This video from YouTube explains what makes up the salt marsh ecosystem along the Gulf coast and shows the myriad of life forms that depend on them. It's well done and easy to understand.
For those of you not from the Gulf, it will help you understand what is at risk if the oil contaminates these magical places.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Moss Point: The People Step Up
This is a remarkable story that's as American as it gets. A story about a city coming together to help their community. To help each other, down to each individual person when the need arises. How this came about was the vision of Darlene Carter, the President and CEO of the Moss Point Visionary Circle.
This story covers a recent symposium on the BP spill sponsored by MPVC and an interview with Darlene Carter. She describes why they put on and the back story behind their organization. Her complete interview is included in the video.
After the camera stopped rolling, I asked Darlene to clarify what she said about working with outside alliances and consortia. She pointed back to the Katrina aftermath where those who waited for outside help took the longest time to recover. That was her "aha" moment. She saw the power, intelligence and spirit inside the people of Moss Point and set about organizing them into a formidable force to rebuild, restore and renew.
The MPVC's focus on the children makes sense. Any parent knows that it's the young ones who will ultimately take our places here. They need the best foundation that we can give them to build a better future. So they step in to help when parents' primary concerns are forced elsewhere, like how they are going to put food on the table. The sunlight of the world does not shine as brightly upon Moss Point as it does in more affluent communities so Darlene and the MPVC are making their own light.
This comes from a deep place in the American tradition. From the first days of the Colonies when Native Americans in Plymouth helped the Pilgrims bring in their first harvests, to the farms of the hills and plains where people pushed outward to build farms. Those communities came together to raise barns and lend a hand when times were tough.
It still goes on today, although it's not always visible for us to see. There are flashes that show up as "human interest" stories in print and electronic media but they are short shots that quickly fade. This story will stand in the sunlight that the people of Moss Point have made for themselves, adding their light to the sum of light.
This story covers a recent symposium on the BP spill sponsored by MPVC and an interview with Darlene Carter. She describes why they put on and the back story behind their organization. Her complete interview is included in the video.
After the camera stopped rolling, I asked Darlene to clarify what she said about working with outside alliances and consortia. She pointed back to the Katrina aftermath where those who waited for outside help took the longest time to recover. That was her "aha" moment. She saw the power, intelligence and spirit inside the people of Moss Point and set about organizing them into a formidable force to rebuild, restore and renew.
The MPVC's focus on the children makes sense. Any parent knows that it's the young ones who will ultimately take our places here. They need the best foundation that we can give them to build a better future. So they step in to help when parents' primary concerns are forced elsewhere, like how they are going to put food on the table. The sunlight of the world does not shine as brightly upon Moss Point as it does in more affluent communities so Darlene and the MPVC are making their own light.
This comes from a deep place in the American tradition. From the first days of the Colonies when Native Americans in Plymouth helped the Pilgrims bring in their first harvests, to the farms of the hills and plains where people pushed outward to build farms. Those communities came together to raise barns and lend a hand when times were tough.
It still goes on today, although it's not always visible for us to see. There are flashes that show up as "human interest" stories in print and electronic media but they are short shots that quickly fade. This story will stand in the sunlight that the people of Moss Point have made for themselves, adding their light to the sum of light.
How the Well Will Be Capped
CBS News created a succinct animation of how the blown BP well will be capped.
This was posted on July 25th and has now dated information about tropical depression Bonnie, but the portion on the capping procedure is still germain.
This was posted on July 25th and has now dated information about tropical depression Bonnie, but the portion on the capping procedure is still germain.