Oil and Water

Another oil spill, eh? This one potentially worse than the Exxon Valdez? Off the coast of, sigh, Louisiana?

Well, there's not much one can say about this, besides the fact that it is a tragedy. We can't really blame the oil companies because, well, we are the consumers of said oil. We are the reason that those tankers even exist.

Recently I've been struggling with this idea of whether or not there are real "accidents." I generally move away from the idea of a vengeful God who causes death and destruction, but there are very few instances where I see the only cause to be an "accident." This tragedy is the fault of humanity's obsession with oil, and this is most definitely sin.

Before I get too preachy and doom and gloomy, sometimes realizing you are partially to blame for a huge problem can be liberating. Once you realize you have participated in it, it helps you feel like you have some power to overcome or right the situation. Take poverty, for example. Once a person moves beyond the blaming mentality ("They're just lazy and good for nothing, why can't they just get a job?"), they hopefully can realize that the fact that they have a home, a car, fancy clothes, family vacations, etc. etc. is partially to blame for why poverty exists. And once you realize that, the wonderful trait of compassion hopefully sets in and your life begins to reflect your realization. Maybe instead of buying that designer handbag you decide to donate your time and money to a charitable organization. Or maybe instead of buying that delicious coffee that you aren't exactly where it comes from, you look into the producers of the beans to make sure they treat their farmers appropriately.

And maybe now you'll think twice about your personal use of oil and realize that you (and me, and everyone else in wealthy countries) has a nasty addiction to oil. Maybe instead of buying that item that is covered in plastic wrap, you'll opt for the one that doesn't utilize plastic (plastic is made from petrochemicals, i.e. comes from petroleum). Or if that doesn'twork for your life, check out http://http://www.oildepletionprotocol.org/share for some more ideas on how to decrease oil consumption.

Without ownership and responsibility, we rob ourselves of feeling like we have any control or influence on the world around us, when in reality, we have more than any of us are aware of. We are the only ones who can change an outcome for the better or allow it to continue on for the worse. This oil spill reminds us again that our actions impact every aspect of this earth, even to the depths of the sea. We must treat that responsibility with fear and awe, for that power is not one to be taken lightly.