With an estimated 25,000 – 30,000 barrels of oil spilling into the Gulf of Mexico everyday, it’s hard for anyone to sit back and not want to do SOMETHING. But what? For many of us, flying down there to volunteer is monetarily impossible but that doesn’t mean there aren’t simple things we can do to contribute and help.
1. Stay Informed
BP is doing their best to keep the status of the spill mostly under wraps, even going as far as banning journalists from taking pictures from the air. BP is also buying up search engine terms to redirect internet users to their website. Make sure to stay up to speed on what is happening and be careful what you’re reading, especially on the internet. Only read trusted news sources and forget about the $50 million ad campaign BP put out. Do your own investigating!
2. Avoid BP Products
We all have seen how little BP seems to care about what has happened. One effective way to show our dissatisfaction with the way they have handled things is to avoid BP’s products. If all they seem to care about is the weight of their wallets, then we can put ours away. Stay away from Arco, Aral, AM/PM, Amoco, Casterol, Safeway Gas and Wild Bean Cafe until BP has amended the horrific catastrophe they have caused.
3. Donate Hair
Getting a new summer do? Doesn’t matter if it’s a quick trim or ten inches, donate your hair to Matter of Trust, an organization that is using hair to soak up the oil.
“You shampoo your hair because it gets greasy. Hair is very efficient at collecting oil out of the air, off surfaces like your skin and out of the water, even petroleum oil. Hair is adsorbant (as in “clings to” unlike absorbant which is to “soak up.”) There are over 300,000 hair salons in the US and each collects about 1 pound of hair a day. Right now, most of that goes into the waste stream, but it should all be made into hairmats.” Phil McCrory of Smartgrow.us, hairmat inventor and hair stylist.
Not only can your hair help, but also your pet’s! And if you aren’t a hairy pet owner, Matter of Trust can also use old fleece, nylons and feathers! Find out more at Matter of Trust’s website here.
4. Sign Petitions
Sometimes help is just a signature away. Check out these petitions that are making huge impacts:
- Care2’s Petition to President Obama to rethink expansion of off-shore drilling
- Oceana’s Petition to permanently stop off-shore drilling
5. Visit
United Way, The Nature Conservancy and The National Wildlife Federation‘s websites to make donations.
6. Fundraise
Everyone wants to help out right now and are simply looking for ways to contribute so organize your own local fundraiser! It’s summer time so it’ll be easy to get people outdoors and get together to support a good cause. Have a bake sale or BBQ contest! Have a car wash or get your neighbors together for a group garage sale! Take the proceeds and donate it to the aid of the spill- here are 7 great organizations to consider too!
source: http://www.intent.com/marissa-ross/blog/six-simple-ways-help-bp-oil-spill
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