. And it all has to start with the people. We have to show them that this is what we want, and we'll take nothing less...

Below are some ways we can help (courtesy of msnbc.com)

Msnbc.com reader Madeline Crowley pointed out links to several local environmental organizations that are working on cleaning up the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and accepting donations:

Tri-State Bird Rescue Research is working to "oversee the wildlife rehabilitation" along the Gulf Coast

Mobile Baykeeper is raising money in response to the oil spill in order to protect "the beauty, health, and heritage of the Mobile Bay Watershed."

Seabird Sanctuary has 300 volunteers on "stand-by" to assist with the Gulf Oil Spill if it impacts Florida.

The Greater New Orleans Foundation has set up a fund to help some communities that will be affected by the oil spill. 

Msnbc.com reader Corla Coles points out the efforts of Matter of Trust, a non-profit organization that invites salons, pet groomers and the abundantly coiffed to send leftover hair trimmings for use in highly absorbent hair mats and booms. According to their website, "Hair is very efficient at collecting oil out of the air, off surfaces like your skin and out of the water, even petroleum oil."

The group boasts twelve locations across region that are ready to receive human and pet hair, and hundreds of volunteers participating in "Boom B Q" parties stuffing the donated locks into recycled nylons to form booms that can be strung along beaches and marshes.

Related link: Organization combing country for spare hair to fight oil slick

To report injured or oiled wildlife, call 1-866-557-1401. To report spill-related damage, call 1-800,440-0858, and to inquire about volunteering, or to report oil on the shore, call 1-866-448-5816.

The Louisiana Seafood Promotion & Marketing Board is connecting BP with fisherman looking to aid in the cleanup effort. If interested, call 281-366-5511 or e-mail, HorizonSupport@OEGLLC.com.

The Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana is looking for volunteers to “fill a variety of needs.” Pre-veterinary students, veterinary technicians, and anyone with HAZWOPER training (Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response Standard) are “strongly encouraged” to register.

The National Audubon Society is recruiting volunteers in the fight to save “ecologically sensitive areas.” Visit their website to fill out a volunteer registration form.

OilSpillVolunteers.com also provides the opportunity sign up and assist with the cleanup.

While their website says volunteers are not yet needed, Mobile Baykeeper is urging anyone who is interested to call their office at 251-433-4229 or e-mail info@mobilebaykeeper.org.