Why We Should Worry: "Sticks in the Mind: Alaska Oil Spill Project, 1989-2010"

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Lingering 1989 Exxon Valdez oil in beach sediments in Prince William Sound, Alaska

I clearly remember the announcement of the oil spill from the Exxon Valdez in 1989. The event was so upsetting that I refused to purchase gas from Exxon for decades.

Now, twenty one years later, an exhibit by artist Carole Fisher opens today at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design demonstrates the environmental damage that remains, in 2010.

As politicians invoke "Drill, Baby, Drill," I question whether the ripple effects over generations have been considered.

According to the artist:

"Many years later, it is still obvious that the spill altered the face of Alaska in ways much more significant than the erasure of a beauty mark. The social, economic, and ecological impact has been catastrophic."

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Yes, the US, Russia & Canada are going to suck the crude from the Arctic basin and Yes, there will be "accidents." The top of the world will become beslimed because not that many people live there and those who do are poor & don't tend to vote, or can be bought off, or.. Naw, we won't kill or displace them anymore. More like the MSM just won't cover Those peoples' "plight" much. Continued coverage of the Injun spats gets tedious, whether they're Afghanis, Iraqis or the Arctic Rim Injuns. You wouldn't want to be cold, would you? What would you do if you couldn't get to work? What would you rather do without: plastics or white bears? The Arctic's a long way off when you're hemorrhaging $20s at the pump, Jeff.

By darwinsdog (not verified) on 21 Jan 2011 #permalink