April 22nd is Earth Day 2011 and it is quickly approaching. On this day many celebrations and events take place around the world, in order to help the environment and raise awareness about topics such as power consumption, recycling and conversation. Planet Earth is the only planet we have and we should help to make the world a better place, not for ourselves but for other inhabitants.
One year ago today was the worst oil spills in U.S. history. This was the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (also known as the BP Oil Spill) occurred in the Gulf of Mexico near the Mississippi River Delta. Eleven people lost their lives in a wellhead blowout which caused the spill and hundreds of wildlife were affected. This picture from Yahoo Images, shows a dead fish floating atop a pool of oil.
Image Credit
One year ago today was the worst oil spills in U.S. history. This was the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (also known as the BP Oil Spill) occurred in the Gulf of Mexico near the Mississippi River Delta. Eleven people lost their lives in a wellhead blowout which caused the spill and hundreds of wildlife were affected. This picture from Yahoo Images, shows a dead fish floating atop a pool of oil.
Image Credit
Though difficult to look at, this image shows some of the impact of the disaster on wildlife. About 4,900,000 barrels of crude oil leaked over a 2,500 to 68,000 square mile radius and though the spill date ended on July 15, 2010, the well wasn't officially sealed until September 19. I remember watching CNN and seeing commentators and images of the oil rig and the coast line covered in oil on the main screen. This was followed by a live picture of the well still leaking oil, towards the bottom of the screen. I also remember breathing a small sigh of relief when the well was officially sealed. The clean up lasted for months. If you'd like to read about the incident, Wikipedia has a good article on it. Check it out here.
The environmental impact is still ongoing and according to Wikipedia, " In January 2011, an oil spill commissioner reported that tar balls continue to wash up, oil sheen trails are seen in the wake of fishing boats, wetlands marsh grass remains fouled and dying, and that crude oil lies offshore in deep water and in fine silts and sands onshore. A research team found oil on the bottom of the seafloor in late February 2011 that did not seem to be degrading. NOAA declared "an unusual mortality event," ongoing since last February 2011, after a spike in the number of dead dolphins washing up in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida."
This Earth Day let us not forget the disaster of the BP Oil Spill as well as other disasters that had effects had on the inhabitants of this planet. Let us find better ways to manage these incidents, as unfortunately they will occur. RestoreTheGulf.gov is a wonderful site towards providing information about the restoration in the Gulf and EarthDay.org is a great site looking at the Earth Day events occurring in your local area and around the globe. We should continue to reuse, reduce and recycle, and find ways of better sustainability. A little love can go a long way, especially when thinking of not only for ourselves, but our for future dependents, and other inhabitants (such as animals and trees), that exist in this world with us.
The environmental impact is still ongoing and according to Wikipedia, " In January 2011, an oil spill commissioner reported that tar balls continue to wash up, oil sheen trails are seen in the wake of fishing boats, wetlands marsh grass remains fouled and dying, and that crude oil lies offshore in deep water and in fine silts and sands onshore. A research team found oil on the bottom of the seafloor in late February 2011 that did not seem to be degrading. NOAA declared "an unusual mortality event," ongoing since last February 2011, after a spike in the number of dead dolphins washing up in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida."
This Earth Day let us not forget the disaster of the BP Oil Spill as well as other disasters that had effects had on the inhabitants of this planet. Let us find better ways to manage these incidents, as unfortunately they will occur. RestoreTheGulf.gov is a wonderful site towards providing information about the restoration in the Gulf and EarthDay.org is a great site looking at the Earth Day events occurring in your local area and around the globe. We should continue to reuse, reduce and recycle, and find ways of better sustainability. A little love can go a long way, especially when thinking of not only for ourselves, but our for future dependents, and other inhabitants (such as animals and trees), that exist in this world with us.
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