With the oil spill disaster in the Gulf continuing to wreak havoc on our environment and the livelihoods of so many Americans, I continue to get visceral reactions to the images of this catastrophe that are reported by the media. So how have you been reacting to pictures of dirty beaches, toxic brown sludge in the waters and oil-covered wildlife? I’m sure you’re as disgusted and outraged as I am. It’s gotten so that I don’t want to see these images any more — they’ve been too disturbing. And as agitated as I am about this, I’m not sure exactly what we can do about this but sit and watch events unfold.
With lots of people angry, some have turned into anti-BP crusaders. For instance, there’s the “Boycott BP” Facebook community at 750,000 members strong and counting. While protesters have their hearts in the right place, it’s been pointed out that boycotting isn’t an effective strategy (meaning you’re not really affecting BP this way) since only a small part of the company’s profits is obtained from retail gas sales, as the Christian Monitor explains.
The fuel the 10,000 BP gas stations in the United States pumps also comes from a variety of refineries, so consumers can’t be sure they’re buying oil that came from a BP well. And the stations are all run by small business owners with contracts to BP, which are difficult and costly to break.
“Anytime you boycott a local gas station you’re doing far more harm to that station owner than who they’re buying their gas from.”
And here’s another take on this by Newsweek.
So is there really nothing much we can do? Well, some creative types took it upon themselves to find an outlet for their frustrations. I’d like to share this BP logo redesign contest with you, courtesy of logomyway.com: bash British Petroleum and win $200. Here’s a peek at some compelling entries:
Something even more clever is the New Yorker’s take on this tragic disaster. Their latest cover is called After Escher: Gulf Sky and Water. I call it “Escher In Oil”.
Here’s hoping that “the powers that be” can get control of this situation soon.
Personal Finance Articles
Have a look at what’s happening in the personal finance blogosphere this week! Here’s a big, honking roundup:
- Moolanomy: How To Have The Money Conversation With Your Significant Other – Having different financial mindsets doesn’t have to be an issue. You simply need to communicate in order to play to the other person’s strengths. Here are some tips on things you should discuss as a couple.
- The Military Wallet: Financial Benefits of a VA Home Loan. VA Home loans offer a great way to get a mortgage with no money down, no prepayment penalties, and competitive rates, among other financial benefits.
- Free From Broke: Four Ways You Can Pay Off Your Home Mortgage Faster – Paying off your home mortgage faster can help you save a ton on interest payments!
- PT Money: Checking Account Overdraft: Are the New Rules Better? – Things are changing in the banking world. On the surface it looks like a much needed change. Know what to do as a bank customer to make sure you are getting the right coverage for an overdraft.
- Wealth Pilgrim: Why Your Start Up Small Business Should Be An LLC – Here’s a clear, concise explanation of the benefits of forming your start up as an LLC.
- Amateur Asset Allocator: How To Proactively Survive A Layoff – Taking these steps while you’re still employed will make unemployment much, much easier.
- Money Smarts Blog: Low cost ways to buy dividend stocks
- Squawkfox: Gift Giving Worksheet: Budget Today for Tomorrow’s Gifts
- Intelligent Speculator: Compare Investing in Websites to Investing in Real Estate
- Good Financial Cents: Understanding Inheritance Taxes
- Consumer Boomer: Rules of Investing Into Self Directed IRA’s
- Bargaineering: How to Cancel a Credit Card
- Studenomics: How Does a Young Person Obtain a Mortgage?
- Oblivious Investor: IRA Beneficiary Rules: The “Stretch” IRA
- Gen X Finance: I’ve Lost a Lot of Money in the Market. Should I Get Out?
- Almost Frugal: Resisting the Temptation to Buy
- Free Money Finance: The Right Way to Get a Complaint Resolved
- Couple Money: Consolidating Your Bank Accounts
- The Financial Student: Complaining About Money Won’t Make You Richer
- Christian PF: Perkstreet Debit Card Offering 5% Cash Back
- Debt Free Adventure: Lending Club Review of Person to Person Loans
- Suburban Dollar: Carnival of Personal Finance
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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
The report that BP cleanup crews have been burning sea turtles alive has me wishing I could boycott petroleum products altogether. They apparently are refusing to let rescue workers retrieve wildlife, including highly endangered species of sea turtles, trapped inside booms collecting oil. They just set fire to it and immolate the creatures.
Could anything say more clearly how evil these people are?
Those logo designs, while cartoonish, make me sad because they remind me of all the fish, sea life, and organism that are being destroyed as a result of BP’s conduct.
And then there is the non-wildlife environmental and economic impact. The region will not be the same, at least not for a while. The rest of the country will also feel the effects.
We need to the best and brightest engineers and scientist and the average Joes and Janes to step forward with solutions on how to contain and get rid of the oil spill. I would love for a small business person or entrepreneur to emerge with a great solution that creates more jobs and inspires us all.
Funny,
I wish I could boycott petrol as well. I don’t have a car, and I walk and bike everywhere, but we live in a automobile driven economy. For the products that I consume to reach me, they must be driven by gas guzzling semis
It’s really insane that here we are, this technological giant of a country, and we can’t come up with a better way to deal with this oil spill.
I want to win $200 because i want the new xbox360 slim.