Oil Spill 2010: Facts and How to Help

On April 20, 2010, an explosion aboard the Deepwater Horizon, a drilling rig leased by the oil company BP, set off ablaze that killed 11 crew members. Two days later, it sank about 50 miles off the Louisiana coast and crude oil began gushing out of a broken pipe 5,000 feet below the surface. A month later, after a series of failed attempts to plug the leak, oil had begun to stain the coasts and marshes of Louisiana. The spill appears to be the worst oil disaster in American history: by the most conservative of the government estimates released May 27th, the spill by then had released almost twice as much oil as the Exxon Valdez, which spilled about 250,000 barrels of oil into Prince Williams Bay in Alaska in 1989.

Several attempts have been made to contain the oil spill with boom oil spill equipments, oil separators, and huge oil spill containment dome, all of which have failed. The latest and most promising to date is the latest action by BP called Top Kill. According to this oil spill containment plan, BP will attempt to drill mud into the well to possibly block the gushing gallons and gallons of oil spilling into the ocean. These huge amounts of mud are said to block the broken pipe causing the oil leakage.

The Top Kill procedure to plug the leaking oil well in the Gulf of Mexico seems to be working though there is still a waiting period to confirm whether this is true.

Many people find it hard sitting at home with nothing to contribute. Although it may be best that you do stay home (many organizations have enough volunteers), there are still ways to contribute to this heinous disaster.

Dawn Soap Purchase

With Dawn raising more than $406,000 for the cause, the dish soap is giving $1 to the International Bird Rescue Research Center and the Marine Mammal Center for every bottle purchased. Once you make the purchase, remember that you have to activate your donation online by submitting the code on the bottom of your bottle. Follow Dawn on Twitter and Facebook page for constant updates, and suggestions on how to help.

Donation and Information

The National Wildlife Federation’s Twitter profile provides a stream of news and updates on the spill, including ideas and ways to help and donate. If you text Wildlife to 20222, you give a $10 donation. (They also have an online store). The Gulf Coast Fund also features news, ideas, and an active Twitter.

Protect Our Coastline is accepting donation at protectourcoastline.org. If you can’t donate now, text “GULF” to 77007 to receive updates. Your credit card won’t be charged, but they will let you know how to help those that this crisis has affected.

Volunteering

Out-of-work fishermen can submit their vessel as a vessel of opportunity skimming system or submit alternative response technology, services or products: (281) 366-5511

Volunteer to help with the clean-up efforts.

For more oil clean-up volunteer/job opportunities visit the Facebook Page or the abc26.com website.

Please be sure to exercise caution when volunteering, as several clean-up volunteers have already been hospitalize:

State to State Volunteer Positions

Louisiana: http://www.volunteerlouisiana.gov/

Mississippi: http://www.volunteermississippi.org/1800Vol/OpenIndexAction.do

Florida: http://www.volunteerfloridadisaster.org/

Alabama: http://www.servealabama.gov/2010/default.aspx

Life’s A Beach

If you are one of those people who is a fan of the beautiful ocean and the beaches that host them, you know that as humans, we put the oceans and their vibrant life in perilous danger with the way we live our lives. There are things that we as individuals can do to help the state of our beaches and oceans.

1. Don’t litter. It eventually finds its new home in the ocean.
2. Maintain your septic system
3. Use organic pesticides, fertilizers, fruit washes, soap and cleaners
4. Leave wildlife alone
5. Don’t leave anything at the beach. Pick up everything that you took (trash included)
6. Use trails, paths, beach walls and walkovers as much as possible. Your footsteps can erode sensitive dunes.
7. Don’t use the beach as a toilet. This goes for you and for your pooch.
8. Take part in a beach clean-up
9. Cut up the plastic rings from your six pack
10. Don’t throw garbage down storm drains
11. Wash your car in your front lawn. Soap runoff from the car eventually gets into the ocean.
12. Quit smoking. The butts not only find their way into the ocean but leak their deeply toxic elements into the ocean.

These are simple yet incredibly important ways that you as an individual can help reduce toxic poisoning and systematic killing of the beautiful ecosystem of the ocean.