Earth Day: Who Wants to Eat Mutant Shrimp?

It be be years before we will know the full extent of the damage of the Gulf Coast oil spill. Republicans in the House of Representatives and Obama administration appointee Ken Feinberg have done nothing to speed up the payment process BP fines being used for clean-up. We are now finding mutant fish (pictured above) and eyeless fish in the Gulf. Oil is still washing up on the Louisiana coast. This travesty is allowed to continue because BP America contributes to the campaigns of both political parties.

Daily Kos is running a petition with the mutant shrimp photo. The petition will be sent to Speaker John Boehner's office.

To Speaker John Boehner:

It is time for the House of Representatives to join the Senate in passing legislation mandating that fines paid by BP go toward clean up and restoration of the Gulf Coast.

Amen.

Happy Earth Day

Hillsborough County Commissioner Kevin Beckner has some tips on how to save energy and water.

* Switch to paperless billing and join the mail opt-out list to eliminate unsolicited mailings and reduce paper use. Visit the Federal Trade Commission website. * Leave reusable grocery bags in the car so they are handy when you go shopping and you can reduce the use of plastic bags. * Switch your ceiling fan direction to clockwise in the warmer months and counterclockwise in the cooler months to distribute the warm and cool air where it is needed and reduce your energy consumption. For more energy tips visit HERE.

Green options for you to consider:

* Installing a water-saving shower head * Converting to energy efficient light bulbs for your home * Recycling- set up curbside pick up * Making consumer choices that reduce waste * Volunteering to clean our beaches, roadways and parks

The USF Botanical Gardens will hold an Earth Day event today.

Happy Earth Day.

Rush Limbaugh's Latest Conspiracy Theory

Rush Limbaugh floats the conspiracy theory that environmentalists engaged in a terrorist attack to cause the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. Limbaugh's proof is that the Cuyahoga River fire inspired Earth Day. What conspiracy theorist have in their favor is they don't need facts to make their argument. It was actually an oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara that inspired Sen. Gaylord Nelson to start a national teach-in on environmental issues. The movement grew into grassroots movement that is now Earth Day.

"Earth Day worked because of the spontaneous response at the grassroots level," said Nelson. "We had neither the time nor resources to organize 20 million demonstrators and the thousands of schools and local communities that participated. That was the remarkable thing about Earth Day. It organized itself."

Conspiracy theorists don't need facts. I argued with someone who claimed the government attacked the World Trade Center and Pentagon. I asked him if he could prove his theory. "Disprove it," the guy shouted to me. That sums up the thought process of Limbaugh and his listeners.