The Deepwater Horizon burning in April 2010. |
Introduction
Clump of oil that wasn't dispersed. |
Recovery team checking sediments for oil. |
Past Event: Exxon Valdez Oil Spill
Before looking at the present, it is best to understand the past first, where we can look at the Exxon Valdezz spill that happened in Alaska. Before the BP Oil Spill, it was considered the largest spill in US history. Only 10.9 million gallons were released from the ship that struck a reef off the Alaskan coast line, a small fraction in comparison to that of the BP Oil Spill.5 In an investigation of the recovery at the Exxon Valdez ecosystem that the population was still unable to completely recover 10 years after the initial oil spill, as some of the oil still remained in the lower sediments.4 The oil in the lower surfaces, even at shallow levels, are far more toxic as they have never been exposed to weathering. That oil remains just as biologically harmful, and still poses a risk as much of it was still found in Exxon Valdezz. Some species have recovered, like the Bald Eagle, while others are still recovering like the Killer Whale, and others like the Pacific Herring are still suffering from the spill.10 Seeing how the Exxon Valdez spill, which was previously the worst oil spill in US history, was only a mere fifth the size of the BP oil spill, the extent of damage in this disaster cannot even begin to reach comprehension.
Beach at the mouth of the Mississippi River. |
Damage Done By BP Oil Spill
Can't recognize it? It's a dolphin filled with oil. |
Turtle struggling to swim through the oil. |
Questions For You
Has your perspective changed on the oil spill, and see it is not just us humans that are impacted by it, but also the marine life?
Do you feel more aware about the subject?
Did you originally only see the economic impact the infamous BP oil spill would have on things like the fisherman and tourism industries?
Do you believe we are overdependent on oil, and that we need to change to another fuel source so big companies like BP no longer produce oil?
Answer in the comments on this page.
Some notes to keep in mind
* Birds are being cleaned, but their survivability rate is not very credible. Some say it is even better to just put the birds down to end more suffering that is bound to come in the future. Even if the birds do get cleaned and released, they often die of long term kidney and liver damage. 11
* Many scientists are concerned about the dispersants sprayed in the water by BP that were used to disperse the oil, but the dispersants themselves have toxic qualities. BP put 2 million gallons of dispersants into the gulf, and the long term effects they could have on the environment is something that nobody is sure of. 12
“We cannot just sweep this under the rug and say 'OK, we're collecting all the oil and it's going away. We don't have that much to worry about any more.' I contend that that's so absolutely wrong.” Dana Wetzel, Mote Marine Laboratory 12* If the things are out of sight, are they really out of mind? Should we honestly keep drilling offshore if the risks are too great, and the consequences are inevitable? Why do we keep drilling for oil when another disaster like this one can just as easily happen again?
Want to help for the cause? Raise awareness. Follow this web page and link it to your friends- raise awareness of the pressing issues raised by the production of oil. Also feel free to like and follow the fan page on Facebook this is connected to to raise publicity on Facebook and help others find this page.
Want to do more than raise awareness? Go to these sites and donate and/or volunteer.
* Greater Good.org, 100% of donation goes to Charity. http://greatergood.org/gtgm-GulfOilSpill-42416.html?gclid=CLyBoKD55KQCFYNqKgodNVEVMA
* Volunteer for the RestoreTheGulf.org http://www.restorethegulf.gov/health-safety/workers-and-volunteers
* Volunteer at http://www.earthwatch.org/expedition
* Volunteer with Greenpeace http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/news-and-blogs/campaign-blog/volunteer-info-for-gulf-oil-spill/blog/26005
* Petition to Stop Offshore Drilling http://na.oceana.org/en/stopthedrill
* Petition to put money from BP towards the Gulf clean up http://www.ibrrc.org/gulf-oil-spill-frequently-asked-questions-2010.html
Other Sites You Can Look Explore
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1txqDQpcoA&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_EhBW-8u4o&feature=related
http://ecopolitology.org/2010/06/25/peta-wants-to-charge-bp-with-cruelty-to-animals-for-oil-spill/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ihK9Am0wyk
http://planetsave.com/2010/06/24/endangered-sea-turtles-being-burned-alive-by-bp-in-bp-oil-spill-clean-up-video-interview/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fSwkHOPNYw
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/06/bp-bans-workers-sharing-photos-animals-killed-by-oil-spill.php
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/06/photogalleries/100608-gulf-oil-spill-environment-birds-animals-pictures/#/gulf-oil-spill-killing-wildlife-laughing-gull_21359_600x450.jpg
http://blog.nwf.org/blog/tags/bp-oil-spill/page/3/
Rate this page on this poll here to help see the consensus of those who agree or disagree that there is a need for a change in how we view and deal with the production of oil. Leave a comment if you have any suggestions of things that should be added or removed.
Works Cited
1. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Sergvice. [December 2004]. Effects of Oil Spills on Wildlife and Habitat: Alaska Region. Retrieved October 15, 2010, from http://alaska.fws.gov/media/unalaska/Oil%20Spill%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf
2. Kennedy, J. [N/A]. Effects of Oil Spills On Marine Life: How Oil Spills Hurt Marine Life. Retrieved October 15, 2010, from http://marinelife.about.com/od/conservation/tp/effectsofoilspills.htm
3. Kaufman,L. [May 4, 2010]. Concerns Up and Down The Foodchain. The New York Times. Retrieved October 15, 2010, from http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/05/us/05ecology.html?_r=2
4. Exon Valdez Spill Recovery. [July 14, 2008]. Summary Points: 10 Years of Intertidal Monitoring After the Exxon Valdez Spill. NOAA. Retrieved October 15, 2010, from http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/topic_subtopic_entry.php?RECORD_KEY(entry_subtopic_topic)=entry_id,subtopic_id,topic_id&entry_id(entry_subtopic_topic)=254&subtopic_id(entry_subtopic_topic)=13&topic_id(entry_subtopic_topic)=1
5. Exxon Valdez Spill Background Info. [N/A]. T/V Exxon Valdez. Retrieved October 15, 2010, from http://www.incidentnews.gov/incident/6683
6. Janssen, J. [June 2, 2010]. Growing Evidence of Oil Spill’s Impact On Dolphins, Sea Turtles. Retrieved October 15, 2010, from http://blog.nwf.org/wildlifepromise/2010/06/growing-evidence-of-oil-spills-impacts-on-dolphins-sea-turtles/
7. Grant,M. [September 27, 2010]. Dr. Ian MacDonald: Over 50% of BP Oil Remains in Gulf. Retrieved October 15, 2010, from http://blog.nwf.org/wildlifepromise/2010/09/dr-ian-macdonald-over-50-of-bp-oil-remains-in-gulf/
8. Lysiak,M. [June 2, 2010]. Dying, dead marine wildlife paint dark, morbid picture of Gulf Coast following oil spill. Retrieved October 15, 2010, from http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2010/06/02/2010-06-02_the_hidden_death_in_the_gulf.html
9. Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. [October 15, 2010]. Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Retrieved October 15, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deepwater_Horizon_oil_spill#Permanent_closure
10. Cleveland,C. [August 26, 2010]. Exxon Valdez oil spill. Retrieved October 18, 2010, from http://www.eoearth.org/article/Exxon_Valdez_oil_spill
11. Gulf of Mexico Spill. [May 6, 2010]. Expert Recommends Killing Oil-Soaked Birds. Retrieved October 26, 2010, from http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,693359,00.html
12. Joyce, C. [August 4, 2010]. Lasting Impact Of Dispersants Unclear, Senate Told. Retrieved October 26, 2010, from http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128983162
Images
Dead Dolphin. [Online Image]. Retrieved October 15, 2010, from http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2010/06/02/2010-06-02_the_hidden_death_in_the_gulf.html
Turtle Struggling In Oil. [Online Image]. Retrieved October 15, 2010, from http://www.flickr.com/photos/nwfblogs/4579365957/sizes/o/in/photostream/
Bird Covered In Crude Oil. [Online Image]. Retrieved October 15, 2010, from http://0.tqn.com/d/marinelife/1/0/R/3/-/-/oiledbird-flickr-marinephotobank500x374.jpg
Oil Spill On Beach At the Mouth of the Missipi River. [Online Image]. Retrieved October 15, 2010, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthpicturegalleries/7737609/Gulf-of-Mexico-BP-oil-leak-the-latest-pictures-from-the-oil-spill-off-the-coast-of-Louisiana.html
Deepwater Horizon Burning. [Online Image]. Retrieved October 15, 2001, from http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/05/bp-gulf-oil-spill-timeline.php
Oil Penetration In Soil. [Online Image]. Retrieved October 15, 2010, from http://www.incidentnews.gov/incident/6683
1. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Sergvice. [December 2004]. Effects of Oil Spills on Wildlife and Habitat: Alaska Region. Retrieved October 15, 2010, from http://alaska.fws.gov/media/unalaska/Oil%20Spill%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf
2. Kennedy, J. [N/A]. Effects of Oil Spills On Marine Life: How Oil Spills Hurt Marine Life. Retrieved October 15, 2010, from http://marinelife.about.com/od/conservation/tp/effectsofoilspills.htm
3. Kaufman,L. [May 4, 2010]. Concerns Up and Down The Foodchain. The New York Times. Retrieved October 15, 2010, from http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/05/us/05ecology.html?_r=2
4. Exon Valdez Spill Recovery. [July 14, 2008]. Summary Points: 10 Years of Intertidal Monitoring After the Exxon Valdez Spill. NOAA. Retrieved October 15, 2010, from http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/topic_subtopic_entry.php?RECORD_KEY(entry_subtopic_topic)=entry_id,subtopic_id,topic_id&entry_id(entry_subtopic_topic)=254&subtopic_id(entry_subtopic_topic)=13&topic_id(entry_subtopic_topic)=1
5. Exxon Valdez Spill Background Info. [N/A]. T/V Exxon Valdez. Retrieved October 15, 2010, from http://www.incidentnews.gov/incident/6683
6. Janssen, J. [June 2, 2010]. Growing Evidence of Oil Spill’s Impact On Dolphins, Sea Turtles. Retrieved October 15, 2010, from http://blog.nwf.org/wildlifepromise/2010/06/growing-evidence-of-oil-spills-impacts-on-dolphins-sea-turtles/
7. Grant,M. [September 27, 2010]. Dr. Ian MacDonald: Over 50% of BP Oil Remains in Gulf. Retrieved October 15, 2010, from http://blog.nwf.org/wildlifepromise/2010/09/dr-ian-macdonald-over-50-of-bp-oil-remains-in-gulf/
9. Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. [October 15, 2010]. Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Retrieved October 15, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deepwater_Horizon_oil_spill#Permanent_closure
10. Cleveland,C. [August 26, 2010]. Exxon Valdez oil spill. Retrieved October 18, 2010, from http://www.eoearth.org/article/Exxon_Valdez_oil_spill
11. Gulf of Mexico Spill. [May 6, 2010]. Expert Recommends Killing Oil-Soaked Birds. Retrieved October 26, 2010, from http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,693359,00.html
12. Joyce, C. [August 4, 2010]. Lasting Impact Of Dispersants Unclear, Senate Told. Retrieved October 26, 2010, from http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128983162
Images
Dead Dolphin. [Online Image]. Retrieved October 15, 2010, from http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2010/06/02/2010-06-02_the_hidden_death_in_the_gulf.html
Turtle Struggling In Oil. [Online Image]. Retrieved October 15, 2010, from http://www.flickr.com/photos/nwfblogs/4579365957/sizes/o/in/photostream/
Bird Covered In Crude Oil. [Online Image]. Retrieved October 15, 2010, from http://0.tqn.com/d/marinelife/1/0/R/3/-/-/oiledbird-flickr-marinephotobank500x374.jpg
Oil Spill On Beach At the Mouth of the Missipi River. [Online Image]. Retrieved October 15, 2010, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthpicturegalleries/7737609/Gulf-of-Mexico-BP-oil-leak-the-latest-pictures-from-the-oil-spill-off-the-coast-of-Louisiana.html
Deepwater Horizon Burning. [Online Image]. Retrieved October 15, 2001, from http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/05/bp-gulf-oil-spill-timeline.php
Oil Penetration In Soil. [Online Image]. Retrieved October 15, 2010, from http://www.incidentnews.gov/incident/6683