Dispersants

The more I read about dispersants, the less I believe the folks at BP are actually cleaning up. It appears that they may be coagulating the oil, but further endangering the wildlife and human life that inhabit the area and surrounding shores. The COREXIT(R) EC9527A product being used to contain the spill has already caused several volunteers respiratory problems and skin irritations, as its fact sheet states it will. The official product also warns against using the product in open water as it may cause damage to marine life. Hmmm... isn't this is exactly what is being done with the product? This particular dispersant also happens to be made by a division of BP in a Naperville, IL plant. It is true that there are other products available, that are even biodegradable, but perhaps none at an economic cost so low to BP. The Sierra Club and others are busy working on ways to convince officials to limit the use of these dispersants, however BP is still in control of the clean up, so much remains unknown about what is really going on.

clean up conflicts

It appears that there may be more to the story than we're seeing.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/21/science/earth/21conflict.html?src=un&feedurl=http%3A%2F%2Fjson8.nytimes.com%2Fpages%2Fnational%2Findex.jsonp

Here is a post from Green for All. Very interesting about impacts of Gulf Oil Disaster on communities usually left out of the mainstream narrative:

http://www.greenforall.org/blog/unheard-voices-from-the-gulf-coast

Oysters could be in deep oilly trouble

So, conservation groups have been working together around the Gulf of Mexico and on the East Coast to re-establish oyster beds to help clean up water and reinvigorate ecosystems. There has been good progress. Learn more here:

http://www.nature.org/initiatives/marine/features/oyster.html

And then read this mess of a story on the Gulf Oil Spill (courtesy of British Petroleum and Halliburton among others). Looks like progress on oysters in the past few years by conservation groups is getting ready to get destroyed:

http://blogs.alternet.org/speakeasy/2010/05/15/already-vanishing-oyster-reefs-under-threat-from-oil-spill-video/?utm_source=feedblitz&utm_medium=FeedBlitzRss&utm_campaign=alternet

rejection

Thursday we arrived on the Gulf Coast here in Mississippi, talking daily with community groups and NGOs about how we can help, where we can help, what we can do, anything at all. Responses have varied from graceful declines to adamant refusal, but all have been unanimous, please please do not show up here with your two children, we do not have anything for you to do. Truth is, they're right. I mean, really, what did I expect. I am not trained in animal rescue, do not have any sort of toxic materials handling training and ... I have two young boys. I did, however believe I could transfer volunteers, hand out materials, inform people, fax press releases, or something.

Today, it turned around, a little. On the boat, the boys were enjoying a snack, while I listened to a reporter asking some questions to National Park rangers on board. Ship island is part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore. ( Yes, I was being nosy, but he was sitting right behind me.)

When their conversation ended, I turned to the gentleman and began asking my own round of questions. Turns out, he and his wife write for www.bellona.org, an international environmental organization based out of Oslo, Norway. At the website, you can find daily, in depth reports of what is happening each day here in the Gulf. They've been all over the area checking out the various efforts being conducted by BP officials to clean up the mess. Though many attempts have been made by various groups to deter BP from dumping dispersants into the spill zone, they continue to do so. Worse yet, they have chosen the most toxic of the dispersants, which they happen to have a hand in making. Interesting.

As we spoke, a young woman aboard introduced herself as a reporter for Univision (check www.univision.com - a spanish speaking news network) hoping to produce a piece in the coming days, but running into roadblocks in getting answers from even clean up volunteers. Both of these folks seemed to be getting the cold shoulder from anyone on the ground related to the companies responsible for the spill or even those working on the clean up. I mentioned my own frustration with not finding an opportunity to volunteer. About this time, we docked and filed off the boat, and into the pouring rain.

As it poured, I noticed a crew of folks walking the island with a homemade scoop of sorts on a stick and wondered what the purpose was. My own young child crisis was in progress and this kept me from any further investigation.

On the return trip, the sun returned (briefly,) highlighted by dolphins diving near the boat and several families of brown pelicans near bouys. I noticed nearby the fellows with the funny scoop were standing with a cardboard box in tow. I asked what they were up to out on the island. The two were volunteers out taking water samples after hearing reports of tar balls washing up on Ship island. They stated that they personally did not find any evidence of tar balls, but volunteers picking up garbage found themselves soaked with oil residue in addition to a dead oil soaked bird on shore. Bad news.

As we departed the boat, a young National Park Ranger approached me. She heard of my rejection from organizations and agencies (including her own) when I offered assistance. She promised to turn that around, and she just happened to be the volunteer coordinator for the agency. Lucky me. All it took was a boat ride and a 3-hour tour. A 3-hour tour.

Photos of the Spill from the Boston Globe

Here are some great photos of the spill and its subsequent clean-up efforts:

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/05/disaster_unfolds_slowly_in_the.html

Great Video of Gulf Fisherman and Oil Spill Impacts

Here is the Link: http://www.latimes.com/videobeta/f7bbc397-4b37-4f41-8daa-73c547954eaf/News/Oyster-fisherman-face-uncertain-future