Gulf Tides Bps Oil Hits Home

This post originated from an email blast to supporters and is written by Aaron Viles, Campaign Director for the Gulf Restoration Network, the nonprofit partner of the Gulf Benefit Concerts that I'm co-producing on Thursday. I couldn't say much of this better myself, so I'm sharing his message and hoping you'll DONATE or ATTEND one of the 55+ shows happening across the U.S. and in four other countries on Thursday night.

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As the BP deepwater drilling disaster stretches into its third month, the community impacts are significant and getting worse. For the newest episode of our ongoing YouTube series, we revisit the Atakapa-Ishka people of Grand Bayou Community in lower Plaquemines Parish. Please watch as tribal representatives recount the oil in their marsh, covering their oyster leases and jeopardizing their future. This was a tough video to create, and the impacts of this disaster really hit me hard as I was seeing it through the eyes of the people who live off this land, now ruined by BP's crude.

Heartbreaking images of oiled pelicans, sea turtles, and marsh underscore the environmental crisis facing the region. The Gulf Restoration Network continues to push for a more effective clean up and containment effort, and remains committed to bringing you authentic voices from the Gulf's affected communities.

Our call to action for this YouTube episode links to our new collaborative campaign, Gulf Future. This effort lays out a simple three-part strategy to learn the lessons of this disaster:

Clean up the oil industry's mess in the Gulf,
Get coastal communities the resources they need to fight for their future,
Create a clean energy future so this never happens again.

So please watch the video, and learn more about the effect of BP's oil hitting home. Then click through to Gulf Future, and help empower a community-led response to this disaster.

For the future of the Gulf,

Aaron Viles Campaign Director

Gulf Restoration Network is a 15-year old environmental non-profit that is exclusively dedicated to the health of the Gulf of Mexico. Our mission is to unite and empower people to protect and restore the natural resources of the Gulf for future generations.

Visit Gulf Benefit Concerts for more information