May 3: Gulf of Mexico - The Deepwater Disaster update; largest protest in Auckland for decades
BP seems to have forgotten about their green energy plans, instead the company is continuing to invest billions in the fossil fuel industry, the development of the Canadian tar sands being one of those investments.
On Friday The Guardian published an article by John Sauven, executive director of Greenpeace UK, on the Deepwater Disaster and spelling out how BP has managed to pursue with their dirty work by pouring millions into Washington, mainly through third-party lobby groups such as the American Petroleum Institute.
Mark Floegel of Greenpeace Louisiana was interviewed by Le Parisien appreciating that about 400 living species, as well as migrating birds will be affected by the oil spill. François Chartier, Greenpeace France oceans campaigner, fears that companies search for oil even takes them as far as wanting to drill in the Arctic Ocean.
The News from Pakistan cites Mr Floegel saying “There probably isn’t enough oil boom in the world to protect what needs to be protected”. He is also cited in German Bild alongside a slideshow of the Deepwater Disaster. More picture documentation can be found on the Greenpeace USA site.
Reuters lists some possible impacts of the environmental disaster in the Gulf of Mexico on climate change legislation in the Senate, saying that it could pretty much go either way, it could bring some drilling protections or boost nuclear or renewable energy. Apparently as soon as the climate bill is pushed through, the immigration reforms are up next.
50,000 marching against mining
On Saturday in New Zealand, Auckland, actor-activists and Greenpeace ambassadors Lucy Lawless and Robyn Malcolm joined what is said to have been one of the biggest protests in the city for decades. People gathered from all over the country to oppose the government's plan to open protected conservation land for mining. The video footage shows thousands of people demonstrating against more mining. Have a look at Greenpeace New Zealand's website for more information and to take action.
Whales in distress become film
Universal Pictures has given the green light to the production of the film Whales. It will star John Krasinski (from the US adaptation of The Office) and Drew Barrymore as a Greenpeace activist, in the Ken Kwapis-directed fact-based film about the 1988 rescue of a trio of California gray whales that got trapped under the ice of the Arctic Circle.
Picture credit: © The United States Coast Guard, Deepwater Horizon Oil Rig Disaster, 04/22/2010, A Coast Guard MH-65C dolphin rescue helicopter and crew document the fire aboard the mobile offshore drilling unit Deepwater Horizon, while searching for survivors April 21, 2010. Multiple Coast Guard helicopters, planes and cutters responded to rescue the Deepwater Horizons 126 person crew.
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