Tag Archives: Gulf of Mexico

Remembering the BP Oil Spill ~~~


Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Site
Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Site (Photo credit: Green Fire Productions)

just another rant ..,

In memory of the BP oil spill … A day just like today,  the sun came up and the light of day gave way to a whole lot of life, but on 4/20, the morning light showed just how bad the BP oil spill disaster was, uncovering an event that will forever affect the Gulf Coast. As the media pushes, viewers begin to listen because they have questions, the media thinks they have solutions and the answers to how each Political Party will handle the disaster that is BP. They will talk about the BP oil spill and the damage to marine wildlife and habitat, the economy, the health of the people, those who worked and fought the oil as well as the local government weather and each other to save the Gulf Coast.

We all need to Remember the eleven people who died.

I still wonder just how much the Republican Party of No knows about the lack of preparedness drilling oil companies seem to be engaged in.

The BP oil disaster … proof of our need for rules regulations and while some oil companies rely and exist on short cuts and deregulation; Congress, specifically those from oil Country have avoided legislation that would make sure it does not happen again. Republicans did not seem fazed by the oil disaster whatsoever, screamed for more drilling though eleven people died, no heads rolled and no one did any jail time. It was the worse spill in our history yet Congress has swept it under the depths of the ocean that clearly needs man’s help. I have a riddle …what happens when a big corporation might knowingly try to save money by betting on worst-case scenario. Well, we do not know how many other narrow escapes there were or why they simply chose not to have high-tech equipment already in place or a multi-billion dollar plan B, but luck ran out and somebody’s risk analysis tool failed.

President Obama is willing to change direction on issues when the facts and or evidence show themselves. The moratorium President Obama put in place was a move coming from a President who has common sense. The BP oil disaster, led to major delays and or cancellation of offshore drilling and this clearly upset Republican members of Congress. Yet, given the latest information, maybe they should be more accountable for pushing for less regulation, less time waiting for permits more space for drilling; like that, 84,000 acres BP is or will lease to Ohio; which happens to be Boehner country. It is with great sadness folks on the right talk about drilling, like that old cliché … for us by us. FYI – it will take at least ten years to produce enough of our own to make a slight difference; in the meanwhile we should be implementing a full range of things including wind and solar but Republican oil seems to be more important. Yes, there are jobs, jobs, jobs in that there oil but betting against the odds puts more than an oil platform at risk which cannot be said enough times . A human error

I have to say the first reports of the explosion and then word that everything was okay made me wonder …common sense tells you okay the well is underground; it could bleed out, up or both. This spill, the worse ever is a warning to change the rules regulations, the way the clean-up process works with all equipment close or at least get an emergency plan in place. Safety first, seems like common sense at work though not too lucrative.  I am no expert, but emergency equipment should always be available immediately. However,  I saw nothing but boats watching, waiting for the leak to show and spread.

I haven’t heard much lately, but folks want to know what exactly is the status of the wildlife, those eyeless, clawless oddly deformed shellfish or fish with open sores some gulf coast fishermen may have caught though the FDA said “no worries,”  we all wonder how much pollution they theirs or we are being subjected to.

Urgent message whales & dolphins … Lyndia Storey


Navy to deafen 15,900 whales and dolphins and kill 1,800 more

By Lyndia Storey (Contact)

To be delivered to: U.S. Navy EIS Comments

 The Goal is … 500,000 Signatures before July 10

Navy to deafen 15,900 whales and dolphins and kill 1,800 more -> http://signon.org/s/wJGZDW   #signon

Stop the killing of 1,800 whales and dolphins and the deafening of 15,900 more by ceasing the operation of the Navy’s underwater sound system in the Hawaiian Islands, the California and Atlantic Coasts, and the Gulf of Mexico.

The Navy is required to include comments on their Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) re: the use of high frequency underwater sound for testing in Hawaii, the California and Atlantic Coasts, and the Gulf of Mexico. According to their estimates it will deafen more than 15,900 whales and dolphins and kill 1,800 more over the next 5 years. Whales and dolphins depend on sound to navigate and live. Your signature and comment will have to be included in the EIS and could stop this Naval program, potentially saving the lives of these ocean creatures. The comments must be in by July 10, 2012.

NEW goal – We need 250,000 signatures
There are currently 244,386 signatures

“Navy to deafen 15,900 whales and dolphins and kill 1,800 more” petition … By Lyndia Storey


The Navy is required to include comments on their Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) re: the use of high frequency underwater sound for testing in Hawaii, the California and Atlantic Coasts, and the Gulf of Mexico. According to their estimates it will deafen more than 15,900 whales and dolphins and kill 1,800 more over the next 5 years. Whales and dolphins depend on sound to navigate and live. Your signature and comment will have to be included in the EIS and could stop this Naval program, potentially saving the lives of these ocean creatures.

 The comments must be in by July 10, 2012.

So I created a petition to U.S. Navy EIS Comments, which says:

Stop the killing of 1,800 whales and dolphins and the deafening of 15,900 more by ceasing the operation of the Navy’s underwater sound system in the Hawaiian Islands, the California and Atlantic Coasts, and the Gulf of Mexico.

Will you sign this petition? Click here:

http://signon.org/sign/navy-under-water-sound?source=s.fwd&r_by=4666192

Thanks!

Death sentence for seahorses? … Pulin Modi, Change.org


Tell the National Marine Fisheries Service to protect delicate dwarf seahorses.                       
      Sign the Petition

Help Protect Delicate Dwarf Seahorses

Started by: Center for Biological Diversity, AZ.

In response to a petition from the Center for Biological Diversity, the National Marine Fisheries Service has agreed that the dwarf seahorse may warrant protection under the Endangered Species Act and is accepting comments until July 3 before making a decision. The smallest seahorse in America, the dwarf seahorse faces big problems: water quality degradation in the Gulf of Mexico, pollution from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and cleanup and, most importantly, loss of their seagrass habitat.

Dwarf seahorses are habitat specialists, so as seagrasses disappear, the seahorses vanish with them. More than 50 percent of Florida seagrasses have been destroyed since 1950, and in some areas losses are as steep as 90 percent. These one-inch-long fish are not the only wildlife that depends on seagrass to survive, but they are the cutest.

Dwarf seahorses form monogamous pair bonds, and every morning they meet to perform a greeting dance. As with other seahorses, females place scores of eggs inside the males’ pouches, and the males then give birth to even tinier versions of adults. Boat propellers, shrimp trawlers and ocean acidification are all harming the seagrass these delicate animals need to survive.

Please take a moment right now to write to the Fisheries Service and tell it to grant dwarf seahorses the protection they so dearly need.

Stop Shell from drilling in the Arctic


Shell responded to our opposition around its plans to drill in the Arctic by filing for one of the broadest and most restrictive injunctions in US history against Greenpeace USA. It’s exactly the kind of anti-democratic reaction you would expect from a major oil company.

Regardless of what happens in court, Greenpeace is going to continue to oppose Shell’s plans. But we’ll only win if we have your support. Join 300,000 people from around the world and demand that Shell stop its plans to put the fragile Arctic at risk.

WWW.greenpeaceusa.org

~Dan

—————————————————————————————————–

 From: Dan Howells, Greenpeace webmaster@greenpeaceusa.org 

Subject: Save the Arctic

Right this minute a global fleet of Arctic destroyers is speeding towards one of the last unspoiled places on earth.

Shell plans to drill for oil in the Arctic Ocean this summer.

Take action and demand Shell stop its plans to drill in the Arctic.

The ships are part of oil giant Shell’s mission to drill the very first wells in the pristine waters off the coast of Alaska. It’s insane, but melting sea ice from global warming has made it a reality. If Shell finds oil, the Arctic oil rush will be on.

It’s not over yet though. People are pushing back. In New Zealand, Greenpeace activists (including Xena Warrior Princess star Lucy Lawless) occupied a drill ship and prevented it from leaving for the Arctic for several days. And just last week activists occupied two icebreakers in Finland.

But to stop Shell for good, we eventually need the public support of millions around the world. Carmen, that means you.

Join the 250,000 people from around the world who have already taken action and demand Shell stop its plans to put the fragile Arctic at risk.

WWW.greenpeaceusa.org

Widespread public opposition here in the US is going to be the key to stopping Shell. The US government is responsible for giving Shell the green light to drill. Greenpeace will be delivering these messages to the company soon. Our goal is to add the names of at least 40,000 Americans to that list before we do. Your message matters.

Shell isn’t prepared for a disaster in the Arctic Ocean. No one is. The Arctic Ocean makes the Gulf of Mexico look like a flat, calm lake. With constant high seas, icebergs and massive waves, there’s no way to effectively cleanup an oil spill in the Arctic Ocean. Even the head of the US Coast Guard has publicly admitted that his agency would have little chance of dealing with a spill in the frozen Arctic on their own. 

The plan Shell has submitted actually includes using things like shovels, brooms and a sniffer dog called “Tara” to cleanup a potential spill. It would be funny if there wasn’t so much at stake.

All Shell cares about is its corporate bottom line. Polar bears and unspoiled natural beauty are just obstacles to making ever greater profits. Together we can create a public obstacle Shell can’t overcome — but it’s going to take millions of us.

Add your voice to the growing list of people who will not stay quiet as one of the last wildernesses on earth is destroyed and help save the Arctic.

Sincerely,

Dan Howells
Greenpeace USA Deputy Campaign Director

P.S. Last year, Shell reported it had over 200 spills. It will only be a matter of time before a spill happens in the pristine polar bear habitat of the Arctic. Take action today and help save the Arctic before Shell ruins it forever.

WWW.greenpeaceusa.org