Community

Tuesday evening, July 6, over 100 concerned people gathered to hear Dr. Riki Ott and Dr. J. Steven Picou. Dr. Riki Ott has played a pivotal role throughout the Exxon Valdez disaster and Dr. J. Steven Picou has had extensive onsite research experience with the Exxon Valdez disaster. They spoke of what has happened and is still happening in Alaska, how it relates to the gulf disaster, and what we can expect. “Maximum community disruption,” “post traumatic stress disorder,” massive “loss of community capital,” people seeking “escape” and “isolation,” “suicide,” “economic loss spirals,” communities that have gone “corrosive,” “friends who drink too much” because of the disaster, “divorce,” “corrosive families,” “holes in the ecosystem,” “desperation,” “persistent pollutants,” serious and widespread “health problems,” “reluctant resignation,” … They had our undivided attention.

Dr. Riki Ott. and Dr. J. Steven Picou exchanging notes before their presentation

Dr. Riki Ott. and Dr. J. Steven Picou exchanging notes before their presentation, photographed July 6, 2010 by Dawn McKinney

Part of the concerned audience behind me, photographed July 6, 2010

Part of the concerned audience behind me, photographed July 6, 2010

For me and surely most present it was much more than information overload. The emotional content was even more powerful. Even with the very academic approach, the tears from the audience began to flow especially from mothers worried about their children and the future.

Dr. Riki Ott and Dr. J. Steven Picou spoke of how we can change our future too. Move beyond the “warning,” “threat,” “impact,” “blame” cycle to the “mutual assistance,” “charitable action,” “commercial cooperation,” “entrepreneur leadership” cycle to leverage our own immense “experience” and “resources.” Use “collective common sense,” give “hugs not shrugs,” “maintain families,” “rise up,” “be leaders,” “choose … to live … and get control of the tiller,” “your power is from the community … the people … from the bottom up,” “speak as a community,” “have your cry, get through it, and make a plan.”

The following morning I sat up in bed and cried too. Sorrowfully I thought of our natural surroundings and our communities. I saw how we get distracted so easily and make ourselves nearly powerless by dividing ourselves with all kinds of respectable labels: liberal and conservative, rich and poor, this religion versus that religion or denomination, republican and democrat, … Sorrowfully I looked at our bubbles and walls, the illusions of success, comfort, … It’s quite strange how we seemed to need the Deepwater Horizons wake-up call to see the human and natural disasters around us and involving us.

So what’s the plan, the prayer, the dream, …? Listen to the calls within you to hold suffering people, to hold families together, to hold birds and fish too, … Despite all the bad news, together we have an incredibly positive future ahead of us, a future far better than our past. Let me share this prayer with you. I look at each line as springboard for conversing with God, our All in All, and as springboard for my actions and hopes for the day. Let the wind blow where it will.

You-Are-Who-Are, Infinite Lover of All, Eternal Creating Spirit!
Kumbaya to us, Your beloved children.
Live fully in each of us and be our All in All in each moment.

Inspire us to confidently ask for and seek all that we need
trusting day by day that Your abundant help can be found in many diverse places and persons.
Inspire us also to profoundly appreciate the needs, beauty, and gifts of each person.

Liberate us from every attachment, anger, dishonesty, conceit, and fear;
save us from every desire to do or return evil;
and guide us into Your boundless patience, hope, understanding, forgiveness, and love;
for we yearn and ask to be healed and to live fully like You and with You for the benefit of all.

Thank You, God.

[This prayer has been updated here.]

Oil Still Waiting to be Cleaned Up

On Dauphin Island, west of Katrina Cut, old oil on beaches and in tidal pools still waits to be cleaned up from Friday of last week. New oil still is coming onshore. Here are some pictures. Click on pictures to see larger more detailed images.


Tuesday, July 6, 7:00 P.M., the Mobile Bay Group Sierra Club will feature a presentation by Dr. Riki Ott. and Dr. J. Steven Picou. Dr. Riki Ott, is a marine toxicologist with a specialty in oil pollution. She experienced firsthand the devastating effects of the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Dr. J. Steven Picou, a Professor of Sociology at the University of South Alabama, is currently working on the human response to the BP oil catastrophe. They will be talking about what we can do to help our community cope with this unfolding tragedy. Meeting place: 5 Rivers, Alabama’s Delta Resource Center, 30945 Five Rivers Blvd., Spanish Fort, AL 36527 – the entrance is across from Meaher State Park on the Mobile Bay Causeway.


Oil all along vegetation on right crossing the width of the Island

Oil all along vegetation on right crossing the width of the Island, photographed July 5, 2010

Lots of tar balls on beach at Katrina Cut, surfer in background

Lots of tar balls on beach at Katrina Cut, surfer in background, photographed July 5, 2010

Oil in and between tidal pools

Oil in and between tidal pools, photographed July 5, 2010

Oil soaking edge of tidal pool

Oil soaking edge of tidal pool, photographed July 5, 2010

Oil across midsection of Dauphin Island west of Katrina Cut

Oil across midsection of Dauphin Island west of Katrina Cut, photographed July 5, 2010

Fresh oil paddy on darkened beach

Fresh oil paddy on darkened beach, photographed July 5, 2010

Oil on north beach of Dauphin Island west of Katrina Cut

Oil on north beach of Dauphin Island west of Katrina Cut, photographed July 5, 2010

Oil soaking edge of tidal pool

Oil soaking edge of tidal pool, photographed July 5, 2010

 

Fish and birds normally abundant have been markedly less numerous on recent trips to Dauphin Island west of Katrina Cut. Exceptionally, sting rays remain abundant and close to the shore.

Hope, tears, broken dreams, memories, tragedy, …


Oil Comes to Dauphin Island

This morning Joe Denton and I made a volunteer beach observation together. We do this twice a week on Dauphin Island just west of Katrina Cut. Volunteer opportunities for coastal Alabama areas can be found with the Alabama Coastal Foundation. Here are 10 pictures from our observation this morning.

My brother, Joe Denton, and I on Dauphin Island just west of Katrina Cut

My brother, Joe Denton, and I on Dauphin Island just west of Katrina Cut, photographed July 2, 2010 by Irene Schaefer

One of the heavier inland patches of oil on Dauphin Island

One of the heavier inland patches of oil on Dauphin Island, photographed July 2, 2010 by Joe Denton

Oil-laden sea water rose on Dauphin Island in parts leaving oil clinging to plants

Oil-laden sea water rose on Dauphin Island leaving oil clinging to Island plants, photographed July 2, 2010 by Joe Denton

Tidal pools with oil just west of Katrina Cut

Tidal pools with oil just west of Katrina Cut, photographed July 2, 2010 by Joe Denton

Oiled life jacket on beach

Oiled life jacket on beach, photographed July 2, 2010 by Joe Denton

Most of the Dauphin Island beach has penny and quarter size tar balls

Many Dauphin Island beaches have penny and quarter size tar balls, photographed July 2, 2010 by Joe Denton

The oil is very sticky and has attached itself to this water bottle

The very sticky oil has filled and attached itself to this water bottle, photographed July 2, 2010 by Joe Denton

Beach showing oil pushed onto Dauphin Island by tidal effects from Hurricane Alex

Beach showing oil pushed onto Dauphin Island by tidal effects from Hurricane Alex, photographed July 2, 2010 by Joe Denton

Close up of oil in tidal pool

Close up of oil in tidal pool, photographed July 2, 2010 by Joe Denton

Oil paddies on Dauphin Island beach

Oil paddies on Dauphin Island beach, photographed July 2, 2010 by Joe Denton

Happy Birthday Rosie – Sorry There’s Oil on your Feet

Rosie Denton on the Dauphin Island Bird Sanctuary beacahRosie, my wife, has great energy. She runs barefoot each morning to the beach. She’s braver than I. Returning to the house, this morning, her birthday, we discovered that the soles of her feet were coated with brown oil. Going again to the Dauphin Island Bird Sanctuary beach we verified that oil was washing ashore.

Last post I shared about positive energy. Negative energy must be dealt with too. Oil on our beaches! Oil on our feet! Is this Happy Birthday? It’s also my mother’s birthday who has passed from this life. Torrent rivers of feelings flow through our lives.

In his book, Peace is Every Step, Thich Nhat Hanh shares many ways to transform our negative energy. Here are some thoughts inspired from his book that work. Let’s recognize our feelings and recognize their ultimate source, ourselves. Let’s be real and one with our feelings, “Oil on my feet! Huge oil still coming! It’s my birthday! I am so upset!” Let’s calm our storms, “Breathing, calming myself, not getting overwhelmed, I am grateful for the valuable information my feelings give me.” Let’s call to mind what is encouraging in our lives and call to mind what needs to be fixed. Then, with great strength, let’s embrace our capabilities and do what needs to be done.

Each day is a new day. Each year is a new year. “Happy Birthday, Rosie, let me help you get the oil off your feet!”