\(photo thanks to oceanworld.tamu.edu)
What can I do to mitigate this disaster?
That's the question thousands of people have been asking since British Petroleum's Deepwater Horizon oiling rig exploded on April 20, creating a pipeline rupture that is spewing something like 70,000 barrels of oil reach day into the Gulf of Mexico.
Not knowing the answer to that question, but finding ourselves with free time in between jobs, my fiance John and I headed to New Orleans to stay with a friend, Rene, and volunteer our help. That was Wednesday, May 14 -- nearly a month after the pipeline ruptured. And while it seems that an Exxon-Valdez oil spill is being spewed out every three days or so, there's few options for the thousands of people waiting to help.
Our volunteer trio has scoured the web, utilized Rene's local resources, and filled out countless volunteer applications -- to little avail. Most leads direct us back to a BP phone number or require a $350 dollar, two week hazardous materials training. We're not alone --everywhere we go, we encounter people who want to help - - but aren't exactly sure how.
With this blog we hope to provide a resource for others who want to do something. Stay tuned for news on the disaster, our personal attempt to help out, volunteer opportunities and more -- and please let us know if we're missing anything!
That's the question thousands of people have been asking since British Petroleum's Deepwater Horizon oiling rig exploded on April 20, creating a pipeline rupture that is spewing something like 70,000 barrels of oil reach day into the Gulf of Mexico.
Not knowing the answer to that question, but finding ourselves with free time in between jobs, my fiance John and I headed to New Orleans to stay with a friend, Rene, and volunteer our help. That was Wednesday, May 14 -- nearly a month after the pipeline ruptured. And while it seems that an Exxon-Valdez oil spill is being spewed out every three days or so, there's few options for the thousands of people waiting to help.
Our volunteer trio has scoured the web, utilized Rene's local resources, and filled out countless volunteer applications -- to little avail. Most leads direct us back to a BP phone number or require a $350 dollar, two week hazardous materials training. We're not alone --everywhere we go, we encounter people who want to help - - but aren't exactly sure how.
With this blog we hope to provide a resource for others who want to do something. Stay tuned for news on the disaster, our personal attempt to help out, volunteer opportunities and more -- and please let us know if we're missing anything!
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