Shrill baby shrill says
drill baby drill but the spill
will kill babies kill

In large part it was this sentiment, or it’s equivalent prior to the use of this catchy, and oh so flawed, slogan, that has gotten us into this mess. Sadly the same sentiments (greed, contempt for science, etc) are also causing us to largely ignore much larger environmental problems far more dangerous than this regional catastrophe.

Think, baby, think.

If a Deepwater Horizon-like accident were to take place in the northern oceans during the ice season (7+ months of the year), there is no technology to clean it up. You could easily find that you cannot respond in even the most basic ways, and simply let the oil flow for several months until better weather appears. There are even years when the ice never goes away, even during the height of summer.

Now you can say that Climate Change is occuring and in a few decades the ice will be gone. However no one is saying that the ice will disappear in winter. Predictions are that there could be ice-free summers.

Interesting that BP has asked for lesser (they say alternate) drilling rules in the north, “to account for new technologies and capabilities”. The rule now is that they have to drill a second well as a relief capability, in the same season as any primary drilling. BP doesn’t want to be held to that standard anymore.

Interesting also that the government seems suddenly cooler to that whole idea!