How NOT to Clean Up an Oil Spill!

Today I learned from Brian Merchant's article "People are Dropping Dead" from BP Dispersants: Toxicologist how the BP oil spill is being cleaned up. Now I think everyone knows about the tragic oil spill in the Gulf and how much difficulty there was with trying to clean it all up. Well it seems that the solution found for cleaning up the spoil has turned out to have negative effects.

A chemical cocktail called Corexit, which is untested, has had 1.9 million gallons dumped on the Gulf in an effort to break up the oil. There's only one problem, the chemical has turned out to be toxic. Local residents are being afflicted by respiratory sickness and worse, some people have DIED from exposure! The symptoms being experienced include: "headaches, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pains, chest pains, respiratory system damage, skin sensitization, hypertension, central nervous system depression, neurotoxic effects, genetic mutations, cardiac arrhythmia, and cardiovascular damage."

I think this is completely crazy! I also can't believe that I haven't heard about it until now! I just can't believe that they would try to solve this problem by using untested chemicals! It's completely irresponsible and insane!

I think this relates to class because the way we solve problems now is going to affect future generations. We need to be more careful or there could be no environment left for the future!

Where to Find the Greenest Cars



In Megan Treacy's article 'Honda Crowned Greenest Automaker' she writes about the fifth annual ranking of the greenest automaker. With 2008 being the most recent year that they had complete data models from Environmental Protection Agency and Transportation Department it is possible that the outcome of the research is a bit out of date, but at the time of 2008 the greenest of the automakers was Honda. Of the top eight automakers selling cars in the United States, together making up 92% of the vehicles available in the United States, Toyota trailed in second with help from their Prius and Hyundai was in third; following behind the top three was Volkswagen, Nissan, Ford, GM, and Crysler. 

The Honda Insight



To calculate these results the predicted impact of the automakers' fleets on global warming- based largely on miles per gallon- as well as the smog-forming emissions of the engines were taken and compared. The study said that "selling a modest number of clean and efficient models" was not enough to be considered a green automaker; all of their vehicles had to do well. In all five years of the study each year Honda was come in first. 



I find this information to be very interesting. I never realized that they did an annual ranking of the greenest automaker, I thought they only did them for the cars themselves. I think this is a good way for people to see where it is best to get environmentally friendly cars which is great for anyone who is trying to find a way to be more green.

This relates to class because being more green is obviously what the world needs to all be shooting for. Everyone needs to do what they can to lower pollution and the use of resources so that Earth will go a little less negatively affected. Another thing this got me thinking about was what we talked about in class on Wednesday involving the amounts of oil in the water. 51% of the oil in the waters comes off of the land; main example used in class is when we go to fill up our cars and a drop or two of oil comes out of the hose and follows onto the ground. If everyone drove greener cars that get better miles to the gallon then we wouldn't have to fill up our tanks as much which should lead to less oil being spilled onto land and then washing into the waters.   

So if you're looking for a green car you might want to check out Honda!

Video from 2007 when Honda won Greenest Automaker:

Video found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qXfYVMMHnc