A "Shore" Thing

I took a trip to a Delaware State Park beach late last week to spend a few days seaside enjoying the sun and surf with my family. I was dismayed to find the beach littered with trash and believe it or not a few scattered clumps of oil (which a nearby litter cleaning volunteer stepped in and had a terrible time getting off).

After getting several notes from friends around the world expressing concern over how our country is handling the BP fiasco in the Gulf of Mexico, I found myself shocked to see the impact on such a distant shore. One particular note I received from friends in South Africa’s Cape Town, expressed their dismay over the handling of this crisis-not by our government, but by our citizens. Their note indicated serious concern that our pubic wasn’t outraged and demanding action and resolve.

I was taken aback by the accusation that we were unconcerned as a society about the situation. Taken aback, that is, until I spoke with friends, coworkers and family to gauge for myself the level of this accused apathy.

I hate to admit it, but I was more than disappointed. It seemed the accusations were on target. Few people could tell me what was going on with the spill. Almost all, however, could tell me who won the Stanley Cup, the NBA championship or American Idol. Many had no concept of the irreparable damage being done to such vast ecosystems or the potential impact not only to our fisheries, but our little known oceanic frontier.

In this bloggers opinion, if we continue to be blissfully unaware and apathetic about negative consequences of our consumption decisions, the devastation of our environment will become much more than a “Shore” thing.