Either the oil wells of the world are conspiring against us, or we need to seriously rethink how we obtain oil and energy. (For the record, we at Do Something prefer the second idea). China is currently responding to the biggest oil spill in their history, working to clean up the water, protect wildlife, and save beaches.

• The trouble began when an oil pipeline near a busy port exploded for reasons that are still unclear. When the pipe exploded, flames reached 100 feet high. Officials say the leak has been stopped.
• Environmental officials have said the crude oil in China's Yellow Sea poses a "severe threat" to ocean wildlife and water quality.
• 40 boats for oil control and hundreds of fishing boats have been deployed to help skim and absorb oil. Some workers are heading to the beach to clean with rubber gloves as their only gear. People are willing to clean, but efforts so far have been hurried and disorganized.
• As of today, the 400,000 gallons of oil have spread over 165 square miles. This is tiny compared to the spill in the gulf, but enough to seriously damage marine ecosystems, beaches, and aspects of local economy.

What can you do?

Try to curb your own oil use, go a Weekend Without Oil. You don't have to throw away petroleum products you already have, just try not to buy any more in order to demonstrate that demand for oil can be decreased.
We're sure the cast of the Buried Life would participate.

A great way to make sure your local water doesn't get polluted it to mark storm drains. This summer, you can also do green activities like a scavenger hunt or a clean up.