I don't know about all of you, but I am really depressed about the situation in the Gulf of Mexico. I keep thinking of all the poor fish, poor sea animals, poor turtles, and poor birds who are blameless in the creation of this disaster but are suffering and dying anyway. I think about the fishermen whose livelihoods depend upon healthy catches, which are in turn dependent upon healthy waters. I think about the overall health of our oceans, which is basically equal to the health of all creatures on the planet. It is so horrifying. It's like a bad nightmare that doesn't end when you wake up. My soul is so, so sad. And I am also angry. How much more proof do we need that the time to end our dependency on oil was a long time ago? Does the whole planet need to turn into an oily mess before some exceedingly rich oil executives are convinced? And are people in Washington really expecting to be taken seriously when they talk about more offshore drilling? If it wasn't such a serious situation, I would laugh out loud at the talking heads. But there's nothing to laugh about.
I've never been one to stew endlessly, though. I just can't live that way. So I thought I would share one action I have taken, and more that I plan to take. I just signed a petition that is being circulated by Avaaz.org, a great organization that works on global peace, environmental, and social justice issues. The petition basically asks our leaders to stop talking about more offshore drilling and start working much harder on clean, renewable sources of energy. If you are interested in reading more about this petition and possibly signing it, please check out this link: http://tinyurl.com/2ebdm8a
I also plan to monitor the development of the climate legislation that was unveiled yesterday in the Senate, and call my senators to let them know what I think about it. At least at this stage, it still contains provisions for more offshore drilling, and that is, to me, completely unacceptable, and making a mockery of the sad situation in the Gulf. So if offshore drilling stays in the legislation, my senators are going to hear from me. There are also other troubling measures in the legislation at the moment: it seems to weaken the Clean Air Act, among other yuckiness. So I urge all of you to follow this legislation's debate in the Senate, and to let your senators hear from you if you don't like what's going on. It's past time to move forward on climate change and environmental protection, and stop spinning our wheels!
Though moose are not sea creatures, I cannot help thinking about the beautiful mother moose and her two yearlings that E and I saw last weekend. The ecosystems of the Earth are so intricately interdependent that we cannot begin to understand all the ways that polluting our oceans will affect all of us, man and beast alike. I want moose to be living healthily and peacefully in Rocky Mountain National Park in 100 years, and forever. I want our oceans to be life-giving places for fish and other sea-faring wildlife. I would like to fill my lungs with clean air everyday, and drink unpolluted water. Are these such strange or unreasonable desires?
Let's raise our voices to demand change. If enough of us sign petitions, contact our elected officials, and do whatever we can to make changes in our own lives, I have to believe that we can make a difference. My hope has not yet been defeated. The only silver lining of the Gulf oil spill may be using its terrible circumstances as a catalyst to more serious discussion about environmental protection and climate change. Let's not miss the chance to make it happen.
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