I’m in the middle of studying for finals, trying to get work this summer, and following what is shaping up to be one of the worst environmental disasters in the country. I came across this graphic (below) which was made by the local newspaper, the Times Picayune.

Take a look at the numbers. Not only is it 5,000 ft. from the surface of the ocean to the ocean floor, but it is an additional 18,000 ft. down to the oil reserves. We are drilling down nearly 25,000 ft. for this stuff!

Perhaps this disaster will be a wakeup call that such exploration is simply too dangerous. While the devastation here will be great, it’s some comfort to see that Cape Wind has finally been approved for Nantucket Sound. Contrast the clean energy we’ll get from that development with the dirty, nasty oil that has now been unleashed on the Gulf Coast ecosystem. Drill Baby Drill never seemed so idiotic.