OIl spill in gulf...

[Aimee A. Domash]

This oil seeping out and into our beautiful ocean by the minute makes me sick to my stomach. I think I'm going to make a piece ...maybe a flower or bird and drip some type of black rubber stuff on it....hum. Anyone else feeling the need to make a statement with their work?????

[2Roses]

Pal wrote: "Why do not we finance ... electric car charging stations and manufacture?

Pal, you may be interested to know that the American government has invested trillions of tax dollars in alternative energy over several decades. Lithium battery technology is what the world's auto industry is banking on. In addition, as mobile devices become ubiquitous, lithium will become ever increasingly valuable. The largest deposits of lithium on the planet are in....Afghanistan. We're moving away from oil, just not in the way you think.

[Pal Gooz]

Check out this: http://metalriot.blogspot.com/2010/06/154365-sinnerman.html . I also made a little collection of her related stuff here: http://pmgart.blogspot.com/2010/06/kaleidoscope-thomasin-durgin-aka... .

I think we are making a mistake focusing on BP, just as when we allow being sidetracked by the arguments of pro- and contra-global warmingists. These are all very-very-VERY important issues, but not the not the one that need our full attention!

The biggest issue - IMHO - is, that we trash our own nest and meanwhile just use up important and not readily replaceable natural resources (oil, wood, (drinking) water..). This problem has not started yesterday, we were warned more than 30 years ago, and yet we are powerless in the face of oil and coal giants. We have no freaking time to set up carbon quotes and try to regulate the whole thing with the usual political mishmash. Big oil wants to keep drilling and squeezing every cent out of the business and they can do this as long as they control the politics.

Small startups will not have a fighting chance for the next decades, by which time it will be late. It may already be too late. And yet we pour uncounted (and nonexistent) billions into salvaging dead banking models and outdated car factories in the name of creating jobs. Why do not we take the side of the renewable energy? Why do not we finance (from taxmoney) windmill , solar, geothermal factories, power generation and innovation, electric car charging stations and manufacture? No question, many of these use traditional power sources and resources and many has undesired effects on the environment. For example it is likely that the manufacture of the batteries required to power a hybrid car generates such a big pile of trash, that will never be offset by the reduced emissions during the lifetime of that battery. That is exactly why we need to pour tax money into the system, in order to facilitate research, that is not profit driven. We cannot expect individual investors to risk the amount that is necessary for such a research. In the past decades a lot has happened on the front of efficiency of windmill, solar, geothermal and tidal power generation, but they get very little support, mostly to stuff the mouth of the green-conscious few.

The US still has a mighty power to invest into the future and it can be the basis of its new leadership.

Why do not we start sending letters to our congressmen to demand development and support of renewable energy ?

Why do not we, the people give grants for private companies to start a new model of sustainable economy? Will it be socialism? S*** NO! We support biomedical research in the form of grants given to Universities AND private companies. Does it work, yeah, to some extent, maybe not ideal, but this money generates jobs and real products and wealth. No we need to multiply that with a factor of twenty or more and start financing the alt power sector, because our children's and grandchildren's life depends on it.

The number 31 BILLION is the amount that was assigned to the NIH to support biomedical research from (printed) tax money. That is less than 5% (or 1/20) of the bailout 700 BILLION that we (the people) gave to banks ( Yeah, they already paid some of it back, so everything is OK, isn't it) . Correct me if I am wrong.
I know that BP and other oils co spend money on renewables, but apparently it is cotton into our mouth and ears.

OK , I stop here:0

[Jess Guerrieri]

I agree the oil is horrible, devastating and, life changing. Living in Florida, it hurts me to think of the damage it has done and will continue to do. It’s been fifty something days now and it is still gushing out. What disheartens me even more is the miss information that people have received about the oil (thanks to BP.) It is nowhere near stopping. It could slow down in august! (If the container works) and it will take around 10 years for the water to go back to normal. If a hurricane blows though we are screwed. This is such a tragedy. It angers me to see Americans turning their heads and still using BP gas, truly unbelievable! It all feels hopeless. I have a true love for the ocean and the animals that live in and around it. There is nothing worse to see than them suffering.
Would love to make something, I'm little angry about it right now.

[Julie M.]

I hear about this oil spill on French TV a lot. What a tragidy. Hope this gets under control soon. The German poster is very anarchiste. That's why I like it the best of course ;-)

[Aimee A. Domash]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/greenpeaceuk/sets/72157623796911855/

Yes, yes!!!... we should "rebrand" them. There are some good logo's on the Greenpeace page. Thanks for the head's up Brigitte.

[Brigitte Martin]

Greenpeace UK came up with a great idea: They are running a competition to find a logo that can be used to rebrand BP. This is the flickr group with images that came in from various designers :

Rebrand BP: Behind the Logo !

A couple examples:

And this one is my personal favorite, it is in German (translation below)

Main text: "Just be glad we are not building Nuclear Facilities."
Small text next to logo: "That little bit of oil in the gulf."