The Oil Spill Next Door: Size Matters

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There are a lot of ways you can measure the scope of the BP Gulf spill crisis. Size is one of them. To help you get some personal perspective on just how vast the footprint of the eco-carnage is, or if you just want to upgrade your present FUD-factor, take a visit to If It Was My Home – Visualizing the BP Oil Spill Disaster.

Created by Andy Linter of Royal Oak, MI, ifitwasmyhome combines Google map software and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration maps to give you an idea of how the disaster might look had the center of the action been in, say, your basement. Simply type in your hometown and take a look at the view from Gulf Zero translated into “in your face” – or go nuts, type in London (as in BP p.l.c., St James’s Square, London SW1Y 4PD; Tel +44 (0) 20 7496 4000).

Now scroll down – yes, past the “About the Spill” fun facts paragraph – and Andy gets to the good stuff: a short and sweet “What Can You Do?” section that provides some excellent links to help you consider taking some action instead of just saying “wow.” Right?

Scott Adelson

Scott Adelson is EcoSalon's Senior Editor of HyperKulture, a monthly column that explores opening cultural doors to initiate personal change. He is also the author of InPRINT, which reviews and discusses books, new and old. You can reach him at scott@adelson.org.