I spent most of my childhood in Alaska on the Kenai Peninsula, which is close to Prince William Sound. Prince William Sound is where the Exxon Valdez oil spill occurred in March 1989. We moved to Alaska in August of 1989 and throughout the 6 years my family lived in Alaska there were constant reminders about the environmental effects of this horrible event. We learned about it in school, our local museum had animals and birds who had died covered in oil taxidermied and put on display as a reminder.
I don't like to use my blog to push my beliefs on other people. I have strong opinions about animal rights and our environment, which I will talk about when asked, but I prefer not to be preachy about it, and usually keep my opinions on the matter to myself. This time though, I feel it is important to take a moment and talk about the Gulf Oil Spill. Already larger and more disastrous than the Exxon Valdez spill, the BP oil well in the Gulf of Mexico is still leaking, and it is estimated that it may not be fixed until August of this year. Can you imagine what 4 months of oil leaking into the Gulf of Mexico will do to Louisiana's wetlands, and the coasts of Mississippi and Alabama? The political mess surrounding this terrible event keeps growing, while the media focuses on who to blame, the oil leak continues to pollute the Gulf Coast states.
I wish I had the resources to hop on a plane and give my time, to help with the clean up. If you live in the area, please consider volunteering and helping one of the many organizations assisting with the clean up. Below is a list of resources available for anyone who wishes to volunteer or make a donation.
- Louisiana Gulf Response
- Greater New Orleans Foundation
- Volunteer Opportunities: The Daily Loaf
- Gulf Restoration Network. This is where you can send a message to BP, calling on them to take more action.
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