Monthly Archives: June 2010

Scoring Goals for Others

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Island soccer at the Baptist Church fieldThis spring Island Soccer started at the Dauphin Island Elementary school yard with Tracey and Zicky Hart, mother and son, playing soccer together. The school yard, however, was taken over by BP, but that didn’t stop the families that have joined the fun. “We’re very grateful that the Baptist Church is letting us play on their field,” says Tracey Hart. Now each Tuesday and Thursday evenings beginning at 6:00 P.M. David Hart and other parents coordinate the children’s soccer. Evening matches have featured the Mayos against the Mustards, the Giraffes against Zebras, and Tacos against the Pizzas. As Tracey says, “Come on out and join the fun!” The oil disaster continues but positive people and positive communities keep making positive differences.

This Saturday, June 26, all across the United States, Hands across the Sand events will take place. Hands across the Sand is an event for people who want to say “No” to off-shore drilling and “Yes” to cleaner energy alternatives. It’s not for everybody. But for those who support this message it is a collective opportunity to make their voices heard. If you agree with this message, please come, bring family and friends, and make your voice heard!

For Dauphin Island’s Hands Across the Sand, people will begin gathering at the public beach around 11:00 AM and will join hands for 15 minutes at 12:00 noon.

The In Touch tab above now features stories about “folks on a mission.” If you would like to contribute links regularly to In Touch, contact me at uheditor@gmail.com. Current and upcoming topics include “Earth,” “Folks on a Mission,” “Arts,” “Humor,” … (feel free to suggest topics too).

When Natural Disasters are Bad Enough who Needs Oil Spills

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Tropical outlook by National Hurricane CenterThe National Hurricane Center is watching a tropical wave in the Caribbean Sea. This system could develop into a tropical storm and enter the Gulf of Mexico next week. The effects of any tropical storms or hurricanes on the oil eruption, gulf environment, capping efforts, and clean-up efforts are anyone’s guess. Predicting the number of hurricanes is hardly an exact science, but published predictions for a hyper-active hurricane season are rattling nerves already exhausted by vacations lost, jobs lost, habitats lost, and lives lost.

Hurricanes are just part of life, but the prevention of future oil spills can be accomplished with sensible, courageous decisions.

Hands across the Sand

This Saturday, June 26, all across the United States, Hands across the Sand events will take place. Hands across the Sand is an event for people who want to say “No” to off-shore drilling and “Yes” to cleaner energy alternatives. It’s not for everybody. But for those who support this message it is a collective opportunity to make their voices heard. If you agree with this message, please come, bring family and friends, and make your voice heard!

On Dauphin Island, people will begin gathering at the public beach around 11:00 AM and will join hands for 15 minutes at 12:00 noon.

Oil Returns to Dauphin Island Waters

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Saturday afternoon, in the Mississippi Sound just north of Dauphin Island, my brother, Joe, and I (in his boat) passed through sizable areas of surface oil. Click pictures below for larger, more detailed images.

Surface oil in the Mississippi Sound north of Dauphin Island

Surface oil in the Mississippi Sound north of Dauphin Island, photographed on June 19, 2010

In Katrina Cut, despite oil in the water just to the north, larger fish and birds were having a feeding frenzy on smaller fish.

Large fish and birds feasting on smaller fish

Large fish and birds feasting on smaller fish in Katrina Cut, photographed June 19, 2010

Katrina Cut has become rich natural wonder since Hurricane Katrina opened it. But to prevent oil from passing through it, we are now going to fill it in with rocks and sand. Sadly, the oil has now entered the Mississippi Sound not through the cut at all but from the west.

Bird and fish feeding in Katrina cut

Bird and fish feeding in Katrina cut, photographed June 19, 2010

About 40 minutes later, quite close to the feeding birds and fish, we saw a large area of approaching oil only 25 yards from the Dauphin Island beach. This oil also threatens the shores Bayou La Batre, Heron Bay, and other coastal communities.

Surface oil entering clear waters near Katrina Cut

Surface oil entering clear waters near Katrina Cut, photographed June 19, 2010

Check out our new In Touch tab at the top of the web page.

Make Your Noise

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When a voice is needed, “Silence is the voice of complicity!” This Latin proverb calls us to ACTION … non-complicity … noise!

Natasha Bedingfield’s Unwritten (see Beached Oil) calls us to open up our dirty windows, let the sun illuminate us, reach for something in the distance … “No one else can feel it for you,” only you can share your gifts, your beauty, your needs, your perspectives.

Think, speak, act! “The only real prison is fear, and the only real freedom is freedom from fear!” shares Aung San Suu Kyi, Burmese dissident, political prisoner, and 1991 Nobel Peace Prize recipient.

To “feel the rain on our skin” is the beginning of connectedness. Being in touch with what is real gives us courage to make our noise.

Our new “News” tab (see above) will feature links to online articles that illuminate our connections with the Earth and each other. “News” will start small focusing on stories about the Earth. As “News” grows it will include humor too. Please be patient as this site develops. There is much to come!