What can we learn from the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico?

Every disaster is an opportunity for making a paradigm shift in how we think, how we live, and what are priorities become.

What will the Gulf oil disaster of 2010 change? This is not the only oil spill! There are on-going spills around the world. BP is not the only oil company endangering the environment. The U.S. is not the only government that needs to improve its protection laws and enforcement.

Take a look at these sites for the bigger picture:
> Map showing the locations of U.S. oil spills
> Niger Delta is one of the most oil-polluted places on earth
> Oil spills around the world: An Exxon Valez Every Year
> The other oil spills
> Chronological history of oil spills
> Statistics on Gulf oil disaster

These sites show where the paradigm shift needs to go and why:
> The Energy [R]evolution
> Philippe Cousteau Jr. in CNN interview
> Why America needs to free itself from oil (by a national security expert)

How to use less oil:
1. Carpool or use public transportation to go to work. When buying a car, choose based on energy efficiency.
2. Reduce the amount of plastics you buy. Recycle the plastics you do have. Re-use plastic containers.
3. Buy organic fruits and vegetables (fertilizers and pesticides are usually based on oil).
4. Buy beauty products (shampoo, soap, make-up, etc.) that are made from natural ingredients, not oil.
5. Buy from local farmers and produce stands.
6. Look for products in the grocery store that don't have to travel far to reach you.
7. Buy clothes made out of organic cotton or hemp - not from oil derivatives.
8. Use non-disposable items in picnics and parties.
9. Avoid styrofoam.
10. When air-conditioning, turn up the thermostat a couple of degrees. When heating, turn it down.
11. Use bags made of natural fabrics instead of plastic when shopping.
12. Write to your government officials to demand the development of renewable energy.