Earth Day 2012: Two Years After the Spill

Pictures of Perdido Pass in Orange Beach, Alabama, June 2010

The proximity of the second anniversary of the Gulf oil spill to the celebration of Earth Day is not lost on me. No matter how we greenwash our desires, our nation still has a long way to go to protect our natural resources. Take plastic bags, for example. A petroleum-based product, they wind up in landfills and waterways-- and for what? Convenience? But the damage this short term convenience causes is costly to our environment in the long term. And yet, everyone still seems to roll their empty cart into the store without reusable bags. Pesticides too-- houses all over Long Island are thrilled with their water views, willing to pay extra for them. And yet, many houses along the water pollute their lawns with pesticides, some chemical compounds derived from, you guessed it, oil. The water run-off destroys the very seaside habitat they love. As we continue to dig in unsafe and expensive ways to access these fossil fuels, you cannot tell me that it is more cost effective in the long term than using that same money to establish a long term and cost effective alternative energy system. Sadly little has changed in the energy industry since the spill in 2010. But we have. Our lives have taken us down the unique path of environmental activism, and this year, Team Bouler is quite keen on setting up solar panels. As we head to our next environmental activity next weekend at the Ned Smith Center, we are hoping that the legacy of the Gulf propels us to row harder, even if we are going against the tide. For more Earth Day insights, please read Olivia's Huffington Post article today.