October 15, 2010
Blog Action Day: The (Offshore) Winds of Change
Today is Blog Action Day, and this year’s theme couldn’t be more relevant to us and all you fantastic ocean activists: water.
Water is also an especially poignant theme given the timing. Next Wednesday is the six-month anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The spill dominated the news — and this blog — for several months, and nobody’s sure what the long-term effects will be on gulf ecosystems.
And yet, just a few days ago, the Obama administration lifted the moratorium on deepwater oil drilling several weeks earlier than planned, and several months before the release of studies about the effects of the oil spill on the gulf.
As Oceana’s pollution campaign director Jackie Savitz said of the decision, “This is an incredibly disconcerting and unjustified move, that could open the door for the next great oil disaster. Oil spills are common. The question is not whether there will be another spill but when.”
But not all the news the past few months has been negative. Yes, the gulf has endured the worst environmental crisis in our nation’s history, but there are signs of hope. Momentum on offshore wind power is building, for one thing.
We released a report a few weeks ago that outlines just how much potential energy lies in the breezes off the Atlantic coast (hint: it’s a whole heck of a lot.) On the Atlantic Coast, conservative estimates suggest that offshore wind could generate about 30 percent more electricity than could be generated by the technically available offshore oil and gas.
And with the recent announcement of major investments in an underwater “superhighway for wind” from Google and others, the winds of change are most certainly blowing our way. This is our moment — and your time — to make waves for clean energy. Let’s use our ocean waters for clean, renewable energy that will never spill.
And with all of that in mind, this Blog Action Day, we’re asking you to take action to protect the oceans, foster a clean energy future and prevent another Deepwater Horizon.
Here’s what you can do right now:
First, tell your Senators to support the development of offshore wind power. We have better options than oil but we need to start today to move away from fossil fuels.
Second, join the thousands of people who have signed our petition to stop offshore drilling. We owe a massive thank you to everyone who has taken action, and to those of you who haven’t yet — now’s your chance. Every signature counts.
Third, help us spread the word. Share this on Facebook, Twitter, email your friends. We need to strengthen the movement and tell Congress and the President that enough is enough. It’s time for a clean energy future.
How else are you participating in Blog Action Day this year? Let us know in the comments!