We’re all outraged over the oil spill in the Gulf and that’s about where the agreement ends. This past weekend my husband and I took a quick trip to New Orleans as much to support the Gulf community as to selfishly enjoy their incredible local seafood while it’s still available. Just as Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal was calling to lift the moratorium on drilling because jobs could be lost, New Orleans’ oldest oyster processor announced it was idling due to lack of reliable, local supply. The economic hit to Louisiana’s seafood industry alone could top $2.5 billion, according to early estimates.
We want to do something. The easy out is to punish the company you feel is responsible, or blame the government because they can’t come in with a quick fix. Some are calling for a boycott of BP, when the only people who would be hurt are their neighbors who work in the station or supply goods and services to it. Boycotting one fuel brand for another is not the answer as noted in Newsweek.
How about looking inward for the solution? Take this as a wake up call. Channel that anger into change and take permanent steps to reduce our reliance on oil. Take simple steps: drive less, cut back on use of plastics, recycle more of the plastics you do use. Make these changes habits, forever. Don’t go back to bad habits once the spill is out of the headlines.
The David Suzuki Foundation has lots of ideas on how to reduce your individual footprint. On a broader scale, Grist has some ideas for business and government that could send us in a better direction.
And just think, what if everybody did it?
At last! Someone who understands! Thanks for poisntg!