It’s In Our Nature: Caring About the Oceans and The Recent Oil Spill

“We must be the change we wish to see in the world.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi

Are you incensed? Are you disheartened?  I am, and at a time like this I wish I were a better writer.  Words – my words – seem futile in conveying my profound sadness and frustration with the devastation wreaked on our environment, our magnificent home planet, by this recent and ongoing oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.  Is it true the delays are related to British Petroleum (BP) refusing to cap the well and halt the damaging gusher in an attempt to figure out a way capture the remaining oil?  Lets just say I’m grieving.

So, failing at expressing all of the emotions and helplessness I feel while watching a mega for-profit oil company scramble unsuccessfully to stop the overwhelming flow of crude (an appropriate word, yes?) into our precious oceans..I decided to look more closely at what I can do…and what we, as people who are unified in horror, can do in our own lives to have a teensy, yet never insignificant, effect.  I was vascillating about posting my sentiments here and then I came across this “tweet” by Shannon Dyer on Twitter @HSHShannon:

“BP is the scapegoat we choose to slaughter. I own responsibility for buying the oil they mined. Assigning guilt unproductive. Heal earth”

It motivated and inspired me. Pretty impressive for 140 characters.

I will not bore you with a list of political figures to lambaste or praise, or green organizations to contact (that’s a lie: I might do that), or of who to vote for or boycott, etc. I intend to bore you with another concept entirely 😉 This being the concept of individual responsibility, contribution and effectiveness. (Wait, that’s three…)

This is what it should look like

*Clinging to your sleeve as you turn to go*

No really… you have my permission and blessing to turn back now.  But I am NOT going to go on some high horse tirade about driving SUVs, using gas-saving appliances or recycling (though I do like horses!).  I merely want to lovingly remind all of you, who already know this in your hearts, that we make up the community.  The same community that makes demands for abundant supplies of cheap fuel.  The same community that is outraged and grieves together when these “accidents” occur.  We evidently want and need this oil so badly, and so cheaply, that certain people think they are providing a service when they cut corners to bring it to us…those same corners and regulations that may have prevented this catastrophe and the tragic loss of life of the oil rig workers and the wildlife.

“All that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing.” ~ Edmund Burke

You already know what to do…you don’t need me to remind you to switch to dual-paned windows before installing granite counter tops, or  to use flourescent bulbs or to just use less gas!  I had an ecology teacher once tell me to get over the guilt of the gas mileage my cool classic truck got…he asked me how much/little I actually drive it…I hadn’t even thought of that!  So, please don’t point fingers at people who drive Chevy Suburbans….you have no idea how much overall gas they actually use. And they might be saving the world by delivering sandwiches to homeless people – one of which just might be the next John Lennon or Mother Theresa, only down on their luck at the moment 🙂 You may be righteously cruising the freeways in a fuel-efficient Hyundai, but for hours or hundreds of miles a day, guzzling down more of this hard-earned fuel than the soccer mom. (*sliding down out of saddle now*) :\

You are not impotent. (sigh of relief!)

I’m sorry…I don’t intend or wish to sound judgmental, more like imploring.  Please, use this angst and frustration you’re feeling about all this ugliness and realize you are not impotent.  Instead of expecting to see a change or the results of your efforts, take comfort in knowing that your negative impact is lessened, your carbon footprint walks a little more daintily…and you’ve done what you can, in small but powerful part, to lessen the likelihood that we’ll see another deep sea plume of oil in our lifetime.

Resources: How to Help

OK, I warned that I might do this, and I’m doing it. I think this msnbc site has a fairly comprehensive list of how to help, report more problems, get involved, etc. I particularly like and support IBRRC – they know how to respond to help the birds.

How can this be a bad thing?

Thank you for humoring me…

My dear readers… I know you’ve come to expect absolute nonsense and silliness from me, so I thank you for humoring me and honoring me in my venting on this subject that not only touches but wounds my heart.  Perhaps some of this is nonsense, but I felt I had to get it off my chest and I hope you agree that we really are not so helpless as we may feel.

Please share with me and others what you have been compelled to change in your own life and habits to walk more lightly.  I ask that you not make this political…I don’t believe our planet provides more or less for Democrats, Republicans, Labour Party members or McGillicuddy Serious Party (yes, that’s a real NZ party!)  Thank you so much for listening. Peace.

*Note: Special exuberant thanks to Kelli O’Neill @aileen2u2 (a fellow #TeamMera future climbing mate!) for encouraging me to write this post, knowing it veered away from my usual content and could incite defensiveness in some.  I figured, it might not make me too popular. Aw pish!  Popular is overrated; it is safe, but in some ways, cowardly.  She also provided me with this very fitting quote by Edmund Burke:

“An event has happened, upon which it is difficult to speak, and impossible to be silent.”   I’m thinking she gets it 😉

All Photos by G. Stark – Yup! Even the one of me!