climate change

For most of us, when we think about our environmental footprint, the first things that spring to mind are how to commute to work, the kind of bags we use for food shopping, or the detergents we wash our clothes with. But how often do we consider the energy we use when surfing the web? Or, how much polluting, dirty energy our Facebook profile generates?

Not an anniversary to celebrate.

It's been 365 days since BP's negligence, and the arrogance of the wider oil industry, led to the worst oil spill in US history: killing 11 rig workers and unleashing five million tonnes of oil, wrecking the Gulf Coast and killing birds and other wildlife.

The causes behind the Deepwater Horizon catastrophe remain unclear - but still oil companies are desperate to carry out similar drilling in UK waters.

Gulf Coast local Lamar Billups writes a poignant guest blog, via our US office:

First I would like to thank Greenpeace for allowing me the honor of writing a blog for the one-year anniversary of the BP oil disaster. You are the best, and, on behalf of the millions of people on the gulf, we thank you for the research and help you gave after us this spill.

I remember the first time I smelled the oil: I was at my son’s baseball game. Part way into the game everyone began to smell something like burning tires.

Ever since last month’s Budget, oil companies have been complaining about George Osborne’s tax on North Sea oil and gas. Yet many have just announced record profits - boosted considerably by current sky-high oil prices. What do they take us for?