Volunteer to Clean Up the Oil Spill
Photo by usinterior via flickr
Diane Herbst | Tonic
June 14, 2010
Oil is starting to cover the beaches and wildlife of Louisiana, Florida, Alabama and Mississippi. Millions more gallons of crude may continue to hit these shorelines. Tonic readers, here’s how you can help!
The images and cries of oil-covered birds have been heartbreaking. As feared, the millions of gallons of crude oil that have gushed into the Gulf of Mexico since a BP oil rig explosion in April is washing up on the shores of Florida, Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi. Wildlife and conservation groups warn that the ever-widening slick could pose complete disaster for the shoreline flora and fauna, and volunteers are urgently needed to help.
Even before the oil reaches a beach, you can get involved: environmental groups suggest removing driftwood, dry grass, seaweed and debris from areas expected to be effected before it becomes soaked in oil. If you see any wildlife covered in oil, don’t capture it but call 866-557-1401. To report areas with oil ashore, call 866-448-5816.
Tonic has compiled a list of groups who need you to sign up now. And if you help, please let us know below. We’d love to hear your stories and see your pictures.
Volunteers wishing to help clean up the Louisiana coast can sign up here. The Louisiana Gulf Response is a coordinated effort between several nonprofit or governmental conservation and environmental organizations: The Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, the National Wildlife Federation, the National Audubon Society and the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program.Volunteers are needed to assist with a variety of needs — from oiled wildlife recovery to monitoring and photographing oil movement to providing a boat and driver for response activities.