The BP oil disaster has stirred the entire world, many are angered, and others are disgusted or simply enraged. The reactions vary depending on the context and the identity of the individual. Yet, what appears to be the common opinion of the masses is that something needs to be done right away. While many citizens of the world have condemned the lack of response and rapid initiative on the part of BP or of the Obama Administration, others have decided to take initiative responding in their own way to this world environmental crisis. This situation of crisis has united people from Ecuador to Louisiana that have decided to force alliances against global oil spills. Famous American and international artists such as the famous heavy metal group KORN and the newest pop sensation Lady Gaga, have rallied together in order to create an initiative to boycott BP oil. Social networks like facebook are now filled with groups and alliances that are boycotting BP or raising money or recruiting help in order to clean the gulf.
The spill has had a tremendous impact on the life of indigenous people who hold a great respect and reverence for natural resources. To coordinate their efforts towards finding a solution to diminish or at least contain damage, native people have traveled more than 3500 kilometers from the Ecuadorian Amazon in order to join a support rally with other native tribes. “Members of the United Houma Nation, a state recognized Tribe of 17,000 in the marshland of southeastern Louisiana, are subsistence fishers and trappers, who, in wake of the BP Deeepwater Horizon disaster, are facing an uncertain future” (Source: http://www.circleofblue.org/waternews/2010/world/people-from-ecuador-to-louisiana-forge-alliances-against-global-oil-spills/). Such communities have a special relationship with nature and all its elements; they have a great respect towards water since their survival depends of water’s resources like fish. Nature is at the centre of their economical and social survival. The Ecuadorian people feel directly involve in this situation since for the past 17 years they have been waiting for the outcome of the lawsuit filed against Chevron and Texaco. The case should decide if Chevron is guilty for having polluted around 5000 square kilometers of the Amazon Rainforest. This weeklong meeting was a unique occasion for the Ecuadorian people to share their knowledge, stories and experience in recovering from a disaster of such a large endeavor. In a press release, Thomas Dardar Jr., Principal Chied of the United Houma Nation said that he was pleased to meet his brothers and sisters from the Amazon in order to exchange opinion on how to protect the “indigenous way of life when face with such huge environmental impacts” (Source: http://www.circleofblue.org/waternews/2010/world/people-from-ecuador-to-louisiana-forge-alliances-against-global-oil-spills/).
While the native communities are organizing themselves to come up with a plan of action and to share their stories, musicians and artists all over the United States have offered their own contribution in response to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. From direct money donations to benefit concerts, artists have launched a new initiative: they will boycott BP products for all 2010 tours. Lady Gaga is the newest addition to this initiative launched by Jonathon Davis of KORN who has declared in an interview: “From everything we’re hearing about now, it’s become clear that BP cut corners to put profit ahead of safety. The message we are sending should tell all the oil companies to spend they money and take the necessary precautions to make sure this doesn’t happen again” (Source: http://www.forbes.com/2010/06/22/bp-spill-boycott-technology-lady-gaga.html). Not long ago, only the Backstreet Boys and KORN were on board; while now the initiative seems to have had a snowball effect, with many other artists like Creed, Megadeth or Filter. It is yet too early to determine the impact of this boycott, perhaps others bands will jump on board and maybe even fans. This boycott raises a series of controversial questions and ethical debates. Will a boycott truly make a difference? Will BP use this boycott has an excuse to declare they lack the money in order to reimburse victims and to clean up the gulf?
Other strands of opinion seem to contradict this movement arguing that boycotting BP doesn’t really affect BP but instead causes financial harm to the station owners. Many American consumers are starting to refuse to fill up their cars with gas sold under BP’s name. “In 2008, BP announced it was exiting the retail gasoline business because the margins were lousy. Today, BP owns only about 100 of the 900 or so gas stations bearing its name. The rest are operated by independent business owners” (Source: http://www.dailyfinance.com/story/media/boycott-bp-that-hurts-station-owners-not-the-company/19499350/). Stations who bear the BP brand are suffering greatly in this situation and due to legal contracts they have no way to distance or separate themselves from the giant firm. According to protesters, their objective is not to hurt local station owners, “the boycott’s objective is to tarnish BP” (Source: http://www.dailyfinance.com/story/media/boycott-bp-that-hurts-station-owners-not-the-company/19499350/ ).
While many critiques and reactions are questionable, one thing is for sure, people are angry and demand explanations. While answers fail to arrive, and time is ticking citizens and individuals that have directly been impacted by this disaster feel the need to react and to communicate their sentiments to the entire world. Only time will tell if those initiatives will make the difference, but at least some of us feel the need to take action immediately, putting pressure on BP and the Obama administration.
