I remember well when I first heard the news of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. All of America was captivated by the underwater cameras captured the untold gushing volumes of black liquid spewing into the pristine gulf waters. The media branded the event as the Gulf Oil Spill- an insulting name for such a tragedy where "spill" suggest something like knocking over a drink. The images of dead, oil-soaked pelicans, turtles and fish; the distraught and shocked communities; the miles of oily sheen atop the sea and plumes below; and the defamed blackened beaches. British Petroleum worked extra hard to avoid responsibility, falsely assured our nation that all was well, and showed a callous indifference to the consequences of their careless and greedy actions. Despite record quarterly profits in the tens of billions, Big Oil has invested marginally in developing the technology necessary for proper prevention strategies and crisis response. We all saw it...guys in cheap suits laying pool noodles and using paper towels to soak the oil off the beach- really, that's the best we've got? Our government allowed them to drop millions of gallons of dispersant into the sea which further killed and contaminated the waters and its living creatures. Not long after the valve was shut-off, Obama stood up to the microphone and announced job well done. The media's frenzied coverage of oil spill seemed to disappear over night. Yet, I have not forgotten the atrocity of the Gulf Oil Spill and I suspect there are many more who feel the same way. This was my tipping point where I resolved to use my body, mind, and spirit for the well-being of Earth. In this moment, I became an activist
I am heading to Washington DC to commit civil disobedience with hopes of being arrested in front of the White House. Big Oil and government are at it again with plans ready to go to build the Keystone XL tar sands Pipeline that will span 1700 miles from Canada's Boreal Forest to Houston, Texas. While destroying the precious Boreal Forest region (you should really learn more about what an amazing place this is), millions of barrels of tar sand oil (as bad as it sounds) will flow across the heart of America. The Canadian Boreal Forest has the highest concentrations of carbon anywhere in the world and this carbon will be released into our atmosphere. Dr. James Hansen, renowned NASA climate scientist, calls it a "carbon bomb" that will end our hopes of ever stabilizing Earth's temperatures, let alone providing healthy air for all living beings. President Obama seems to be stepping in line with Big Oil's pipeline as the State Department just released yesterday an Environmental Impact Statement that concluded the potential for minimal environmental impact- what a joke.
Bill McKibben, Mark Ruffalo, Dr. James Hansen and over 2,000 people from all 50 states are taking part in a two week sit-in at the White House that began Saturday, August 20. So far, there have been 379 arrests with many more to come. Obama, alone, has the power to decide the fate of this pipeline and he will be held solely accountable for this decision. We are asking Obama to keep his promise when he so boldly proclaimed, "This was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal." We are asking Obama to take global warming, climate destabilization, and the future health of our planet seriously. We are asking Obama to boldly invest in clean, renewable energy sources for now and the future. We are asking Obama to stand up to Big Oil and corporate interests and to make caring for our environment of primary importance. I have come to Washington, DC to take a stand and say NO to the Keystone XL Pipeline and its devastating consequences for countless generations to come. Sadly, we cannot trust governments and big corporations to protect our environment. As with all great movements, we, the people, must rise up and make our voices heard and remain steadfast in our commitment to protect and care for our one home, Earth.
I plan to blog and photo this amazing journey so please check back at consciousecology@blogspot for updates or sign up to receive notifications any time I update my blog. Your comments and feedback are always welcomed. Please consider sharing my blog with friends and family.
