A recent demonstration at Charlotte Beach against the BP Oil Spill was well covered by the local media, as far they went that is.
- Dozens Gather to Speak Against Off-Shore Drilling - YNN, Your News Now “A local group says it’s fed up with BP Oil Company and off-shore oil drilling. Dozens met up at Ontario Beach Park to speak out against it. "‘Hands Across the Sand" is an effort that's sweeping the nation. A handful of environmental organizations are taking part in it.” (June 26, 2010) Rochester - YNN,
- 75 Rochester-area residents protest offshore oil drilling ”More than 830 Hands Across the Sand events took place Saturday at beaches throughout the United States and other countries including Australia, India, South Africa, Japan, South Korea, Greenland and Brazil. Locally, about 75 people at Ontario Beach Park in Charlotte held hands and signs reading "Oil spill equals catastrophe, but solar spill equals a nice day," expressing their shared feelings about the disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. The metaphor is drawing a line in the sand against offshore drilling and bringing awareness to protecting the coastal economy, oceans, marine wildlife and the fishing industry.” (June 27, 2010) Democratandchronicle.com
The thing is, 75 people sounds like a lot if you’re reserving tables for them at an expensive restaurant. But even with the ”Hands Across the Sand” across the country, that’s only a fraction of the effect required to switch gears from a fossil-fuel –based economy to an economy based on renewable energy.
While we held hands on Ontario beach last Saturday, the people with real power and influence were glomming on to our representatives in Congress. And boy do they have clout. According to The Climate Change Lobby - A Center for Public Integrity Investigation, "more than 460 new businesses and interest groups jumped into lobbying Congress on global warming in the weeks before the House neared its historic vote on climate change legislation, a Center for Public Integrity analysis of just-disclosed lobbying records shows. " from The Center for Public Integrity.
These lobbyists won’t be putting out their gazillions of bucks to protect and preserve our environment. They’re making sure government won’t kill their oily golden goose.
That’s too bad, because how we get our energy really matters. From how does electricity affect the environment? | Clean Energy | US EPA: “How does electricity affect the environment? Of the total energy consumed in America, about 39% is used to generate electricity. Therefore, electricity consumption is an important portion of a consumer's environmental footprint. All forms of electricity generation have some level of environmental impact. Most of the electricity in the United States is generated from fossil fuels, such as coal, natural gas, and oil.”
It would be so refreshing if the media, instead of waiting for a demonstration or some outrageous street theatre, would investigate our environmental issues themselves. They shouldn’t need a bunch of adults holding hands on the beach to prod them to speak on our environment. It’s the media’s planet too.
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