What can we do about this mess?

This iconic image of oil blasting out on the floor of the ocean says it all.

Its hard to call what is happening right now in the Gulf of Mexico an “oil spill”. Its more like an endless underwater oil geyser that is bringing major damage to  plants, animals, our economy and our way of life.  Its uncomfortable to watch or think about.  We can get really angry with politicians, our government agencies,  and greedy corporations, but I’m not sure that any of that anger will make things any better.  We have to look in the mirror. The reason a corporation would be digging deep under the ocean to get oil, is because we use so darn much of it on a daily basis. The easy oil has already used up.

We use lots and lots of oil and not just in driving our cars and heating our homes. Consider all the products we use that are made from petroleum. The table below lists just a few of over 6000 items that require oil.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed and wondering what you can do, I have an answer for you. Get involved in the Transition Movement. Find a group near you or start one on your own, there are lots of resources on the Transition US website that will help you on your journey.  The sooner we decrease our dependence on fossil fuels, the sooner our lives will get better.