Time is ignorant to catastrophe

I was reading Time magazine and came across just another article about the tragedies of The Deep Horizon BP oil spill… so I thought. The article’s title is “Big Spill, Little Damage?” by Michael Grunwald. As I read on, I found that the article was claiming that the damage to the Gulf is not as bad as most claim. It states, “Yes, the spill killed some birds – but so far, fewer than 1% of the number killed by the Exxon Valdez” Grunwald continued to claim, “assessment teams have found only about 350 acres of oiled marshes, when Louisiana was already losing about 15,000 acres of wetlands every year.” While he does state that the long-term effects of the BP spill is unknown, he quotes Paul Kemps statement that compared it to “a sunburn on a cancer patient.” The largest oil spill in U.S. history and Time magazine is trying to brush it off as an overblown media story? I always thought Time magazine was a respectable magazine, but this article is very ignorant. They didn't even take into consideration the effect on the human species. The humans who are in the greatest danger due to the BP oil spill are the people who are working to stop the leak and clean up the spill. As oil evaporates it creates a vapor that resides just above the water or ground. This vapor can travel with the wind, and it can be inhaled in dangerous levels. Because oil spill workers are the closest to these vapors, they are in the greatest danger. This can lead to dangerous respiratory problems and lung damage. Typically, oil spill workers are aware of the potential for health issues, and they take precautionary measures, such as the appropriate protection gear. Most oil companies and oil spill cleanup related companies require this, and train their employees in the use of this equipment and other protective measures as well.
Posted by Hyun Yu