Topic: Why is it so hard to help?
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Flag comment for removal kaukatsang 10 months ago
It's frustrating to sit by and not be able to help with the clean-up. The authorities are obviously ill equipped and just don't have enough bodies to clean up the muck.
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I hear ones has to go through a training in order to volunteer with governmental agencies. There must be other ways to help.
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this just posted on http://zunasurf.wordpress.com/ "Kill the Spill" (at Ocean beach) seems like the best place for those who want to "do something" to put their energy, apparently the EPA is now kicking into action and offering a shortened certification.
The KTS position on the EPA program: “We highly encourage as many folks to attend, as we trust the EPA process to enable us to attain official status. We need folks to report back. If the first half is not successful or doesn’t meet our expectations, we’ll continue forward to organize a Monday sunset cleanup at Ocean Beach. If it is well-run, we’ll continue facilitate more EPA-run training sessions. Our EPA contacts have advised us that this training has been condensed down from their normal 24 hours training program. Monday November 12, 2007 at 8:00AM - the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will offer a four hour course to interested volunteers who want to be involved in the cleaning of San Francisco beaches. Location: United Irish Cultural Center 2700 45th Avenue (Near Sloat Blvd and the Zoo) San Francisco, CATraining: 8:00AM to 12:00PM Training will consist of instruction on how to handle hazardous waste, the use of the personal protective equipment and protocols for disposal. At the end of the training, participants will be provided a record of their certification to work in supervised crews to clean up oil from the beaches and other coastal areas in San Francisco. The certification will only be for this oil spill. Lunch: 12:00 to 1:00PMClean-up Deployment: 1:00PM to 4:30PM Teams will be organized and deployed to Ocean Beach under the supervision of Hazwopper trained city employees. They will be provided appropriate personal protective equipment and deployed in teams of seven to one. There will be buses available to shuttle teams to other areas along Ocean Beach. The Contractor will provide the PPE and disposal systems. |
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Being out of town (in chicago for greenbuild) during this spill was a bit a weird. I live in Berkeley and hearing about a spill just miles from my home was strange.
I was frustrated when I heard that they were turning volunteers away, I think its symptomatic of the structure of our entire economy under this administration. Homeland security starts in the homeland. My frustration was slightly tempered, or at least put in context, after I watched a documentary this weekend. Its called Out of Balance and its about global warming and exxonmobil. Time was devoted to the exxon-valdez oil spill in prince william sound. The contractors that exxon hired used high pressure hot water to clean the beaches. This aerosolized the gas and chemicals and sent it right into the worker's lungs. A few years later they all developed weird ground-zero type lung deterioration. So we ought to remember that this stuff we deal with everyday (or not if you bike) is dangerous and toxic. Protecting people's health is a good thing, stymieing the energy of volunteers is not. I think they are starting to begin to strike that balance, but of course after the crucible moment. Our planet is in a crucible moment. But we can't seem to levy that disaster response either. |
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I agree, Dan. It's nasty stuff. I add that there's a time and place for civil disobedience, and I think this is it. Sunday we grabbed toy shovels and plastic bags and headed out to stinson -- scooped up blobs and handed full bags to the folks in the hazmat suits, until being kicked off the beach. Glad to hear on the news that more trainings are being held today, the tide is turning (?)
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