Advocacy Project: Duluth Oil Spill

Topic Background:

Can you imagine how the Lake Superior region would be affected if it were to be struck with a catastrophe similar to the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill?  Who would be affected? What business' would be affected? What wildlife would be affected?  These are all real questions that have been asked in the gulf region over the last 6 months.  The purpose of this exercise is to bring the magnitude of this environmental disaster home.

To be clear, the tourism and economy dependent on our region varies from the gulf region's, but many lives will be affected none the less. In this TIME magazine article you can see the affect that the BP Oil Spill is having on the economy of the gulf states.  Duluth's economy is more dependent on tourism than you would think.  3.5 million visitors each year contribute more than $400 million to the local economy.  If we faced the kind of decline in our tourism numbers that the gulf states face, you can likely cut those numbers in half.

Assignment:
What I want you to do, is try and put yourself in their shoes.  Think of how your life could be affected by this potential scenario.  Please write a short essay including your perspective on the following:

• How it would affect your job
• How it would affect your friends/family member's jobs
• How it would affect the places you like to go and activities you like to do
• What do you think the national perception of Duluth would be? Would they still want to vacation in the area?

I think when we start to be able to add answers to these questions, it sheds a new light on what people are going through that have their lives tied to the gulf region.  Please feel free to use any other websites you might like to use to further research this topic.