As some of you were previously aware, BP has decided to raise the amount of toxins it directly dumps into Lake Michigan in order to increase the amount of Canadian heavy oil that it can process at its Indiana facility. I previously blogged about this dire problem of increasing industrial rampages against the environment, and the destruction of the public commons at my old Livejournal blog, emphasizing the fact that the public good means little for BP's drive towards greater profits of a failing industry whose time has come.
Already, efforts are under way to encourage BP to not continue this drive towards an increased, mercury-based, poisoning of one of the world's largest fresh water supplies. These have come from groups like the EPA proposing alternative methods to clean the region by BP, Mayor Daley of Chicago threatening a state lawsuit, Indiana Governor Daniels reviewing pollution laws, and even local action by Environment Illinois to increase public education about the matter.
Regarding the last link, however, it seems that there is still extreme resistance by the comfortable upper class to ignore problems going on around them, as evidenced by the quote: "One said in disgust, "We don't know what you're talking about.""
Thankfully, it seems that the overall purpose of this local demonstration, to educate and inform the public regarding the hazards that corporations and negligent state officials have in store for their lives, is an overall success:
"People in Naperville are eager to know more," she said. "Sometimes they're just stunted by fear."
First time I've actually had some element of faith in my suburban hometown.
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