EcoLiving Ideas

By Dede Tabak on Jul 19, 2010

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Summer is known for its release of movie blockbusters: big action movies filled with adventure, a villain and a hero to save the day. This year, there is a real tragedy happening in our gulf. On April 20, 2010, a Deepwater Horizon drilling rig by British Petroleum exploded causing an oil gusher to leak oil into the Gulf of Mexico. This oil spill is a heartbreaking tragedy and even though a cap has been placed on the well, which has completely shut off the leaking oil as of July 16, 2010, the ocean and ecosystem won't fully recover for years.

Prior to that, an estimated 1.5 million gallons of oil a day were being released into the gulf and covering about 2500 miles. PBS News reported that as of July 12, an estimated 91,005,735 gallons of oil have leaked, making this the largest oil spill in history. Eco-conscious celebrities are using their fame to give aid to this tragic disaster. They are acting as heroes off-screen to not only save the day, but our planet!

Some celebrities have used their influences to raise money and awareness. Larry King is known for hosting a talk show on CNN, and decided to host a telethon to raise funds for the victims of the spill. Guests included Sting, Robert Redford, Cameron Diaz, Ted Danson, Tim McGraw, Jenny McCarthy, Justin Bieber and many more. Bieber urged his fans to help in the relief effort despite their young age saying, “There’s no such thing as being too young to pitch in.” The telethon raised $1.8 million.

Larry King wasn’t the only one playing a noble tune. A Gulf Aid concert in New Orleans brought together musicians such as Lenny Kravitz, Ani DiFranco, John Legend, Allen Touissant, Mos Def and local Louisiana bands. The concert raised $300,088 for fishermen affected by the spill.

Celebrities are aslo using their efforts to help with the animal relief. Jimmy Buffet donated $43,000 to construct a wildlife rescue boat. As of July 12, 59 mammals, 1, 789 birds and 457 turtles have died due to the oil spill, according to the National Wildlife Federation.

Actors like Robert Redford and Victoria Principal - best known for her work on the TV show “Dallas” - are using the spill as a wake-up call for our country to move towards renewable resources. At this year'Americans for the Arts Summit, Redford spoke about how he worked in the oil-fields as a teenager in order to help his dad. With our dependence on oil, the spill was "inevitable, said Redford.

Famous personalities are also pitching in with their own inventions to assist with the spill. James Cameron agreed to share his knowledge and technology for underwater filming and remote vehicle technologies. Cameron has become an expert in submersibles while filming “The Abyss” and “Titanic”. He also put together a group of marine scientists and engineers to discuss solutions for the spill with the Environmental Protection Agency agreed to share his knowledge and technology for underwater filming and remote vehicle technologies. . Kevin Costner has spent 15 years and 20 million dollars developing the Ocean Therapy Solution's V20 Centrifuge that separates oil from water. BP purchased 32 of them.

It’s easy to read lines and perform choreographed stunts on a green screen, but actually being a hero in the real world takes passion and courage. It’s great that all these celebrities are helping with the relief effort, but just because we aren’t celebrities doesn’t mean that we have to remain in the audience. Learn about what you can do to help with the BP relief effort here.