Blame

I am pondering the BP oil spill today, and have been for many days as I have seen so many photos that show oil slicked animals struggling to breathe. My heart breaks for these innocent creatures and I know so many people who feel the same way, however, while they use picket signs and websites like Facebook to proclaim their anger against the oil companies and their leaders, I say that we should look at our own behavior first to see if some of the blame lies with us, as a group.

I have seen people get angry because one of the heads of BP oil celebrated his birthday this past week...I mean, really? The man doesn't deserve to celebrate his birthday? It's his responsibility alone that this crisis has occured? His birthday must be CANCELED until this spill is cleaned up! Oh, come on. If you want to be angry, that's fine, but make it constructive and not just alot of noise.

A company only produces what it can sell to the public. If we REALLY dislike what the oil companies are doing, if we really are angry and want it to stop...well, stop heating your homes with oil...stop driving a car, or at least reduce your usage significantly. I think if we thought about it we would realize that so many other corporations that we purchase goods and services from use oil in the production of products or maintenance (heating) of their facilities. Can we boycott it all? If the companies had no one to sell oil to, there would be no drilling at all, thus, no risk for spills. However, we do continue to consume at record levels and they are only giving the public what it demands. We have created this monster, and it is up to us as a whole to put an end to it.

Are we willing as a society to give up all products that use oil in its production? I doubt we would be willing or able to do that right away. I hope, as do many, that we will find a way to do without oil products, but if we don't put our money where our mouth is and start really trying to change how we live, these risks will continue to exist. It is not the oil companies fault that we demand oil. They exist because of us, not in spite of us. We need to take on some of the responsibility of this spill and not just stand on the beach with picket signs, but really work hard to make changes in how we live before it's too late. Let's invest as much as we can in finding new ways to heat, new ways to get around, before we end up with a catastrophe that absolutely ruins us. Stop being angry and start being productive. It's our only hope.