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Earth Saving News > Gulf Oil Spill Resources
2010 Gulf Oil Spill Crisis: how you can help.
It was a sad and tragic end to Earth Month:
Many of you have been contacting us to find out what EarthShare and its member charities are doing in the aftermath of the Gulf oil spill so you can get involved. To help you out, we’ve compiled a handy list of reputable links and resources from our members offering different ways you can make this tragedy a little easier for the affected wildlife and coastal communities.
Despite the cap, this is just the beginning of what’s sure to be an extensive and ongoing response to the Gulf oil spill from our nation’s conservation organizations. After the cleanup, these nonprofits will need your continued support for the restoration efforts that must follow.
Volunteer for the Gulf oil spill cleanup.
The first tier of responders to the Gulf oil spill will be those with the most training. This will include people with hazardous materials background and the associated safety gear. As the Gulf oil is hitting shorelines, there are additional volunteer needs ranging from answering phones to helping collect and analyze data.National Wildlife Federation, National Audubon Society, and the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana are building a list of volunteers to help with the response effort. You can connect with them here, too: GulfResponse.org
VERY IMPORTANT: The Florida Wildlife Federation has issued some cleanup tips to help ensure that well-meaning efforts don’t cause further harm to local wildlife. There have already been instances of uninformed volunteers disturbing nesting and other shorebirds. If you live in an area affected by the Gulf oil spill and you find injured or oil-coated wildlife, call 1-866-557-1401 to report sightings of affected wildlife.
Tampa Bay Watch is seeking community volunteers in the event of an opportunity to support the oil spill response in Tampa Bay and along West Central Florida.
Audubon of Florida offers a sign-up registry if you want to help rescue injured birds and clean oil off beaches.
The Galveston Bay Foundation is also developing a locally-based volunteer response team. Volunteers without specific oil spill response training will likely serve in a support role to trained responders and will not come in contact with any hazardous materials.
Make your voice heard in the aftermath of the Gulf oil spill.
With the Gulf oil spill serving as a grim reminder about the inherent risks connected with this energy resource, many of EarthShare’s charities are offering easy ways for you to speak up for safer, cleaner energy:
- Oceana // Stop the Drill
- Surfrider Foundation // Not the Answer
- National Audubon Society // Support Full Funding for Coastal Louisiana Restoration
- National Wildlife Federation // Take Action for Climate & Clean Energy Legislation
- The Wilderness Society // No More Oil Disasters
- Defenders of Wildlife // Ban Dangerous Offshore Drilling
- Friends of the Earth // Stop the Drilling
- Union of Concerned Scientists // It's Time for America to Choose Cleaner Energy
Stay up-to-date on Gulf oil spill developments.
Many of our member groups are blogging, tweeting and keeping all of us informed about the Gulf oil spill and offshore drilling issues:
- The Student Conservation Association has interns on the ground scrambling to conduct wildlife mortality surveys and establish baseline data.
- Get the on-the-ground perspective from locals with this online tool from the Surfrider Foundation, Ocean Conservancy and Sky Truth that lets Gulf-area residents document what's happening to their coast.
- Find out how Ocean Conservancy is working on response, recovery, restoration and reform in the wake of the Gulf oil spill.
- Keep track of Earthjustice's efforts to enforce stricter regulation by the Minerals Management Service. Why? According to an Earthjustice attorney, "..it is actually easier to get a permit for an offshore oil well than for a hot dog stand."
- Follow National Wildlife Federation's coverage on Twitter and help get those re-tweets out!
- Read Natural Resource Defense Council’s blog on the Disaster in the Gulf.
- Since it will be critical to recovery efforts to assess habitat conditions prior to the impact of the spill, National Audubon is planning to launch a Citizen Science initiative in Important Bird Areas throughout the Gulf coast. They’ll provide more information as the effort unfolds.
- Read about Environmental Defense Fund's five steps to limit the Gulf oil spill’s damage, and stay abreast of the latest on the crisis with video reports from their Gulf Coast team.
- Restore America's Estuaries is working to increase support for Gulf oil spill volunteers and future restoration work.
- Spend some time on The Nature Conservancy's The Gulf: Ways You Can Help resource section for the latest from Conservancy bloggers -- spread the word that one of North America’s most treasured places needs our help.
Are you planning to get involved in the Gulf oil spill cleanup and recovery efforts? Let us know, and share pictures of your efforts -- we'll feature you as a Gulf Oil Spill Hero on our Facebook page to inspire others to take action!
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EARTH SAVING NEWS
God gave man dominion over the earth and every living creature on it - He's probably saying today, "what in the world was I thinking?"
Man and progress have done a stupendous job of fouling the earth, the waters and even the air. All that knowledge and intelligence - has it paid off or are we paying a heavy price for not using it wisely?
Posted by: Betty Hilliard | July 01, 2010 at 08:05 PM
Norway and the Netherlands have both offered ships to the US Govt. that are designed to scoop oil off the ocean surface, and suck oil up from deep wells. Because of an old US Govt. mandate, designed to protect the US shipping industry Unions, that states that no foreign ships can be used in US waters if there is any chance of a US ship being used in it's stead, the US Govt turned down the help of these Countries. What is wrong with us that we have allowed greed to create this disaster, and are still allowing greed to prevent it's clean up? Why don't the people of America stand up and tell the Govt. to accept the help so we can clean up the mess and move on to better things that never kill our wildlife again. No-one should have the right to decied whether or not they live or die, by choosing how we clean up this mess.
Posted by: Janet Pilling | June 28, 2010 at 09:55 AM
I share my concern for the damages already inflicted by the disaster.May God give divine insight for an intervention very soon.
IN GOD WE TRUST.
Posted by: KEDDI JOHN | June 26, 2010 at 04:46 AM
Sheri, we commend you for your willingness to help. Please contact any of our member groups listed above to get involved with response on the ground in FL. You may want to start with:
FL Wildlife Federation
http://www.fwfonline.org/Oil-Spill/Oil-Spill-Hub.aspx
Posted by: Robin | June 25, 2010 at 10:32 AM
We are planning to be in Florida in late July. My autistic son has shown an interest in helping with the clean up while we are there. I was wondering what regular people can do. Are there any volunteer stations along the gulf coast of Florida? We would be willing to bring supplies or help in any other way possible.
Posted by: Sheri Kidd | June 25, 2010 at 10:15 AM
“Glistening Globs”
We’ve been hearing about it
until we’ve had more than our fill.
We can send a man to the moon,
but we can’t conquer an oil spill.
No animals were harmed during the Tsunami,
but this one claimed the lives of a lot.
Oil-soaked-birds walk along the beach –
their lives have gone to pot.
They must be wondering,
“What happened to us?”
Many people are thinking the same
as they board this “bus.”
Leadership has been lacking –
from the Feds on down.
Don’t we even have a committee
to fix this frown?
One planet is all we get –
we don’t have one more.
It’s not like we have one on reserve –
another keg at the store!
Why haven’t we asked for ideas?
Why haven’t we motioned for prayer?
It’s really becoming apparent
that they really don’t care!!!
America! America!
God shed His Grace on Thee.
America! America!
Fix the Globs in our sea.
Written by:
Andrew D. Everstine
Woodbridge, VA USA
Posted by: Andrew Everstine | June 19, 2010 at 08:15 AM
This tragedy is going to be of biblical proportion, lets wake up before it's too late. This should this nations top priority, now lets get off our asses and fix the problem before we allinate the entire world!
BP is about to fill chapter 11. If we do not take control of the situation now who will????????
Posted by: Glassman | June 14, 2010 at 09:12 PM
TO stop the oil leak, could they drive a cone-shaped apparatus (made of layered plates of steel) that once forced down into well,could open up like an umbrella to stop or slow pressure long enough to fill shaft with cement. Hoping this ends soon. Good Luck
Posted by: Gary Hurley | June 11, 2010 at 10:03 AM
Why aren't/can't these organizations pressure Obama to issue an Executive Order to take over the cleanup and to rent private tankers to start sucking up the oil as has been done elsewhere to deal with the oil? (And send the bill to BP.) Getting as much of the oil out of the water before it hits land seems the first defense, and one to focus on first. Why isn't there more outcry from all of our senators & congressmen? This is going to affect everyone in every state.
Posted by: Deb Cleveland | June 07, 2010 at 09:58 PM
God help our earth
Posted by: Murray367 | June 05, 2010 at 12:59 PM
The oil spill is going to connect with the Gulf Stream & travel all the way to Canada. The seafood industry is in jeopardy of raising prices so high that nobody will bring them business.
Big business & small businesses in the following industries are going to feel the effects of this oil spill. Water quality is going to be contaminated as well. Finally, the powers that be need to become more environmentally conscious, as this is a wake up call for those who tell themselves that they don't care.
Posted by: Ryan Hill | May 16, 2010 at 01:33 PM
no coment it's too important more people
peace and love
Posted by: myriam bois | May 08, 2010 at 06:04 AM