So It Happened - Now What?

Never in the history of our country's oil exploration has any other spill matched the one that began on the Deepwater Horizon rig 35 days ago - and still continues. Decades, if not centuries, will pass before the stench of oil and its spiraling residue will sufficiently subside for the Gulf's coastal habitat to once again resemble what it once was. So - now what?

Today, BP began the process of a “top kill” in an attempt to stop the leak. All the while, the situation could worsen as the oil plume is pushed to shore and is spread by sea currents and the approaching hurricane season. Yet, regardless of what happens and when - an ecological mess in a scale unknown to us until now will remain to be dealt with.

Not everyone can jump into their car and head toward the coast, but if you wish to contribute in anyway, here are some numbers and websites with information on how to help:

To report oiled wildlife, please call: 866-557-1401

To report sightings of oil on the beach, call: 866-448-5816

To report oil related damage, please call: 1-800-440-0858

To submit your vessel for skimming opportunities, call: 281-366-5511

To sign up for volunteer opportunities off the Louisiana coast go to:

www.lagulfresponse.org

www.volunteerlouisiana.gov

To register as a volunteer in Florida go to:

www.volunteerflorida.org

For volunteer opportunities in Alabama visit:

http://www.servealabama.gov/2010/default.aspx

To find volunteer opportunities in Mississippi:

http://www.volunteermississippi.org/1800Vol/OpenIndexAction.do

If you don’t live near the Gulf Coast it’s best not to drive your car there, and instead make a donation to reputable organizations that can put your money to work, such as:

The Audubon Society at: http://www.volunteermississippi.org/1800Vol/OpenIndexAction.do and the National Wildlife Federation at: http://www.volunteermississippi.org/1800Vol/OpenIndexAction.do

Finally, write your elected officials with your concerns and support cleaner alternatives of energy!

john@go-bela.com, www.ecobeachhotels.com

Eco Gadgets To Use on Your Next Trip

Ever wonder what happens to batteries when they're dead - no, they don't go to battery heaven - more like landfill hell. Yes, few if any recyclers exist for this entirely too common household item.

Check out these and other alternatives for batteries and more while on the road, or to incorporate into your everyday routine. Vote with your purchases - every one counts.

Fuji EnviromaxIt doesn’t take a scientist to realize that chucking used batteries into the trash can translate into an environmental nightmare. Fortunately, Fuji Enviromax batteries are PVC, cadmium and mercury-free, which means landfill-safe and eco-friendly. Batteries are available in AA, AAA, C, and D and are $3.99 for Super Alkaline and $5.99 for Digital Alkaline. www.greenfuji.com

Moixa Energy Ltd. Ultimate Rechargable Battery. These USB-powered rechargeables last for 500 charge cycles, so say goodbye to the 15 billion disposable alkaline batteries produced annually, and their toxic runoff. Functions like your standard everyday AA battery. When empty, though, just pop the top to expose a USB connector, then connect to a laptop or other portable device to enjoy a quick refill. $20. www.usbcell.com

AspenwareIf you’re too lazy to wash but too guilty to waste, check out Aspenware’s disposable, biodegradable wooden cutlery. Packs of 12 for knives, forks and spoons cost $3.99 each. Serious campers without a sink can also purchase a 250-pack for $45 or a 500-pack for $85. www.aspenware.ca

Bedol Water-Powered Travel Alarm Clock. Tells time by using salted water; the device’s electrodes harvest energy from the liquid to fuel the nightstand-friendly gizmo’s simple digital LCD. No batteries necessary, it’s small enough to stuff into any carry, and it’s especially easy and cost-effective to keep going the next time you’re cruising the coast of Sicily. $16. www.bedolwhatsnext.com

EcoBeachHotels is the world’s first internet booking engine for sustainable beach properties.

From luxury resorts to lodges to campgrounds and more, Bela offers detailed information on each. Making easy to compare and safely book online.

Paradise Lost

The cause to the tragic oil rig explosion that is now spewing an endless river of oil into the Gulf of Mexico remains unknown. Plenty of finger pointing will ensue. Regardless, as you sit and read this, thousands of gallons of oil pour out daily from their natural reservoir thousands of feet below the ocean floor.

Clean-up crews have had to struggle against rough seas and strong winds to contain the spreading oil slick as it approaches shore. While in its path lay numerous species, unaware and unprotected from the massacre that awaits them. Bottlenose dolphins use the shallower waters to birth, endangered species of sea turtles have already begun their annual nesting season in the area – a few have already been discovered dead off the coast of Louisiana – and countless species of birds, many of which are already endangered, migrate through the area this time of year.

Finger-pointing is never the answer – but a catastrophe such as this certainly merits a careful review of our society’s lurid and seemingly unquenchable obsession with oil. How much longer should the United States postpone alternative, renewable energy on a massive scale and put off a whole new generation and industry of jobs?

And who is truly paying the ultimate price, humanity and its loss of other species of animals and plants that can never be replaced, or the wildlife itself and natural habitat lost and vanished from our purview? A life lost, or a paler world – denied one more color to its once limitless spectrum.

As a tribute to the wildlife and natural habitat of this area, following is a brief list of those expected to suffer the greatest casualties. Future blogs will elaborate more on these and others as the collateral damage to this catastrophe is more accurately tallied.

Brown pelicans (formerly endangered), Least terns, Piping plovers, Wilson’s plovers, migrating song birds, endangered Kemps Ridley sea turtles, Bottlenose dolphins, Blue fin tuna (only place they spawn in the western Atlantic), shrimp and all associated habitat.