I first saw this photograph (by David Martin of the AP) in June: spilt oil forms a delicate pattern in waves hurtling toward the Alabama coastline:
Blobs of oil hurtling toward the sand of an Alabama beach. Photo: David Martin/AP
I have seen a number of photographs, all terrifying, of oil-covered pelicans and brown waterscapes in the Gulf region. More than others, however, this photo spoke volumes for me. For those of us who do not live in a Gulf state and don’t see the damage in front of our faces, it is perhaps difficult to comprehend the devastation the spill has caused to wildlife, livelihoods, ways of life. I think about the Exxon Valdes disaster, its attendant photos of oil-soaked birds, and the vague (if erroneous) perception that in time, it was cleaned up, bird populations have bounced back, etc. That may not have happened, and I fear it has not, but as the disaster faded from memory and from the consciousness of those of us living far away, that was the assumption.
The photo by Martin bears witness and gets my attention in quite powerful but understated way – it looks beautiful at first glance, before one is able to process it. Is that – seeweed floating in the water? No, it’s thick blobs of brown, iridescent oil that choke and cloud the water. As the wave crashes to shore, it will seep inches deep into the sand on the shore.
Never mind the more fundamental questions about greed, irresponsibility, prevention and the causes of this environmental disaster. Everyone is wondering: Will it ever be cleaned, in water or on land? How? How long will it take? What will the pervasive oil do to people’s and creatures’ physical health? What obvious, and what hidden effects will there be, and how long will it take for these impacts to emerge?
The image sticks in my head. Soon I’ll be sharing some other images as a counterbalance to the feeling of pessimism that accompanies this one. I’ll feature works by artists who have been inspired by nature. Their work, although it carries contradictions and ambivalence, is infused with their love of the earth, and their work intensifies my love for the earth.
“‘The well-being of mankind, its peace and security, are unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly established,’ Bahá’u'lláh wrote. ‘The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens.’ The major issues facing the environmental movement today hinge on this point. The problems of ocean pollution, the extinction of species, acid rain and deforestation – not to mention the ultimate scourge of nuclear war – respect no boundaries. All require a transnational approach.
This dichotomy between spirituality and materialism is a key to understanding the plight of humankind today. In the Bahá’í view, the major threats to our world environment … are manifestations of a world-encompassing sickness of the human spirit, a sickness that is marked by an overemphasis on material things and a self-centeredness that inhibits our ability to work together as a global community.”
(From the Statement on Nature, Bahá’í International Community)
…”a sickness that is marked by an overemphasis on material things and a self-centeredness that inhibits our ability to work together as a global community.”
this quote really hits home for me b/c i think so much about the fact that i feel like we are all constantly drowning in overwhelming materialism and only looking out for one’s self, with no consideration for other people – let alone our planet.
i think tragedies like this SHOULD make ALL of us reflect on what we are doing to better the planet, to improve life for ALL — not just for ourselves. thanks for this post, towfighy.