Well, then. Allow me to retort...

There have been quite a few interesting theories about what's behind the oilcano, many of them involving some sort of sinister plot on the part of environmentalists and socialists to destroy the American way of life by deliberately sabotaging the Deep Horizon rig in order to turn the tide of public opinion against "big oil." Honestly, those don't really even deserve a response.

What does deserve a response however, is the comments I have received along the lines of "you worry too much," or "this damage is going to be light." One person even said that since oil is a product of the earth, there is actually no need for concern at all. I'll keep that in mind as I make my lunch. Care to join me in a nightshade salad? I make mine with extra arsenic dressing. Hey, it's all natural, so it can't be harmful.

Okay, all smartassitude aside. As I am fond of saying, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. However, they are not entitled to their own facts. Insisting that the fire will not burn you as you put your hand in the fire will not keep it from being burned. That's not a matter of opinion, it's just a fact. The damage caused by an oil spill on an ecosystem is well documented, well researched and proven. It doesn't matter that you don't like the answer, the answer is still the same.

Petroleum products (crude, refined, weathered or fresh) released into an environment cause massive, long term damage to quite literally everything it comes in contact with. There is a great deal empirical data and research to prove this fact. Obviously I cannot go into the extensive detail of every single study, so I'll hit the highlights. I invite you to do your own research if you are so inclined.  

Effects of Oil on Wildlife
To an oiled animal, there are myriad short and long term damages incurred. The precise mechanism of injury and/or fatality varies by species. I will break it down from the smallest to largest of animals in the trophic level in hopes that you might be able to understand why this is  a big deal, and we should all be worried.  Anyone thinking this is a short term problem that will not directly affect them is quite simply ignorant. Here's why. 


Zooplankton/phytoplankton:
In the case of zooplankton, death. Why should we care about a bunch of tiny critters we can't even see? How about the fact (notice how I slip that pesky F word in there) that zooplankton is a major food source of many of the other animals of the sea either directly and indirectly. A loss of this food source will result in mass starvation, spreading all throughout the food web and going all the way to the tippy top of the apex predator (including human beings). Phytoplankton has been shown to increase photosynthesis rate and algal blooms (#13 of dictionary.com definition, found here) result. Harmful algal blooms (HABs) can cause problems ranging from pushing other species out due to sheer biomass to forming a toxic soup of ick. (that's the scientific terminology, of course). When animals eat contaminated algae or other organisms affected by this algae, the toxin builds up in their tissues and is passed on to the next animal that eats them. In addition, HAB molecules are very stable and are not broken down when cooked or preserved. Additionally, many toxins have a cumulative effect, ensuring the largest doses go into the system of the apex predator (again, that includes us). Who's for grouper tonight? Source

Fishes:
Some fish avoid oil, while others are attracted to it and may actually feed upon it. Depending on where a spill is located in relation to nesting grounds, fish eggs and fish fry (fish babies, not church socials) can be wiped out in a single spill. Once again, the animals (including humans) feeding upon them have lost another food source.Adult fishes suffer any combination of effects, from loss of fertility to death by asphyxiation.

Now we move on to those heartbreaking images that many now associate with oil spills. The charismatic megafauna.


Birds:
Individual: 

• Hypothermia. The bird loses there ability to retain heat and will freeze to death even on a hot summer day. This is the number one cause of mortality.
• Predation: Because it cannot fly and becomes obsessed with preening, it is easy prey for predators
• Starvation/dehydration: Due to obsessive preening, the bird stops foraging/hunting for food and simply starves to death. Additionally the metabolism is increased in an attempt to keep the body warm, so the rate of starvation/dehydration is increased.
• Drowning due to loss of buoyancy of oil coated feathers.
• Internal damage: While preening, birds accidentally ingest oil. This causes ulceration of the digestive system. While not immediately fatal, an untreated bird can bleed to death internally, starve, or a combination of the two. However, most birds have already died of hypothermia before they get to this point.

Reproductive: 
1/10th of one drop of oil destroys a developing embryo.  Thus, an entire nest will be wiped out if an oiled parent should return to the nest. Considering that hurricane season begins in 2 days, what if one good storm goes through the LA area and pushes oil over the nesting areas? The instant loss of an entire generation of a species, some of which are endangered to begin with. The same is true for sea turtle eggs. Though considering they are currently swimming directly through the spill itself in order to lay their eggs, and are known to ingest oil, I'd say that's the least of their worries.

Marine Mammals:
While the immediate effects of oiling are not as severe or commonly fatal, this can lead one to a false sense of security that the animal is  unaffected. However, mammals are indeed affected. Short term effects include:

• Pneumonia from inspiration of oil as they surface through the slick to breathe
• Blindness due to eye infections
• Ulcers due to ingestion of contaminated prey
• Starvation as their prey dies off due to the effects of the oil
• Drowning due to flippers sticking to the body (Pinnipeds, aka seals, sea lions...obviously not an issue in the Gulf of Mexico, but worth mentioning)
• Starvation: Dugongs suffer inflammation and infection of the sensitive areas around their mouths and noses, resulting in reduced feeding. This could be an indicator of the effects of oil on the  manatee.
  

Reproductive:

• Abandonment: Pups and parents recognize one another by scent. Therefore Oiled pups and parents cannot find each other. Parent abandon their young, which then starve to death or are victims of predation. Again, not much of an issue in this region, but still worth mentioning.
• Loss of reproductive viability (infertility) due to the ingestion of contaminated prey causing subsequent hormonal imbalances. Because the animals we are talking about here (whales, dolphins etc) have a slower reproductive rate and are long lived, these effects are often not discovered until years later. Case in point: Two orca (Orcinus orca, commonly called killer whales) pods living around Prince William Sound (where the Valdez spill happened) have been followed by scientists ever since the event. One of the pods has lost every single female, thus ensuring the demise of the entire group. The other pod has lost 40% of its members. Whether or not this is due to the spill is debated. Industry employed scientist do not believe it is a result of the spill, whereas most independent scientists do believe it is at least one factor. 

If this isn't enough to convince you that the damage of this catastrophe is going to be significant, I offer the following example. The Exxon Valdez spill is the most studied industrial accident of its kind. Despite Exxon's insistence they completed the cleanup of the area, over twenty years later National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) chemists have reported oil in Prince William Sound. Sampling showed everything from weathered (broken down due to exposure to environmental factors) to fresh (not yet broken down by the elements) oil present. Rate of decay was determined to be 4 %. In other words, oil residue will persist in Prince William Sound for at least a century and every plant or animal that comes in contact with it will suffer the same problems above throughout that time. Let me repeat that. The ecosystem of Prince William Sound will continue to be affected and damaged by the Exxon Valdez oil spill for at least a century to come.  Additionally, studies have shown that wildlife populations from fish to orca have not recovered in that area. Exxon scientists insist that this is unrelated to the oil spill. Most independent researchers disagree. Most likely it is a combination of several factors, but one cannot discount the ongoing presence of oil as at least one factor.

Though Prince William Sound is beautiful and important as a fishery, compare that with the Gulf of Mexico which is about as close to the birthplace of the food web itself on this planet and maybe then you'll get an idea of why I am increasingly concerned. Regardless of your or my opinion on the matter, the fact remains that we will be dealing with this catastrophe for decades to come. Why do I say decades? For the simple fact (not opinion...fact) that Prince William Sound is still full of oil after an oil giant declared the area clean and we chose to believe them. So please spare me your "you worry too much, everything will be fine" talks. I sincerely hope one day you'll be able to look at me and say "I told you so." But don't hold your breath, because I sure won't.

Heroes Wanted: How You Can Help in the Gulf

Now that I've gotten back from training and am awaiting assignment, I have heard a lot of discussion along the lines of "what can I do to help." I thought I'd send a few suggestions out there to get your creative juices going. Remember, even if you can't actually go to the gulf you can still be a valuable asset to our efforts to save the gulf region. 

For those of you who want to go to the gulf to assist in the clean up, my advice for you now is stay home. As I said before in my video log, the people in that region have been out of work for some time and, as is the case with many in the construction, fishing or tourist industries, will most likely will be out of work for a long time to come. Because BP is paying shore clean up crews (yet they still call them volunteers, causing great confusion among the general public), those positions are highly sought after. There have been rumors of fights breaking out while people wait in line for BPs required training as anxious out of work people compete for seats. Believe me when I say they do not appreciate outsiders coming in no matter how good their intentions may be. Several people were far from friendly when I first entered the class, but once they realized I was there for a very specific job that would not interfere with any of their opportunities for employment they warmed right up. Several of them shared their fears and frustrations about outsiders coming in for those precious few jobs, and it was really heart wrenching to see the hopelessness in their eyes. Please, if you are not from the region, stay home.

That's not to say you won't be needed eventually, and there's nothing you can do to help. Train now. Be ready for the time you may be needed. Turnover for this kind of work is extremely high. Some have not lasted through the first day. Of course, keep that in mind for yourself as well. If you cannot stand putting your summer thermostat above 75, this is not the work for you. Put a few garbage bags on and go stand out in your yard for a few minutes in the sun. That might give you an idea of what volunteering for oil cleanup might be like!

Warning aside, if you are still not dissuaded in your quest to help in person it's time to get trained. In order to respond to this spill, you must attend a class called MS-252 Module 3. This is BP specific HAZMAT (Hazardous Materials) training. You will not be granted access to any site without this training. This training is for this specific incident only, and it does not count towards training in any other spill. In other words, unless you intend on working this specific incident only you are wasting your time. Classes are (as far as I know) only in the gulf region, so you will have to travel there in order to get it. In my humble opinion, it was a waste of a day. It was laughably simplistic. But I had to have it in order to work this spill, so 'nuff said. I pinched my nose and swallowed a dose of "duh" and went.

To find out more on when classes are scheduled, you first have to register with the BP/Horizon Response Hotline. It is an exercise in patience, to say the least. But do this first so they have a record of your interest. Then visit the links on that page and volunteer in each individual state. Next go to PEC Premier Safety Management, the company contracted by BP to conduct all training classes. Email your intent to register there.

Beyond that, there are many ways you can get the other training necessary to work not only in this spill, but for the future ones, since we all know this will happen again. Oh sure, the government promises to make sure it doesn't. Pardon me while I sneeze something that sounds suspiciously like "bullshit" and get on with training for it anyway. Here's what you'll need for any oil spill.

ICS 100, 200 and 700. Frankly, everyone in the country should have this training. It is available free online through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). ICS stands for Incident Command System. It is the system of coordinating and communicating with multiple agencies during an incident of any size and scope that could potentially cause harm to life, property or the environment. Everything from a parade to an oilcano is covered here.

HAZWOPER: Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response. The more training you have, the greater the access you will have. Courses are available online (though they are neither easy nor free),  but you can sometimes find them through your workplace or through local OSHA contacts. Start there so you will be sure to find a legit source. I am getting mine online through a company called 360 Training.

Oiled Wildlife Response: If you are a wildlife professional or paraprofessional, this is the training necessary to aid in the capture/confinement/decontamination process of oiled wildlife. There are classes available through wildlife rehabilitation centers across the country in coastal areas. The organization Tristate Bird Rescue & Research is the organization contracted by BP to coordinate the wildlife response aspect of this spill along with International Bird Rescue Research Center and US Fish & Wildlife. However, they cautioned me that there is no training available at present in their center for this particular spill, because as of now all their trainers are actually deployed and working in the gulf region. So if you are not already trained, the best thing to do is wait until things calm down a bit and get training when the normal schedule resumes. In the meantime you can get training in general wildlife handling by volunteering at your local wildlife rehab centers, especially those that involve raptors or other large birds.

As I said before, even if you can go to the gulf in person, you can be just as (if not more) helpful in other ways. You are only limited by your creativity and your imagination. Just a few ideas:

1. If you have a coworker who is trained and would like to go help, get a group of your coworkers to volunteer to cover shifts
2. Sponsor a volunteer with gift certificates for travel accommodations, gas, food etc.
3. Volunteer at your local wildlife rehab center so that you can help free up a trained rehabilitator go with confidence that their charges at home will still be looked after. For wildlife enthusiasts this is a win/win/win. The rehabber gets to go, you get some animal husbandry training under your belt, and the critters get the care they need.
4. Monetary donations. Due most likely to a slumping economy and donor fatigue from all the other disasters going on this year, donations to relief organizations have been extremely low. Finding an organization that can use your financial help is probably the biggest thing you can do to help the people ravaged by this event.  Food banks in the area are swamped with new clients and so many jobs have been lost in one fell swoop.  Some places have seen a 25% increase in requests for assistance in just one month.

Better yet, rather than run around like chickens with our heads cut off after a disaster has occurred, why not just be ready? Never underestimate the value of training ahead of time. If your area is prone to devastating storms, how about training to be a Red Cross shelter volunteer? If flooding is a problem in your hometown and you have a boat, what about training to assist in rescue efforts? Concerned about animals suffering in the wake of disaster? Might be a good idea to contact your local Humane Society and learn more about their volunteer programs.

Bottom line is, everyone can help in some way in any situation. Our only limitations are that of our imagination and creativity.

Now comes the hard part.

Ever hear the old saying "the waiting is the hardest part?" Well, I can certainly agree. Training is now complete and I'm ready for "the call." I have no idea where I will go, when I will go, or even if I will go to be a part of the effort to save the gulf some of the most helpless victims of the BP oilcano. Watching this catastrophe unfold in the news is beyond heartbreaking, it is infuriating. I want someone to go to prison for this. Not just country club prison, but real, honest to goodness prison.

Because I can only speak on the wildlife aspect of this oiltastrophe with anything even approaching knowledge, I will continue to stick with what I know. 

The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 was created with the purpose of protecting migratory birds from capture, kill, transport or any other removal from their native habitat for any purpose. It created federal prohibition (unless given specific permits) to "pursue, hunt, take, capture, kill, attempt to take, capture or kill, possess, offer for sale, sell, offer to purchase, purchase, deliver for shipment, ship, cause to be shipped, deliver for transportation, transport, cause to be transported, carry, or cause to be carried by any means whatever, receive for shipment, transportation or carriage, or export, at any time, or in any manner, any migratory bird..." It was amended in 1960 to include criminal and punitive measures for violations. Each violation would result in a fine not to exceed $2000 (later amended again to total $15,000) and possible jail time of not more than six months. On the surface this might not seem like a big deal. Wow, fifteen thousand bucks and six months of jail for such a huge catastrophe? Well, that's until you really understand the law. By "each violation" they are not talking about each incident in terms of the entire event. They are talking about each individual animal affected by the event.

Mind you, that's not even talking about Endangered Species. Specifically concerning corporations the fines for the kill or harm of an endangered species from $200,000 to $500,000. Again, that's for each individual animal.

I can only hope that there will be criminal charges brought against those responsible if/when they are ever brought to light. I remain cynical, however.  In the meantime, I sit and wait for the phone call that may or may not come.

For the oiled marshes of Southern Louisiana, it is most likely already too late. We can hope to rescue a few animals here and there and move them to a new habitat should they survive their ordeal, but this is only if there should be any habitat left and there are no guarantees of even that small miracle. We are in a race against time, and BP has deliberately slowed the effort down in the failed attempt to save face/money/their collective asses. Sadly, our federal government has allowed them to do so. I've heard people say that this is Obama's Katrina, or his 9/11. I disagree. This is something far worse. Katrina and 9/11 will pale in comparison to the destruction we are most likely to experience here, and we have brought it all upon ourselves.

Allow me a tiny bought of laziness

I promise I am currently formulating an actually thought-out blog entry and will put it up sometime tonight or tomorrow morning. In the meantime, here are a few video links telling the story as it unfolded.

Day 1: Arrived in Waveland MS. First impressions.
Day 2: First day in Waveland before training. Yet more confusion on training. I was barely holding my temper at that point, but I did my best!
Day 2: A drive through the beach front properties of Waveland. Shocking.
Day 2: I was completely speechless when I was told by a class member that he believed President Obama blew up the oil rig. Really? Really? You believe that? REALLY?!?!?!
After much deliberation on how to respond to this latest conspiracy theory, I offer one of my own. It may be just as tin hat, but it seems at least a tiny bit more logical, and there's even real facts involved. See how that works, people? You may be entitled to your own opinions, but you are not entitled to your own fact. Just sayin.


Still have more to upload, but it's a tad slow. More to come in a few hours. For now I'm off to a nice nonoil spilled related visit with a college buddies I've not seen in yeeeeers. Then it's up early (even by chicken standards) to hit the road for a nice leisurely 15 and a half hour drive. All I can say is, thank goodness for the iPod Touch with its freshly downloaded Christopher Moore collection, and thank you Michael for hooking me up with it!

...and one little red prius

I arrived in Waveland MS this evening after dark, so I haven't really seen much. What I have seen however, is huge stretches of highway filled with business marked "For Rent," "For Sale," "Going out of Business," etc. Many of them appear to have long been abandoned, most likely since Katrina.


I don't know how much they are covering this in the national news, but I can tell you from two conversations I've had just today that people here are terrified, and there is a general sense of hopelessness.  The depression is so heavy you can smell it (along with the faintest odor of petroleum, unless it's my imagination running wild). I stopped off at a Walgreens for some stuff before going to the hotel and overheard an employee explaining to her manager why she was quitting.

"I've got family up North that I can go live with. I can find work up there maybe, and someone down here is going to need this job."

I was reeling. Imagine all of the people who are soon to be out of work down here moving North to find work? You think the job market is tough where you live NOW??? How about the influx of an entire coastal region of the United States pouring Northward looking for the same nonexistent jobs you are looking for.

When I pulled in to the hotel, only a mile away from the Waveland Civic Center where training is to be held, I noticed immediately that the parking lot was populated not by the typical minivans and campers of early summer, but by F-350, Dodge Ram 75 bajillions, GMC gargantuwheels, etc. One entire block of spaces is occupied by medium sized boats, apparently to be pulling booms or providing some other such service. It was surreal.

I was still in a tizzy from Walgreens when I got to the motel to check in. The desk clerk noticed from my driver's license that I was from Tennessee and she asked:

"Are you coming down here to help us?" When I told her yes, I was here for training, she just quietly said.

"Thank you so much." After a short pause she added, "I just don't know how much more we can take down here."

Just heartbreaking.

When I got to my room I checked out the local news and found out that the giant sandbags deployed by the National Guard to block the oil have failed. The tides were higher than expected, and they simply pushed right over, bringing the oil with them. Local residents are terrified of the fumes coming from the gulf, with fears of the dangers of the dispersal agents mounting. Finally the exasperated and exhausted Coast Guard officer who was answering the public questions said: "At this point you've got to pick your poison. Do you want the oil to just wash up here?"

I wonder, is this a case of accepting the lesser of two evils, or just exchanging one for an equally horrible other? Like I've been saying for days now, only time will tell.

In other local news, even though it was reported last week that there were plenty of booms for this particular spill, they are reporting now that they have run out. So please, if you are ready for your summer haircut, now is the time to find out which salons in your area are participating in the program called Matter of Trust. If you can't find a salon that is participating, see if you can talk them into it!

Kevin Costner and his brother are also here in the region, offering a demonstration of their new technology for separating oil and water. The process is called transesterofication, and they claim they can harvest reusable oil from seawater to the tune of 5,000 barrels per day. Obviously drop in a drop in the bucket, but at least he's trying SOMETHING. He's put over 26 million of his own person funds for the development of the technology. I've not had any time at all to look into this further, just watched the local news. They reported that the demo was a success.

Must...sleep...NOW. I want to be bright eyed and bushy tailed in the morning.

So it begins

These last few days have been frantic. I received an email from BP/Horizon Oil Response informing me that I was to report for training as soon as possible for Modules 1-2. I was hoping to get registered for Module 3 as well, which is more in-depth and involves wildlife specifically. But I was happy to get what I could, and registered.

Not ten minutes after I put in my requests for dates/locations for the classes, I received another email from Deepwater Horizon Response informing me that due to the "changing nature" of this event, Modules 1-2 were no longer considered acceptable for working on this incident. In order to be cleared to work, all participants must now complete BP/Horizon Oil Response Training Module 3. I suppose that is both good and bad news. It means I will get the training I need for the job I'm most qualified for, but could it also mean that the incident is growing in complexity at a rate they are having problems dealing with? I am far from an expert, but judging from today's Situation Status Map, and the important ecosystems and refuges in the line of fire, it appears to me that oiled wildlife response is likely to be a very large component of this operation. Personally I would have thought BP would have had this covered as they assured authorities they knew exactly where oil was most likely to go if released into the gulf from one of their rigs when they applied for rights to drill. I would have assumed a plan for just such an event would have been a requirement for any company wishing to take on such a risky venture. But of course, that's just me. I forget that we were assured that offshore drilling is completely safe. 

So...what about all those Modules 1-2 classes held over the last two weeks, and the people who went through those but were not allowed to have Module 3? Was that a waste of their time and BP's money? Money that would be better spent on the recovery/cleanup/mitigation of damages phase of this disaster? Only time will tell.

Once again struck by the increasingly obvious necessity for preparation and training before an event happens, I got back online to see what other prerequisite trainings could be beneficial. I found three courses offered by FEMA that give an introduction to ICS (Incident Command System) and NIMS (National Incident Management System). The courses were offered free from FEMA online, so there was really no excuse not to take them. For anyone who may be interested in volunteering for any sort of disaster, these courses would be most beneficial. The courses I took were ICS 100, ICS 200, and ICS 700. While the information within these classes is by no means exhaustive or a substitute for experience, it's a start.

Now it's time for me to hit the road to Waveland MS for my first day of training. I will take the laptop with me of course, and try to update you afterward. That is, if I can find a network. Being technologically challenged, that's an iffy proposition.

Backgrounds and intros

On April 20th, 2010 the nation watched in horror as an oil drilling platform almost sixty miles off of the southwest coast of Louisiana erupted into flames and fell into the sea with agonizing slowness. Eleven workers were killed in the massive explosion and subsequent inferno.

And then there was the bad news. By April 24 we learned that initial reports that no oil was leaking had been incorrect. To the tune of 5,000 barrels spewing forth in what is currently an uncontrolled oilcano nearly a mile under the surface of the Gulf of Mexico, making it extremely difficult for BP to remedy the situation. As of this entry, all efforts to stop the oilruption have failed. We may be staring down the barrel(s) of the worst man-made environmental disaster in our nation's history, possibly that of the entire planet.

Before I became Chief Chickenthusiast of Cluck-n-Neigh Farm,  I had plans of becoming a Wildlife Biologist. To quote an old joke I heard retold by John Cleese recently, "If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans." Once I graduated from the University of Tennessee with my BS in Wildlife and Fisheries Science life threw a few curve balls my way, ending my visions of field work, research and possibly a higher degree.

Not that my life hasn't turned out for the best, mind you. Just different than I'd imagined. I was quite content to embark on the great homesteading and sustainable living adventure and to raise my chickens to be happy healthy sources of pastured eggs for those in my community who might otherwise not be able to afford such "luxury."

But the drive to "do something" in the face of tragedy is a trait that has been with me for my entire life, and I often fretted that I never had the training or skills necessary to make a difference whenever disaster struck. So when I learned of the situation in the gulf, it hit me on so many levels. As a Biologist, an environmentalist, and a Buddhist. I could not let it go. Here was a situation that I did have the knowledge and skills necessary to be of service, and all I was doing was watching the news reports and crying. After many days of obsessing about the situation and my feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, I decided it was time to put my money where my mouth is and step up. Certainly my education and skills developed over three decades of working with animals across the taxonomic spectrum could count for something!

After much annoyance it appears my tenacity has paid off. I have been accepted for training in Oiled Wildlife Response, and once my additional required 6 hour BP Module 3 oil spill response training is completed I will be able to volunteer in the Gulf region should the need arise (and I'm certain it will). When news of the decision came, I thought I would start a blog so that I could share with you my experiences. I will do what I can to document this story with video journals, photos and blogs that will offer you a closer look at the situation from "on the ground." I am no journalist, however. I don't write well, I am highly opinionated, and very emotional. So reader beware.

This post is still a work in progress. I am currently balancing my blogging with studying for my prerequisite classes in ICS (Incident Command System) for the training I will be receiving in a few days. More to come, I promise.

Continued:
Well who would have thought I'd pass a test after all these years. I have gotten FEMA ICS-100 out of the way, my first step to satisfying the requirements. Two more classes to go before I head to Mobile for my first unit of live training. So for the next 24 hours I will be cramming, testing and getting the farm situated for a short absence.