Living in San Diego CA, soaking up the beautiful weather, amazing beaches and tasty waves, it can sometimes feel like the Arctic is a far away wilderness only relevant around the month of December while discussing the origins of one Santa Clause and his reindeer. What makes the Arctic so important and why is offshore oil drilling in the Arctic an awful idea? Im asked this question on a daily basis while directly engaging the public on the streets of San Diego.
We all remember the Deepwater Horizon spill caused by BP in 2010. We also remember the devastation that it is still causing in the Gulf of Mexico. It almost put the local fishing industry out of business, killed thousands of marine species and destroyed pristine wetlands along the coast. These arent small environmental problems. We are talking about the devastation of entire ecosystems all caused by our addiction to fossil fuel and the unsafe practices used to get it. Now, after many tries and millions of gallons of oil and dispersant being dumped into the ocean, BP was finally able to cap the well and stop the spill.
I want you to imagine that same spill happening in the Arctic, one of the most thriving and biodiverse ocean ecosystems on the planet. Imagine these drilling companies having no procedures in place to stop a spill in the ice covered, frozen waters of the barren north. Imagine oil spilling into the ocean for an extended amount of time, riding the currents and ending up at a beach near you. Time to stop imagining folks. This is the reality of the situation if we allow Big Oil to drill in the Arctic. We can kiss the beautiful blue green waters of La Jolla Cove and Ocean beach goodbye.
Even though we may not live in the Arctic, unlike Vegas, what happens there definitely doesnt stay there. We need to stand together as one global voice and demand the future of our oceans and our planet be protected from Big Oil and offshore drilling. Sign this petition and join us to save the Arctic!!
