The Oil Disaster in the Gulf of Mexico
I've been following this because I can't help myself. It hurts, but it hurts worse to not know what's going on and to not know how to help. Too many people are calling it an accident, when it should be a battle cry.
(yes, I know the background music's a little hokey.)
You can sign the petition here. There's also a counter that shows how many barrels of oil have gushed into the Gulf so far.
For other ways to help, go here.
For the latest chapter in this disaster, see this Time article.
For a rundown of the facts as of today, see this article.
For options for cleaning up the spill, try here.
The aim of using a dispersant is to increase the amount of oil that mixes into the water column, thereby reducing the amount on the surface and decreasing the chances of shoreline contamination.
While dispersants can decrease the exposure for surface dwelling organisms, such as seabirds, marine mammals and sea turtles, they increase the possibility of exposure for species within the water column and benthos, such as fish, eggs and larvae, and shrimp, oysters and corals.
For dissenting thoughts on cleanup efforts, try here.
The feeling that no one is in charge may come from the fact that the current spill is unlike any before it, said Henry Lee, director of the Environmental and Natural Resources Program at Harvard University’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Among the biggest differences is the depth of the wellhead, more than 5,000 feet down in the Gulf, and the fact that this is not a spill, but rather a continuous spill. Because it’s so unusual, it’s unclear which U.S. agency is playing or should play the lead role in combating it, Lee said.
Another issue may be that much of the technology being proposed by companies offers little more than a minor upgrade to what’s already in use, including booms to shepherd the oil, skimmers that attach to boats to scoop oil off of the water, and absorbent pads that are tossed into the water and then picked up and disposed of as hazardous waste.
link for map is here.
(yes, I know the background music's a little hokey.)
Click to viewYou can sign the petition here. There's also a counter that shows how many barrels of oil have gushed into the Gulf so far.
For other ways to help, go here.
For the latest chapter in this disaster, see this Time article.
For a rundown of the facts as of today, see this article.
For options for cleaning up the spill, try here.
The aim of using a dispersant is to increase the amount of oil that mixes into the water column, thereby reducing the amount on the surface and decreasing the chances of shoreline contamination.
While dispersants can decrease the exposure for surface dwelling organisms, such as seabirds, marine mammals and sea turtles, they increase the possibility of exposure for species within the water column and benthos, such as fish, eggs and larvae, and shrimp, oysters and corals.
For dissenting thoughts on cleanup efforts, try here.
The feeling that no one is in charge may come from the fact that the current spill is unlike any before it, said Henry Lee, director of the Environmental and Natural Resources Program at Harvard University’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Among the biggest differences is the depth of the wellhead, more than 5,000 feet down in the Gulf, and the fact that this is not a spill, but rather a continuous spill. Because it’s so unusual, it’s unclear which U.S. agency is playing or should play the lead role in combating it, Lee said.
Another issue may be that much of the technology being proposed by companies offers little more than a minor upgrade to what’s already in use, including booms to shepherd the oil, skimmers that attach to boats to scoop oil off of the water, and absorbent pads that are tossed into the water and then picked up and disposed of as hazardous waste.
link for map is here.