Helping The Gulf

  The media has covered the BP oil “spill” since the first day. I am tempted to write about everything from the folly of former President Bush, who allowed BP to omit mandatory safety equipment that would have prevented this incident, to the possible catastrophic global implications of this event. But instead I have chosen to do something more constructive.

  Once the photos and footage start bombarding our TVs with the images of dead and dying wildlife, most of us will feel some form of grief and probably guilt for these creatures. This spill has the potential to destroy everything from the tiniest shrimp and birds to the majestic dolphins, whales and sea turtles. These images will be profound and heartbreaking. But the one thing you do not have to feel is helpless.   Below I have posted things we can do to help, and not all of them involve money. Please start your donations early so these wonderful volunteers can begin their work immediately. Even if you cannot help, please pass this on to anyone you know who might be able to.  Let's get a chain going.

DONATIONS

• Oxfam International -Working closely with local residents and community groups to immediately mobilize for recovery efforts and to help vulnerable communties prepare for the coming challenges. Donate to Oxfam International.  
•   • Matter of Trust is collecting hair from barbershops and salons, as well as old pantyhose, to create booms that absorb oil, preventing it from reaching the shore. Find out how to donate here.

  • The National Wildlife Federation has sent a team of wildlife experts to assess the devastating impact of this unfolding tragedy on the region’s communities, wildlife, marshes, and wetlands. They are taking donations to help rescue otters, loggerhead sea turtles, brown pelicans, and 400 other species that live in the region.

    • The Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana is looking for volunteers for a variety of jobs, from oiled wildlife recovery to monitoring and photographing oil movement. Anyone with experience in dealing with wildlife handling, rehabilitation, or hazardous materials clean up is strongly encouraged to register as a volunteer here.        Donate to the coalition here.

  • Mobile Baykeeper is an environmental group focused on mitigating the spill’s impact in the Mobile, Alabama area. mailto:%20Email%20info@mobilebaykeeper.org if you can volunteer time or access to a boat. Donate to the group’s spill relief efforts here.

MAKE A DIFFERENCE

  Angela Perkey wrote a great piece for the Huffington Post, which I have excerpted from here:

  · Keep eating seafood from the Gulf. Louisiana seafood officials are constantly monitoring quality levels to make sure that all products are safe. By still eating fish, you can support the bruised economies of the Gulf States. Fishermen, seafood processing facilities, and restaurants that serve local seafood will all lose money and may have to lay off employees or close.

  · Don't buy gas from BP stations until they stop the oil spill and pay the total cost of cleaning up the Gulf of Mexico. BP is the corporation responsible for this environmental disaster. As a consumer, your purchasing decisions combined with those of other Americans will effectively deliver the message that these atrocities cannot go unpunished.

   · Consider taking a vacation in one of the states affected by the oil spill. By spending your vacation savings in these areas you can help jump-start the local economies that have been negatively impacted. Plus, even if your vacation is planned for later this summer, the cleanup process will likely still be ongoing. You can choose to volunteer for one or two days and help restore beaches and rehabilitate wildlife. Go to the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana website to sign up.

  Finally, if you would like to suggest your favorite charity, or ways we can all help, please email me at loungemuser@aol.com and I will include it in a future post. Please let me know if you want your name posted or not. It is still early in this ordeal so I am sure many more charitable organizations will be making their efforts public soon.

  Thank you everyone.