I've been trying to avoid writing this for some time, thinking that if I turned my head and looked away it would all be over. As most of you can see from watching the news each night, or following on the web, this devastation in the Gulf is not going away and will be far more damaging than any of us could imagine. It would be easy for us to sit here in the Midwest and think that the oil spill doesn't mean that much to me, but it in fact, it will have a trickle down effect on the ecosystem that could last well into the next few generations.
Our issues closer to home consist of a term "invasive species" that have altered our lakes rivers and streams in ways we could not have envisioned. The list goes on and on. Water Milfoil, Zebra Mussels, Rusty Crayfish, Asian Carp, to name a few. I would consider oil to be a little invasive too, although it is not considered a "species".
What is most bothersome to me about the oil spill is that I do not blame BP for what has happened but I blame myself for taking part in creating this disaster. As an American I have helped contribute to our continuing demand for oil production. The car I drive, the boat I fish from, the plastics I use, all come from the oil.
The fishing industry in the Gulf, both commercial and for sport, has been decimated by the oil slick. How ironic it is that each and every one of those vessels had to fuel up each day with gas derived from the oil. The oil rig platforms dotted amongst the Gulf were in fact a haven for many different sport fish. Many times I have watched fishing shows where the hottest action was right next to these offshore pilings.
So where do we go from here? I think it's about time that America considers another fuel source that will be far more environmentally friendly than our growing need for oil. There are alternative fuels out there that need to be developed and tested. Alternative "friendly" plastics are already being used, and we can all do our part to recycle as much of the plastic we use as possible.
The next time I'm out on the water and I fire up the V4120 Evinrude and buzz across the lake, or up my favorite river, I'll remember that I took part in creating the BP oil spill of 2010! As Forrest Gump would say, "That's all I got to say about that."
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You are very right in taking blame. We are all guilty. Unfortunately the gig oil companies do not allow us to have many alternative choices at a reasonable price.
ReplyDeleteI built a resort that was solar powered and recycled everything, but it was not cheap and the whole process is rather complicated.
Maybe one day before it is too late this will change.
I tend to agree that if you are inclined to point fingers, one of them has to be at yourself, especially here in America. For better or worse the world economy needs oil like our bodies need blood. I don't know if better alternatives are out there to be had for power, transportation, and manufacturing.
ReplyDeleteIt's certainly a tragic situation, but I think the damage done will be more temporary than permanent. I certainly hope that will be the case.
On WLS radio today in Chicago they were blaming the Gulf problem not on our hunger for oil, but on the "environmental wacko movement" (their terminology) who will not allow drilling closer to shore, where it is much safer and where we would be much less prone to a disaster such as this. Kind of ironic if you think about it.
ReplyDeleteThank you all for the comments. It is unfortunate that we have to write about and discuss topics of this nature, but I appreciate the honest feedback. The fact that people are reading the blog, and are enjoying the posts makes it all worth while!
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