Watching the oil spill unfold in the Gulf has been devastating to witness.  And “devastating” is even an understatement — from the ubiquitous photographs of oiled pelicans to the recent news that the amount of oil flooding the gulf is actually far more than we were told, meaning that the equivalent of the Exxon Valdez disaster has been spewing into the ocean every 4 to 6 days — there are simply no words capable of expressing the dismay and anger that we all feel as witnesses to this horrific level of environmental destruction. Bill McKibben, who we interviewed recently about his new book, has eloquently written about the wider ramifications we’ve missed in our coverage of the spill. We urge you to take a look.
While many of us live far from the coasts of Louisiana and Florida, where the oil is literally lapping at the shores, we can each offer what we are able in the form of monetary donations. For those readers in the area, or with access to it, there are also many organizations looking for volunteers. For all of us who feel the urge to do something — anything — to help, what follows is a list of non-profit organizations that we recommend donating to, or volunteering for:
     The National Wildlife Federation is accepting donations to help them save the more than 400 species of animals threatened by the spill, as well as looking for volunteers to observe the coast for signs of oil and injured wildlife. The Audobon Nature Institute is accepting donations to fund their triage units which treat marine animals such as otters and sea turtles. The Mobile Baykeeper is an Alabama-based organization currently devoting their efforts to the gravely threatened coast.