BP CEO Tony Hayward criticised for yacht trip

BBC News:

Okay, so I read this story, and I didn't quite have the reaction most seem to have. Yes, BP's CEO Tony Hayward is sailing. Sailing is considered - generally - a rich person's sport, and I agree in some respects. You have to have a boat, maintain it, learn about its workings... It takes some effort which - as said - one could spend trying to resolve an environmental crisis.

I, however, take a more sympathetic view for Mr Hayward, and so have an advocate's view somewhat.

Being Human
Mr Hayward is human. As a human, he requires rest and diversion in order to function at his best, and to make decisive, important choices regarding the spill. Sometimes a weekend at home with family doesn't do it. While he's with his family, he isn't really going anywhere, is he? I'm certain that doing something he could only consider a hobby can do wonders to his mental health and ability to cope with the strain of having a monumental task of cleaning up, investigating the explosion and dealing with the media and public.

Deepwater Horizon/BP
The incident happened in April, and I doubt he imagined this would have gone on for so long. The company has never had to deal with all the things they have, as they've said. I've said often why they don't just shut the thing down entirely instead of culling petroleum where they can. I don't know anything, though, so who knows how hard it is just to do that. I'm sure they've brought out who they can to help. The United States Coast Guard has been working on this too. Seriously, one can't blame only BP, and I'm tired of everyone's always wanting to scapegoat whenever something happens. Forget blaming someone: just do something, right?

Round the Island Race 2010
This race, the 79th iteration with 1754 entries this year, opened registration back in January. With the way I imagine a CEO's life must be, he would have to have scheduled his registration. The Deepwater Horizon incident happened in April. I have no evidence to state this, but I imagine he would have had to pay a registration fee, one he would not have been able to recoup so close to the start of the competition.

Family
He was sailing with his son. Should his family suffer too?

Sympathy for the Affected
I do understand the people affected have less financial resources than Mr Hayward, and his job can theoretically continue because his job is to manage others, come up with ideas, and make the company profitable, not to use the resources of the gulf-now-polluted.

Masters

One day I think humans, if we live long enough, will be the masters of this planet. We'll control earthquakes and use them. We'll control all kinds of weather and use that. We'll be able to replace what's lost, rebuild what we've paved over and replenish what we use.

We'll have true dominion. I can see people with my mindset but with a lot more leadership capability than I think I can muster going to the fore and making sure this happens responsibly. I don't think I can trust more ambitious people to do it, because they will abuse it.

So I feel anyway.

Is it our right?

Pee Power! Recycling Urine to Powder Makes Superior Fertilizer

TreeHugger: I suppose combine this with recession gardening and you've got something there, eh?

A Cellphone That Is Made With the Environment in Mind

NYTimes.com: "Hundreds of millions of cellphones containing toxic chemicals are discarded each year, and many end up in landfills. If you want your technology company to do its part for the environment, the new Motorola W233 Renew is one place to start."

Now, if they can make one that's technologically advanced and environmentally friendly, I'd be totally sold.

Recycling Oil Rigs into Resorts

TreeHugger: Now that's an idea. Me like.

Pollution link to asthma in womb

BBC NEWS Health : Genetic changes... Wow. That's kind of scary.

10 Ways to Green Your Home

LiveScience: I know most of you don't have official homes that you can modify yourselves because either you rent or live in residence halls, but for those of you who can, or are about to, just a fw things to consider, eh?

Why Paper Recyclers Fear Inkjet Growth

TreeHugger: I'd never really thought about it like that before. It definitely merits more research. I myself have both a laser printer and a legacy inkjet printer that used to be my parents' when we were all in the house.

Once I've used up the supplies, there are some decisions to make.

PETA to Ben and Jerry's: Breast Is Best!

The PETA Files: Okay, so... Yeah. I'd be willing to try it, but commercially and logistically, it's a very hard venture. I agree with a number of the commenters that, at least, make the current process for obtaining cow's milk more "humane," if what they say about forced pregnancy is true.

I'm a soy milk drinker myself, so I don't even have a stake in it, and I drink soy milk mostly because I think I've become very, very mildly lactose-intolerant (and the fact that soy milk in WholeFoods and Publix is less expensive than cow's milk).

To each, his own.

Let's Make a Deal: Swapping Chocolate for a Bed

TreeHugger: The concept is interesting, but I wonder if she's ultimately suffering a loss. Materials, gasoline, time... Hmm.

The World's First Flying Saucer: Made Right Here on Earth

Scientific American: "A University of Florida researcher has plans on the drawing board for a saucer-shaped aircraft that turns the surrounding air into fuel."

This is a fascinating concept if they can make this work. I'd especially be keen on it if they can compact the design, put it in vehicles to feed off the carbon dioxide, methane and other gases we've added to our planet by our presence.

I mean, flight's all right, but ground transport is something we'd need to work on too, I think.

If not a transporter. :-)

Earth 911 » Making Every Day Earth Day

Earth 911 » Reduce, Reuse & Recycle, Green Lifestyle: This is a very useful website, particularly where you can find out where to recycle, if you use them, compact fluorescent bulbs, which contain mercury (and thus you shouldn't dispose of them in normal garbage).

Now that I know where to dispose of mine, I'm going to have my engineering department put the spent ones in a box that I can take to the disposal centre, which is minutes away from work.

Do your part, because this starts with you!

Earth Week Archives

DVICE: Going Green, the geek way. This is partly a commemoration of my registering for the Green Party... Some people say I'm throwing myself away, but beside the marijuana thing, I believe in a lot of what they support.

Enjoy!

50 Ways to Help the Planet

50 Ways to Help the Planet

This is actually really cool and innovative. Check it out!