Bill McKibben: Oil Spill Is an Opportunity for Americans

And I hate comments filled with bias...

1. Usually the head count in a tragedy is totaled after the tragedy is over. Since we are still cleaning up the oil spill we really have no idea what the dead animal head count will be. It could be that many more animals will die this year due to the oil spill than will die at the hands of a windshield or tire. Check back in a year and compare.

2. Animals killing animals is part of the life cycle. Oil killing animals is not. Maybe you missed the lesson that day in your fourth grade science class?

3. Children who eat DDT on a daily basis are not going to be functioning human beings who will be productive in society. How much DDT can the body tolerate before you need to worry? That depends on how much you weigh. At a concentration above 236 mg DDT per kg of body weight, you'll die. Concentration of 6-10 mg/kg leads to such symptons as headache, nausea, vomiting, confusion, and tremors. While it is true that children fed food with DDT is helping with the problem of hunger, it is now creating new problems. The World Health Organization estimates that one-third of the world is well-fed, one-third is under-fed, one-third is starving- Since you've read this at least 200 people have died of starvation. Over 4 million will die this year. To satisfy the world's sanitation and food requirements would cost only US$13 billion- what the people of the United States and the European Union spend on perfume each year. Maybe you need to jump on the bandwagon to help our government allocate its spending to help cure world hunger. Or maybe you could seek healthier alternatives to DDT that can be used as insect repellants since eating food laced with chemicals was never solving any problems anyway.

4. Animals and insects exist because they serve a purpose. As the Earth changes, needs change. Animal extinction due to natural elimination is necessary. If we do not eliminate excess creatures as their need ceases to exist, we would be overrun. In no way is the oil spill a reflection of the planets need to eliminate unnecessary creatures - unless those creatures are us - haha.

5. If the solar system chooses to hit the re-set button, there is nothing we can do about it. It won't be the first time that it has happened and it won't be the last. One way or another it will happen again regardless of how much money we decide to waste to try and save ourselves. We are no more important than the dinosaurs.

So let's live in the here and now and look at the "Big Picture". The truth is that if we don't take care of the planet we have, the Earth will die even if it isn't hit by a meteor. The oil spill is just another example of humans taking advantage of and exploiting the Earth's resources for wealth without regard for the consequences of their actions or non-actions.

Talk about not having a clue about reality...

Kristen of MI 1:45PM August 08, 2010