The Oil Spill: Into Great Social Media Silence

Yesterday marked the 50th day that oil has been gushing into the Gulf (for a grand total of 1.6 million gallons so far).  Social media and social networks are all worked up despite the efforts of BP, the company responsible for the worst oil spill in US history, to disallow pictures to be taken and shared.  Life in the once limpid waters of the Gulf is now filled with oil.  As the oil slick hits the Gulf Coasts, loss of marine life only increases.  As of last week, 527 birds, 235 sea turtles and 30 mammals (dolphins included) have lost their lives under the blanket of oil.   And BP contractors are being told not to share the pictures that would probably cause a social media frenzy.  President Obama visited the site of the oil spill recently, but didn't see the rotting carcasses of dolphins, suffocating pelicans, and empty beaches (even on Memorial Day!), because BP knows that the ocean will eventually wash away the evidence of just how disgusting and destructive an addiction to fossil fuels can be.

But, just because Big Oil wants to cover up their mess, it can't stop the force of social media.  Locals to the affected areas are flooding their own flickr pages, blogs and even creating sites just to share pictures of oil.  So, while the US government has been unable to stop the seemingly endless flow of oil into the Gulf, not even BP has been able to halt the flow of photos of the devastation onto the web.

And it's not just pictures social media efforts are producing.  According to a Justmeans article, social media outlets like youtube.com are displaying grassroots solutions and suggestions to oil spill clean-up, and organizations to help the environment are  popping up all over the place.  Several organizations in multiple states are collecting hair:  hair mats made from human hair clippings (everyone gets her or his haircut!) and pet groomers are made into absorbent mats (and everyone shampoos their hair, because hair absorbs oil!) that can readily suck up the oil already conveniently on the surface of the water.  A youtube video showed two Southern farmers demonstrating their idea to cover the affected areas with hay to sponge up the oil.

Apparently, even BP can't resist the lure of social media activity.  It maintains its own blog detailing updates and efforts from the Gulf.  Of course, when Big Oil is in charge of a social media outlet, it's hard to tell what information is slicked over or covered up; so take everything that is left to surface with a grain of salt.  Oh, and, if you want to help, do as many social media outlets are encouraging: get a hair cut!

Photo credit: 1) http://www.flickr.com/photos/19378856@N04/2037098785/, 2) http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2010/06/02/2010-06-02_the_hidden_death_in_the_gulf.html