BP Protest info: Whiting, IN - May 31

Peaceful demonstration/protest at the BP Refinery in Whiting, Indiana (about 20 minutes south of downtown Chicago) on Monday, May 31st beginning at 8am.

There is a documentary film maker coming in to join the protest and to do some filming. He is making a documentary on the effects the BP refinery has had on the Great Lakes ecosystem. CNN and local Channel 9 news have been informed and we're hoping we'll see their news cameras there as well.

How can I stop being so dependent on oil?

Don't worry, I'm not going to suggest that you dress only in hemp and ride a bike or hitchhike everywhere.

It's virtually impossible for most of us to go oil free. However, if all of us take a few steps towards ending our dependence on petroleum based products, a little can go a long way.

Here are the ingredients to keep an eye out for, and where you can find them:

Ingredients to avoid:
Petroleum
Petrolatum
Mineral Oil
Fragrance
PVP/VA Copolymer
Paraffin oil
Liquid paraffin
White petrolatum
Paraffin wax
Di-ethyl phthalate (DEP)
Di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP)
Benzyl butyl phthalate
Polyurethane

Things they are in (just about everything):
Skin creams—hand lotions, facial products, etc.
Hair spray
Candles
Paint
Deodorant
Antihistamines
Cortisone
Soft contact lenses
Detergents
Shampoo
Shaving cream
Bandages
Diapers
Perfume
Insect repellants
Food wrap
Toothbrushes, toothpaste
Crayons
Purses
Shoes
Rubber boots
Rubber bands
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes, flooring, shower curtains, and countless other household products


Kinda scary to think we're putting that stuff on our skin and brushing our teeth with it, isn't it?

As some of your products are running low and it's time to re-stock, take a look at the ingredients. If you see one of the ingredients listed above, spend some time researching to see what healthier, more environmentally friendly products are out there.

I did some searching and will share them with you here.


Method Products - These can be found at Target.

I absolutely love these cleaning products, and they are reasonably priced at around $4 a bottle for the multi-surface cleaner. They work great and to be able to smell French Lavender while cleaning your kitchen is way better than having your eyes and throat burn from inhaling some of those cleaners that are out there.

Method also makes a bunch of different scented handsoaps, even holiday/season themed scents throughout the year.


Physicians Formula Organic Makeup - organic make up doesn't have to cost a fortune!

This is a full line of makeup (from lip gloss to mascara to makeup remover and moisturizer) found at drugstores and department stores and won't cost you your next pay check. Not only is it organic, they don't do any testing on animals.

Trader Joe's - They have a great selection of organic foods, as well as many affordable organic toiletries.

Don't feel like brushing your teeth with petroleum anymore? You'll find organic toothpaste here, as well as shampoo and soap.


Some other steps you can take -- try to stop using disposable water bottles. Buy a reusable container and fill it at home with a Brita filtered water pitcher. If you do have a disposable bottle, don't just pitch it in the nearest garbage can when finished. Try to hold onto it until you are able to recycle it.

If possible, consolidate your errands, it will save you money on gas, and help cut down on your usage. When possible, try to carpool.

These are just a few suggestions, go ahead and add some of the ways you are making changes in the comment section.


Also, here are some websites that have a lot of helpful information:

Join the Oil Detox Challenge


Treehugger - Buy Green Guides


The Go Green Blog

Thanks for taking the time to read this!

BP Protest Info: New Orleans - May 30

New Orleans BP Protest Sunday, May 30

"This event is being put together by a handful pissed-off New Orleanians… it is not a political action committee, community group or activist organization although we absolutely WELCOME and INVITE anyone and everyone to join us!

PLEASE spread the word… come and bring as many as you can!"


WHEN: 1pm at Jackson Square

More info: http://bit.ly/ciQaW6


Please let me know of any other protests you are aware of and I will post here and on Twitter.

BP Protest info: Houston 5/24 San Francisco 5/25

Here is some protest information that was brought to my attention by @leahburdick


Houston BP Protest TOMORROW!!
Exposes the Naked Truth Behind “Drill Baby Drill”WHERE: BP Headquarters 501 Westlake Park Blvd., Houston
WHEN: May 24, 2010 at 11:30am

More info: http://tinyurl.com/2b5hlmq

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SAN FRANCISCO PROTEST ALERT!!
Obama will be in SF on Tues, 5/25 @ 4PM at Initiated by the ANSWER Coalition. Call 415-821-6545 for more info. SPREAD THE WORD.Tuesday, May 25, 4pm Fairmont Hotel, 950 Mason St. (between Sacramento and California Sts.) San Francisco

More info: http://tinyurl.com/39v234k

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Please let me know if you hear of any protests in your area. You can leave a comment here on the blog, contact me at BoycottBP or email me at: BoycottBP2010@gmail.com

Thanks again for the info Leah!

No end in sight ...

Here we are, over a month after the Deepwater Horizon explosion, and oil is still spewing into the Gulf at alarming rates. Just how alarming? - No one knows (or do they?). As I have been researching all of this, looking for links to post on Twitter, I am becoming increasingly frustrated, angered and saddened.

I've been trying to keep the Twitter account free of personal opinions and just make the news easy for you to find and share with others.

I started this blog, not quite sure where I was going with it. If there is anything you would like to see posted here, please feel free to let me know.

I'd be interested to hear how you are feeling about this oil "spill" as time goes by. Do you think the media is doing a good job of covering this story? Have you gotten any flack for wanting to Boycott BP? What do you think about government response? etc...

Please feel free to sound off in the comments...

Thanks again for Retweeting the posts on Twitter.

Boycott These BP Brands!

Here is a posting to pass around to others to raise awareness on which brands are operated by the BP brand.

BP brands in the United States

BP brands around the world

BP Station Locator

Castrol Motor Oil & Lubricants

Grocery Stores that offer BP Fuelperks Gas Rebates

If you regularly frequent these gas stations or grocery stores, be sure to stop in, call or write an email and let them know why you will no longer be a patron at these businesses.

Please share any feedback in the comments section and if you are on Twitter, please follow Boycott BP

Thank you

FINALLY. Live feed of oil "spill"..

Exactly 1 month since the initial explosion on the Deepwater Horizon, BP has FINALLY made a live feed of the oil "spill" available for everyone to view. Hours before this feed became available to the public, BP claimed they underestimated the size of the leak.

Here is the live feed that is available -- http://globalwarming.house.gov/spillcam

If traffic at that site is too heavy, try this feed:

CNN Oil Feed



Please help spread the word to Boycott BP!

Have you noticed a decline in business at local BP stations?

It is a busy weekend here in Minnesota - the fishing opener. I went to a friend's house that is about 50 miles Northwest of Minneapolis and the roads were packed with people heading up North for the weekend. I was keeping an eye on the gas stations along the way, and noticed that the Holiday, Super America & Shell stations were extremely busy. Whereas the BP stations I drove past were empty or only had 1 car filling up. It may have just been a coincidence, but I would like to believe that people are making a decision not to patronize these stores.

Have you noticed any difference in BP/Amoco/AMPM/Arco stations in your area?
(Reminder: The links on the right hand column will let you see the products under the BP brand name and nearby locations.)

Please comment and let us know where you are and if you've seen a difference.

Thanks!

Crude Awakening Activists Hold National “Day of Action, Night of Mourning”

From: http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2010/05/14-0



Nationwide - May 14 - Activists in cities and towns around the country express outrage, solidarity and grief about the catastrophic Gulf Oil spill during a “Day of Action, Night of Mourning” on Friday, May 14. Coastal ecosystems and species, and ocean-based economies face the grim reality of unfolding disastrous impacts as the ruptured deep sea well in the Gulf of Mexico spews oil at an every-increasing rate. Initiated by Rising Tide North America, the Call To Action is endorsed by Earth First!, BiofuelWatch, Sierra Club, Backbone Campaign, Institute for Social Ecology, the Yes Men and other organizations. Actions are planned in Boston, Rancho Mirage, Calif.; Berkeley, Calif.; Savanna, Georgia; the Gulf Coast region, and other areas, as reports pour in. The protest activities across the country are targeting British Petroleum (BP) and the federal government with these demands:

* An immediate ban on all offshore drilling
* A rapid and just transition away from fossil fuels
* All recovery costs paid by BP, Halliburton, Transocean and other implicated companies.
* The federal government must remove any caps on liability for oil companies.
* BP provides full compensation for impacted communities and small businesses.
* BP provides full funding for long-term ecosystem restoration for impacted areas.

Estimates are now that up to 210,000 gallons of oil per day are pouring out from BP’s “oil volcano” into the ocean. But many believe the real figures could ultimately be much higher. The spill, getting worse by the day as attempts to cap the well fail, is threatening to be the worst spill in memory, and eclipse the Exxon Valdez spill over 20 years ago. It was revealed in recent Congressional hearings that the well failed a pressure test that could have predicted the explosion disaster hours before the explosion, but the company failed to suspend the operation.

“This spill was an accident waiting to happen,” said Kim Marks, an activist with Rising Tide. “Pursuing only profit with reckless disregard for the ecosystem and the workers, BP, Halliburton and Transocean have been racking up violations, operating without sufficient environmental review, and ignored warning signs of such a disaster, with the result being one of the most difficult ecological disasters to fix in that wake. If ever there were a crude wake-up call for a halt to all offshore drilling, this is it. We need a permanent ban, and we need it now.”

A representative from Public Citizen said BP has one of the worst safety records of any oil company operating in America. Tyson Slocum of Public Citizen said in media reports that “In just the last few years, BP has paid $485 million in fines and settlements to the US government for environmental crimes, willful neglect of worker safety rules, and penalties for manipulating energy markets.”

In October 2009, BP paid the largest fine in OSHA history – $87.43 million – for willful negligence that led to the deaths of 15 workers in a March 2005 refinery explosion in Texas. And just last month, BP paid $3 million fine to OSHA for 42 willful safety violations at one of its refineries in Ohio. In March 2006, BPs neglect of one of its major oil pipelines in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska led to an oil leak that resulted in BP paying $20 million to settle allegations it violated the clean water act. BP also was forced to pay $303 million to settle allegations it manipulated the US propane market, was fined $18 million for market manipulation during the California energy crisis.

Longtime Earth First! activist Karen Pickett said, “When a company like BP is earning $6 billion or more in profits every three months, issuing a fine of $20 million here, $50 million here, or finding of criminal negligence, as the Dept. of Justice has done on two occasions in the last two years, but without serious repercussions --that is all just the cost of doing business for BP. It’s time for permanent sanctions against corporate criminal offenders like BP. We should be denying them access to lucrative leases that our government sells to these companies.

“I am in a state of shock,” said Rachel Smolker, a climate activist with a Ph.D. in ecology and zoology. “I spent 20 years studying dolphins – the ocean and perhaps the planet’s most intelligent and playful species. The thought of what this spill will mean for them is hard to bear. Seven of the 10 species of the sea turtles, mostly threatened and endangered, live in the Gulf. They are central to the Native American “turtle island” creation myth. Having survived for 150 million years, outliving the dinosaurs, BP may now spell their demise. It’s absolutely sickening.”

Info and images of actions as they take place on 5-14 are at http://www.actagainstoil.com/
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Rising Tide is a grassroots network of groups and individuals who take direct action to confront the roots causes of climate change and promote local, community-based solutions to the climate crisis. Rising Tide was formed in the Netherlands in 2000 to bring a more radical voice to the COP6 (UN Conference of the Parties) climate talks that attempted (unsuccessfully, largely due to the efforts of the US delegation) to salvage what of substance was left of the Kyoto Protocol. Employing popular education and direct action to address the root causes of climate change with a focus on climate justice, Rising Tide now spans three continents.



Thanks to MirelaMonte for bringing this to my attention.

If we Boycott BP, How will they pay for the clean up costs?

A question I have been getting asked a lot is: If we boycott BP, how will they afford to clean up their mess in the Gulf of Mexico?

Here is a great article that shows just how much money they make: http://tinyurl.com/24yd6d9

Thank You

Thank you for taking the time to come to this website and helping with the effort to Boycott BP! If you aren't already, please follow us on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/BoycottBP

I will be posting information regarding boycotts of BP on this page. If you know of any happening in your area, please send me the information via Twitter or send an email to: BoycottBP2010@gmail.com

If there is any specific information that you are seeking or would like to see posted here regarding BP and/or the oil spill, please contact me and I will do my best to get that posted.