On April 20, an explosion on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico caused a massive leak a mile below the ocean’s surface. It was clear then that we were witnessing an historical catastrophe, and now, three weeks later, the oil continues to flow unchecked into our environment. Estimates of the damage have varied from bad to horrendous, and now there is video of the underwater oil geyser spewing forth its toxins into the environment. It is devastating. Having failed to contain it with a giant structure lowered to the seabed, BP admits that it’s arsenal to stop the leak is limited and includes a last ditch effort of shooting junk — actual human waste — into the hole in hopes of stopping it. While I am a fan of anything that works, this clearly demonstrates how unprepared the industry is to deal with their own environmental disasters.
Who is to blame? Everyone is pointing fingers and looking for a scapegoat. BP! Halliburton! The US Government! Each of these players had a role in this specific instance, but I think it comes down to our global obsession with petroleum. We have become oil fiends incapable of evaluating the true cost of our addiction. Not only does it wreak severe havoc on our natural environment with leaks and greenhouse gases, but we engage in war–as in destruction and murder– for its control. It is the basis of our economy, which relies on the illusion of cheap energy.
While I would love to believe that this disaster will be a wake-up call and will shift our dependence, I am highly skeptical that we are capable of this necessary change. We will probably continue our unabated consumption just as our artificial lifeblood currently gushes into our true lifeblood.