NASCC Gulf Cost Recovery Coups - A Call For United Action
John Heilemann, author of Game Change, proposed the idea of a "Gulf Recovery Corps" in a Friday, June 12 MSNBC interview with Andrea Mitchell.
This is an idea whose time is already overdue.
Local residents and officials in all four Gulf bordering states need willing hands not only to help clean marsh areas and beaches, but especially to help prevent oil from ever reaching their shores.
The good news here is that such a corps is already in development, thanks to an AmeriCorps grant to the National Association of Service and Conservation Corps (NASCC), from the Corporation for National and Community Service.
* The Corps plans to send over 300 young people to the Gulf region in coming months.
This is a good start, but more is immediately needed if there is any hope of reducing oil damage on Gulf of Mexico shores and waters.
An army of volunteers will certainly need leadership, and it goes without saying that much needed guidance should come from local people who know the areas as well as local needs.
It is also unavoidable that an influx of people into often small communities can bring its own set of issues.
Still, if managed well, the benefits of Gulf Coast Recovery Corps could be highly beneficial to Gulf communities, the Gulf environment and to participants as well.
Increasing sponsorship for organizations like the Gulf Coast Recovery Corps is an action the Obama administration can and should take without delay.
Now is the time for all citizens to call on politicians to unite in supporting such an organization.
Now is also time for all those with opportunity and needed skills to volunteer to assist in Gulf cleanup in every possible way.
The article linked below gives statistics on previous spills, provides data on oil toxicity degradation following spills, and provides information on effective cleanup methods.
Assessment of effective methods includes a warning against detergent dispersal and chemical cleaning agents that could cause more long-term damage than oil might otherwise produce.
http://oceanworld.
tamu.
edu/resources/oceanography-book/oilspills.
htm.
Statistics show a dramatic decline in oceanic oil spills since the 1970's, perhaps a contributing factor to delay in developing other energy sources.
Another contributing factor may be the relative scarcity of major spills near the United States.
Exxon Valdez and the Alaska pipeline disasters may have seemed too distant to galvanize US public opinion to the extent of our present Gulf disaster.
On the other hand, perhaps only now are we prepared to fully recognize a need for alternative energy development.
Whatever the case, there can be no doubt that informed action is needed to protect Gulf habitats and to clean oil from Gulf waters in the safest possible way.
BP can certainly bring more resources to bear on the problem they created, with the help of Transocean, Cameron and Halliburton, all of which took some role in constructing the Deep Water Horizon.
No complete solution can happen however without involving local community energy and engaging the expertise of those most immediately affected by the disaster.
Employing members of local fishing industries is already an accepted method of substitute employment, at least on a temporary basis.
What may still be needed beyond local efforts is a substantial volunteer army to follow direction of local people to clean affected areas where possible and, most importantly, to assist in oil containment as it nears threatened shores.
United action is the most effective action.
AmeriCorps sponsorship of the Gulf Coast Recovery Corps is an effective step in that direction.
(c) Copyright.
Douglas Boyd-Robinson *Follow this link for more information on NASCC's Gulf Coast Recovery Corps: http://www.
americorps.
gov/about/newsroom/states_news_detail.
asp?tbl_pr_id=500.
This is an idea whose time is already overdue.
Local residents and officials in all four Gulf bordering states need willing hands not only to help clean marsh areas and beaches, but especially to help prevent oil from ever reaching their shores.
The good news here is that such a corps is already in development, thanks to an AmeriCorps grant to the National Association of Service and Conservation Corps (NASCC), from the Corporation for National and Community Service.
* The Corps plans to send over 300 young people to the Gulf region in coming months.
This is a good start, but more is immediately needed if there is any hope of reducing oil damage on Gulf of Mexico shores and waters.
An army of volunteers will certainly need leadership, and it goes without saying that much needed guidance should come from local people who know the areas as well as local needs.
It is also unavoidable that an influx of people into often small communities can bring its own set of issues.
Still, if managed well, the benefits of Gulf Coast Recovery Corps could be highly beneficial to Gulf communities, the Gulf environment and to participants as well.
Increasing sponsorship for organizations like the Gulf Coast Recovery Corps is an action the Obama administration can and should take without delay.
Now is the time for all citizens to call on politicians to unite in supporting such an organization.
Now is also time for all those with opportunity and needed skills to volunteer to assist in Gulf cleanup in every possible way.
The article linked below gives statistics on previous spills, provides data on oil toxicity degradation following spills, and provides information on effective cleanup methods.
Assessment of effective methods includes a warning against detergent dispersal and chemical cleaning agents that could cause more long-term damage than oil might otherwise produce.
http://oceanworld.
tamu.
edu/resources/oceanography-book/oilspills.
htm.
Statistics show a dramatic decline in oceanic oil spills since the 1970's, perhaps a contributing factor to delay in developing other energy sources.
Another contributing factor may be the relative scarcity of major spills near the United States.
Exxon Valdez and the Alaska pipeline disasters may have seemed too distant to galvanize US public opinion to the extent of our present Gulf disaster.
On the other hand, perhaps only now are we prepared to fully recognize a need for alternative energy development.
Whatever the case, there can be no doubt that informed action is needed to protect Gulf habitats and to clean oil from Gulf waters in the safest possible way.
BP can certainly bring more resources to bear on the problem they created, with the help of Transocean, Cameron and Halliburton, all of which took some role in constructing the Deep Water Horizon.
No complete solution can happen however without involving local community energy and engaging the expertise of those most immediately affected by the disaster.
Employing members of local fishing industries is already an accepted method of substitute employment, at least on a temporary basis.
What may still be needed beyond local efforts is a substantial volunteer army to follow direction of local people to clean affected areas where possible and, most importantly, to assist in oil containment as it nears threatened shores.
United action is the most effective action.
AmeriCorps sponsorship of the Gulf Coast Recovery Corps is an effective step in that direction.
(c) Copyright.
Douglas Boyd-Robinson *Follow this link for more information on NASCC's Gulf Coast Recovery Corps: http://www.
americorps.
gov/about/newsroom/states_news_detail.
asp?tbl_pr_id=500.
Source...