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Old 06-04-2010, 02:24 PM
 
385 posts, read 1,154,480 times
Reputation: 115

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Quote:
Originally Posted by wondermint2 View Post
**** I saw a report on SNN (channel 6) local news Wednesday that mentioned that the oil slick itself is not likely to reach Sarasota - however eventually some tar balls will reach the Sarasota beaches (no time frame given). The report mentioned that local crews are in place to handle the clean-up here if it is relatively small-scale in nature. But if the clean-up process here will be large then Sarasota will contact BP to bring in crews and pay the expenses. ****

Wondermint....let's just take the oil reaching shore completely out of the equation for a moment. If we step back and look at the big picture we have much more to think about than just that occurring. We possibly may not get tar or oil specifically on our Sarasota beaches, but we will suffer the consequences from the thousands of pockets of "Dead Zones" this catastrophe has presented. In turn we will likely see an increase in Red Tide, the destruction of the fragile ecosystem in the gulf, and decimation of the marine life food chain. We may not get oil on our beaches, but I am afraid we may be getting some dead sea life.

I was just reading how 80% of sea life in the gulf starts in and on the outskirts of the Marshes. I would like to confirm that, but was really floored, had no idea.

Gypsy, I respect you girl. I really should just stay out of this thread, I know we are all upset, and our hands are tied.
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Old 06-05-2010, 06:31 AM
 
Location: West Coast of Florida
1,439 posts, read 2,909,231 times
Reputation: 2178
http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse....nal.590343.pdf

Current numbers from the US Dept. of Fish and Wildlife. These numbers do not include victims that live underwater in the Gulf.
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Old 06-05-2010, 06:51 AM
 
8 posts, read 10,632 times
Reputation: 11
Quote:
Originally Posted by Big House View Post
They are now talking about the gulf stream current. And that is will likely cause the oil to flow all along the shores of Florida, around Key West (probably destroying the coral reefs there), and then along the east coast!
I was just going over some research this morning about El Nino/La Nina: the last La Nina ('88 I think, but don't quote me) wiped out acres of natural coral and the bleaching lasted years folllowing.

Further, the increase in water temperatures on the gulf, paired with La Nina, may give rise to a bloom of red tide, although scientists can't predict that yet. Conditions may be ideal for a red tide this season... FYI, red tide has the same haze/odor and affect on sealife (it produces deadly saxitoxins), so please don't yell "oil spill" until they know what's causing said conditions.

Let's not forget there's the small matter of a wicked hurricane season brewing. NOAA reports that if a tropical storm, cyclone, or hurricane were to hit the oil spill, it would carry the oil, chemicals, and dead animals to shore, splattering on land and buildings, then sticking to everything in the wake.

I'm not a fan of prognostication, but I'd rather be proactive than reactive. Weren't we all equally outraged and having the same discussions post-Katrina? How much has changed since then? The blame game is futile. All we can do at this point is speculate what might happen. Hopefully, at the very least, people will become better informed and better prepared in the process.

For now, there's no sign of oil on FL's gulf coast. I think that was the question in the OP.
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Old 06-05-2010, 09:33 AM
 
Location: Rhode Island
37 posts, read 92,889 times
Reputation: 24
Quote:
Originally Posted by oopsydaisy View Post
I've been trying to find (through contacts and google) volunteer organizations in which out of town people can come to help with the clean-up. I'd volunteer and pay my own way. I've only been able to find local groups for people already in the area.

Any suggestions. This entire situation is devastating. Hopefully the containment cap will hold (I heard it's holding about a thousand barrels a day)
I'm bumping this post because I too would like to help and would pay my way.
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Old 06-05-2010, 10:07 AM
 
Location: West Coast of Florida
1,439 posts, read 2,909,231 times
Reputation: 2178
Quote:
Originally Posted by GoldensTimes2 View Post
I'm bumping this post because I too would like to help and would pay my way.
I don't know who is taking care of coordinating the cleanup, or even if there is a group that is preparing for that. I haven't heard anything out of the Sarasota County government. It's too quiet if you ask me.

The only organizations I know of, who are preparing for action is the local animal rescue groups.
Save Our Shorebirds is running training for the next group of oil victim rescue volunteers. The Wildlife Center of Venice is the other volunteer organization in charge of rescue.
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Old 06-05-2010, 11:18 AM
 
209 posts, read 536,236 times
Reputation: 58
Quote:
Originally Posted by GoldensTimes2 View Post
I'm bumping this post because I too would like to help and would pay my way.
Thanks GoldensTimes,
Here is what I have found:

How You Can Volunteer to Clean Up the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill - Tonic (http://www.tonic.com/article/how-you-can-volunteer-to-clean-up-the-gulf-coast-oil-spill/ - broken link)

Southeast American Littoral Society: Needed: Sarasota volunteers to help with oil spill

This one mentions one job opportunity (so if you are in need of a job for the time being, you may be able to secure one - for a good cause) but the majority of the links are for local volunteers:

Gulf Coast Oil Spill Clean Up Jobs | Hot Jobs - Career Search - JobMonkey

(Unfortunately I've found many places that will not allow you go actually go in help sop up the debris.) Such as: Oiled Wildlife Response (http://saveourseabirds.com/index.php?page=OWR - broken link)


Some of these are in areas located outside of Sarasota.

Oil Clean-up Volunteer Opportunities | Fox10tv.com

If I can find the time in between work and everything else, I'd love to come down and help. I would be great if this had never happened.
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Old 06-05-2010, 04:28 PM
 
Location: Punta Gorda and Maryland
6,103 posts, read 15,024,131 times
Reputation: 1256
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ace2serve View Post
I was just going over some research this morning about El Nino/La Nina: the last La Nina ('88 I think, but don't quote me) wiped out acres of natural coral and the bleaching lasted years folllowing.

Further, the increase in water temperatures on the gulf, paired with La Nina, may give rise to a bloom of red tide, although scientists can't predict that yet. Conditions may be ideal for a red tide this season... FYI, red tide has the same haze/odor and affect on sealife (it produces deadly saxitoxins), so please don't yell "oil spill" until they know what's causing said conditions.

Let's not forget there's the small matter of a wicked hurricane season brewing. NOAA reports that if a tropical storm, cyclone, or hurricane were to hit the oil spill, it would carry the oil, chemicals, and dead animals to shore, splattering on land and buildings, then sticking to everything in the wake.

I'm not a fan of prognostication, but I'd rather be proactive than reactive. Weren't we all equally outraged and having the same discussions post-Katrina? How much has changed since then? The blame game is futile. All we can do at this point is speculate what might happen. Hopefully, at the very least, people will become better informed and better prepared in the process.

For now, there's no sign of oil on FL's gulf coast. I think that was the question in the OP.
Whew!! For a minute I thought this was a catastrophe! I'm glad you set my mind at ease!!! I don't know how bad I'd feel if this oil spill were to get really bad! Thanks!! And, who is your boss at BP?
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Old 06-06-2010, 12:35 AM
 
8 posts, read 10,632 times
Reputation: 11
Quote:
Originally Posted by Big House View Post
Whew!! For a minute I thought this was a catastrophe! I'm glad you set my mind at ease!!! I don't know how bad I'd feel if this oil spill were to get really bad! Thanks!! And, who is your boss at BP?
Hi BigHouse. This is an outrage for all of us, so I don't take your comments personally. I do, however, apologize if my post came across in defense of BP. I assure you that's not my intention. Rather, I was trying to demonstrate that hurricanes and red tides (which cannot be controlled) are bad enough; compound that with the oil spill (which could and should have been controlled), and we're in for some nasty weather.

My comment regarding the red tide/oil spill similarities was simply intended to inform. I don't need to tell you how quick the media is to jump on anything catastrophic, and all it takes is one report to spread the word like wildfire. If conditions of red tide are misinterpreted, then mobilization teams and local industries that are dependent upon tourism would be adversely affected the minute someone yells "fire." Reservations are already being cancelled in record numbers based on sheer speculations- to the detriment of local businesses that are already struggling in this messy economy.

Remember how convoluted the official response was after Katrina? I have very little faith that the government and BP's apathetic leadership will be any quicker or more efficient in addressing this catastrophe. The fact is that we don't know where or when this mess will hit land, and there's not much citizens can do to prevent it; all we can do is prepare, watch, and wait until it does. That is a frustrating state of being for all of us.

I've a friend (a self-professed conspiracy theorist, mind you) who thinks BP intentionally did this in order to decrease supply and drive gas prices up again as a means of spurring growth for their alternative fuels division. Extreme, yes, but I'm subconsciously reminded of this every time I see footage of burning oil fields in the middle east.

Has anyone come across a list of BP subsidiaries or companies that stand to gain/lose from this mess?
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Old 06-06-2010, 02:18 AM
 
8 posts, read 10,632 times
Reputation: 11
This is from a 2006 report regarding BP's involvement in Prudhoe Bay:

"Contrary to what President Bush has been saying, the current BP Prudhoe Bay operations--particularly the dysfunctional safety valves--are deeply flawed and place the environment, the safety of the operations staff and the integrity of the facility at risk. The president should delay legislation calling for drilling at the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge," Hamel told the Wall Street Journal last year.

In April of 2001, whistleblowers informed Hamel and former Interior Secretary Gale Norton, who at the time was touring the Prudhoe Bay oil fields, that the safety valves at Prudhoe Bay, which kick in in the event of a pipeline rupture, failed to close. Secondary valves that connect the oil platforms with processing plants also failed to close. And because the technology at Prudhoe Bay would be duplicated at ANWR, the potential for a massive explosion and huge spills are very real."

Major oil spill in Alaska: Congress eyes ANWR as oil spills in the Arctic | Earth Island Journal | Find Articles at BNET

A good jumping-off point for anyone interested in BP's involvements (a bit outdated)
Corporate Watch : BP Plc : Overview

where I found this in the "corporate crimes" section:
"BP alone was responsible for 104 oil spills in [Prudhoe Bay] between January 1997 and March 1998. "
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Old 06-06-2010, 03:23 AM
 
32 posts, read 52,513 times
Reputation: 27
Quote:
Originally Posted by GPH View Post
I believe this will have long reaching, detrimental effects for our environment, lifestyles and livelihood. We are those dreaded potential "snow birds" that have been looking for a home in the Sarasota area, been down 3 times to look at neighborhoods and found a great one. I am bummed, we are now reconsidering our purchase.
Hey GPH: I empathize with you. Not sure how recently you bought but it would feel bad to me had I bought already with this current affair. I nearly bought when down in Sarasota recently -- beautiful. But since the oil spill, I'm putting my purchase plans on hold until I see how the "dust" settles with all this.

I feel bad for all who live there since the real estate prices and economy have taken such a hit as it is in the last 3-4 years. We didn't think RE prices could get any lower and many realtors and opinions in my research indicated that real estate prices were just starting to turn up a little from a flat and bottoming 2009. Now I wonder if 2010 will be a deeper bottom than 2009 for the RE market. Still intend to move and buy there unless this thing gets ugly for SW Florida. Some of my friends/family wonder why I'd even take such a risk now and, agreeing, that's why I put plans on hold.

Best to all of you living there, to our environment, to the ocean life and wildlife, to the local and national economy, and to our planet!!!
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