First off, what is an oil spill? An oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment due to human activity, and is a form of pollution. It can be very harmful for the marine life and plant life. It is one very big mess.
Right now there is an oil spill going on in the Gulf Of Mexico. It has been going on for 43 days now.
Who is responsable for this massive oil spill? Some say the BP company is responsible for it. According to President Obama whoever is held accountable for this will be prosecuted.
Whats the big deal, how is it affecting us? The BP oil leak makes the notorious Exxon Valdez spill pale in comparison, with official estimates of that disaster at 11 million gallons. Although the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has yet to reach the shoreline in most areas, the New York Times reports that scientists are finding enormous oil plumes in deeper waters, including one as large as 10 miles long, 3 miles wide and 300 feet thick. The plumes are depleting the oxygen dissolved in the gulf. Scientists anticipate that oxygen levels will fall enough to kill off most undersea life near the plumes. The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico 2010 could be on course to defile the third-longest barrier reef in the world, the 221-mile-long Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, which draws millions of tourist dollars to Florida’s floundering economy. The toxic oil slick can smother and kill the corals, causing a chain reaction of carnage among thousands of species of exotic marine life that live in and around reefs.
Another issue is the fact that it may drift into the Florida Keys. The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico 2010 is drawing closer to the Loop Current. Reuters reports that scientists say once the BP oil leak is in the loop, it could reach the Florida Keys in 10 days. The loop current is a ribbon of warm water that begins in the Gulf of Mexico and courses around Florida. Some scientists project the current will draw the oil slick through the Keys and then north up Florida’s Atlantic Coast. They said the oil might miss the beaches of Miami and Fort Lauderdale but could wash up around Palm Beach.
It is almost mind numbing to think about the enormity of this problem. I just keep thinking about all the ramifications from this; loss of life, severe economic loss, a serious blow to ecosystems, and loss of lifestyles. I know many people watch the news and think, "I live in West Virginia, this does not mean anything to me", but in reality it is causing damage to everyone everywhere.
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