The Spill: A Year Later

There isn't enough time this morning to compose an entry which truly encapsulates the events of this past year; however I could not let the day go without commemoration.
When the Deepwater Horizon Rig exploded last year, eleven men lost their lives and the Gulf of Mexico's habitat became the casualty of lax regulation and our insatiable thirst for oil. What has changed since then? Environmental groups like Audubon and Ocean Conservancy, took on the Herculean task of trying to save as much wildlife as possible, but unfortunately many animals perished and continue to suffer. Thousands of birds died, and many more will continue to feed contaminated food to their young as oil and corexit make their way through the food chain. Attempts to change the oil industry were close to fruition this summer when the spill was finally contained, but are currently at a standstill with the new Congress elected in November. How many oil spills does it take?
On a personal note, my family decided a year ago that this manmade tragedy was unacceptable. Through Olivia's fundraiser, the entire family threw our energy into doing what we could to help the environment. It's taken many forms, but we can only hope that all of them add up to making a difference and encouraging people, including our elected leaders, to have a new way of looking at the world. Are we a country that subsidizes a polluting and dying industry, or do we look to the future by investing in alternative energy sources? Are we a country that squanders its beautiful habitat with shortsighted decisions, or do we look ahead to preserving and restoring what we have?
So I guess you can say that since the spill, I've become a 'one issue' voter. To me, to my family, and to the thousands who have heard Olivia's message, we know the environment is too precious a gamble. Please mark the anniversary of this preventable disaster by using this link and sending a letter to your representatives in Washington DC.

The Art of Conversation

We tell frustrated toddlers to ‘use your words’ in expressing themselves, to communicate their feelings. We extol the virtue of talking things out, making lists of pros and cons to see both sides of a situation. And yet the need for civil conversation in our society in order to discuss some of the most complex and crucial issues is at a crisis. From expunging offensive words from a great American text to putting those with whom we disagree in the crosshairs of a shotgun, our nation’s tendency to polarize the opposition into an ‘us vs them’ situation is counterproductive to the ideals of a democracy. How can I hear your points of argument if I’m too busy shouting my own? Who wins while trapped in the gridlock of the political battlefield? Instead of remaining entrenched in our own position, productive discourse over our differences, ideological or cultural, may lead us to common ground. But if finding common ground makes one lose the next election to the other team, or money from lobbyists, or popularity ratings, how willing would you be to budge from your fortress? Worse yet, with the news cycle driving policy, not even the viewers are willing to give the other side a chance, as if it would threaten their identity to the core.
In the midst of writing this, my school just honored President Obama’s request for nationwide moment of silence for reflection and prayer, allowing our nation to be unified for that brief moment. Perhaps I am wrong. Perhaps we need less conversation and more silence. I’m willing to at least discuss that option.

Dear State Legislators

Please send your letters ASAP.