BP is dragging its feet on payment to clean up the mess in the Gulf of Mexico

BP caused the largest offshore oil spill in U.S. history, but it only wants to pay a tiny fraction of the price.

In 2014, the oil giant was ordered to pay $18 billion for the devastating Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. This January, its executives appealed the figure claiming it “can’t afford” to pay.

But not having enough money is the least of BP’s problems. Last year alone, BP made a profit of $23 billion, making it one of the 10 most profitable companies in the world. It’s also distributed a whopping $19 billion in dividends to investors since the spill.

If it can share its huge profits amongst its shareholders, it can afford to pay to clean up this devastating environmental disaster.

Sign the petition asking BP to pay full compensation 
for the Deepwater Horizon spill!

On April 20, 2010, the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon rig led to 11 deaths and injured and killed hundreds of marine animals, making it the worst oil spill in U.S. history.

The long-term effects of the reckless oil spill have been even worse. Just recently, a new scientific study from Florida State University showed that sediments settling on the ocean floor from the spill will contaminate the entire food supply for years to come.

This isn't the first time BP has tried to avoid responsibility for this tragedy. Back in 2010, a BP executive blatantly lied: he told the US government that just 5,000 barrels of oil a day were being released, even though he knew that number was much higher.

Now, it has lost an appeal to the U.S. Supreme court asking to pay less than what is required to. It's clear, BP is doing everything and anything to wiggle out of this responsibility.

Tell BP it can’t get away with destroying the Gulf of Mexico -- 
pay to clean up the mess!

Time and time again the SumOfUs community has stood up to Big Oil's destruction of the environment. Hundreds of thousands of us joined forces to stop Shell from drilling in the Arctic and almost 200,000 of us came together to demand that Chevron pay for its crimes in the Ecuadorian Amazon. And together with allies, we’re holding back climate-destroying fossil fuel projects like the Keystone XL pipeline.

Let's come together one more time to show Big Oil that it can’t recklessly destroy our environment without paying the price.

Tell BP to pay the $14 billion it owes 
for the Deepwater Horizon spill!

Dale Hess Calendar - 14-10-27

Dale Hess has produced a calendar every Monday morning for many years. Dale does give university holidays a miss. Dale is a Quaker - in fact something of an expert on Quaker history - and a member, as well, of the Anabaptist Association of Australia and New Zealand.  Dale's calendar has an interesting flavour of peace, ethics, and environmental activism/spirituality.  The calendar will appear here each Monday except for the university holidays and the occasional day when Dale's calendar doesn't arrive in the mail box.

Tuesday 28 October, 6 pm – 8 pm: Australia Adrift: Navigating New Pathways.  Prof. Joe Camilleri at St Michael’s Church at 120 Collins Street, Melbourne. ‘I am greatly looking forward to a thoughtful conversation on the many challenges we face and possible responses in Australia and internationally.’ Cost: $15 or $50 for whole series of four lectures. Bookings can be made at:

http://www.stmichaels.org.au/programs/upcoming-events/display/3129/rethinking-the-future-lecture-series.

Tuesday 28 October, 7 pm:  Forum and Round Table: Beat the Budget and the Rest of Abbott’s Anti-Worker Program. There will be brief updates on the unacceptable budget measurers and just what is still being proposed by the Doctors Reform Society, Fair Go for Pensioners, Victorian Council of Social Services, Australian Education Union. Venue: Meeting Room 1, Trades Hall, corner of Lygon and Victoria Streets, Carlton South.

Wednesday 29 October, 6 pm: The Forgotten Palestinians of Lebanon. Olfat Mahmoud, Director of Palestinian Women’s Humanitarian Organisation of Lebanon, and university lecturer, will talk about the forgotten Palestinians of Lebanon. Victorian Trades Hall, 54 Victoria Street, Carlton. RSVP: office@apheda.org.au. All welcome.

Thursday 30 October, 6.30 pm – 8 pm: Melbourne Free University: Iran. Amin Ansari, Flinders University and curator of Greens’ Art website, Linda Briskman, Swinburne University, will be interviewed for 45 minutes, then there will be 45 minutes of open discussion. The Alderman (upstairs), 134 Lygon Street, East Brunswick.

Saturday 1 November,  9.30 am till 6 pm: Borderlands Mega Book Sale.  We will be having a fund-raising mega book sale at Borderlands cooperative. There is a wide variety of genres to choose at very cheap prices: something for everyone. At The Habitat Centre, 2 Minona Street, Hawthorn.

Sunday 2 November 10 am till 5 pm: Borderlands Mega Book Sale.  We will be having a fund-raising mega book sale at Borderlands cooperative. There is a wide variety of genres to choose at very cheap prices: something for everyone. At The Habitat Centre, 2 Minona Street, Hawthorn.

Monday 3 November, 6 pm dinner, 6.30 program: Skillshare #3: Writing letters to the editor, media releases and opinion pieces with Jim Green. Friends of the Earth, 312 Smith street, Collingwood, Victoria, Australia 3070. Upstairs (entry via side-door on Perry Street). RSVP to ace@foe.org.au. Contact: 0421 955 066 (Gem).

Wednesday 5 November, 6 pm – 7 pm: Melbourne Activist Legal Support Information Night. Interested in becoming more involved in the work of Melbourne Activist Legal Support? These are many ways to contribute to our work, knowing you are helping to provide an essential support to those standing up for social and environmental justice. Come along and find out more! Venue: Trades Hall, Room TBA, 54 Lygon Street, Carlton. Registration: http://malsinfo051114.eventbrite.com.au

Thursday 6 November 7:30 pm -9 pm: Conflict over the Islamic State in Iraq & Syria: Insights from Muslim experience & social traditions. With Susan Day Dirgham, who has lived for several years in Syria, and Fr Bruce Duncan, who examines changes in Islamic just war thinking in the light of international human rights today. The Study Centre Yarra Theological Union. Best entry via 34 Bedford Street, Box Hill. Refreshments available afterwards. An entry donation is welcome. Further info: 9899 4777  |  admin@socialpolicyconnections.com.au.

Wednesday 12 November – Sunday 23 November: Tales of a City by the Sea: A Palestinian Story of love, separation and beautiful resistance. Wednesday performance at 6.30 pm, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7.30 pm, Sunday 4 pm. $25 full; $15 concession. La MaMa, 349 Drummond Street, Carlton. Tel: 9347 6142.

Tuesday 18 November, 5.30 pm – 8 pm: Victorian Election Environmental Expert Policy Review. In preparation for the 2014 Victorian Election, the Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand (EIANZ) and RMIT University are hosting a panel of renowned environmental practitioners to review the environment policies offered by the major political parties. Our Panel of experts will offer a fact-based analysis of each party’s policy based on decades of experience: Peter Nadebaum,Senior Principal - Environment, GHD Consultants; Zena Helman, Principal, Helman Consultants; Stephen Jenkins, Director, EnviroRisk; Professor Graham Currie, Chair - Public Transport, Monash University. Attendance is free but bookings are essential. Places are limited and expected to book out fast. Register by Monday, 10 November. Venue: The ground floor lecture theatre (room 007) of RMIT’s new Building 80, 80/445 Swanston St, Melbourne. Any queries, email vic-events@eianz.org.

Monday 1 December, 6 pm dinner, 6.30 program: Skillshare #4:: Non-Violent Direct Action with Nicola Paris, CounterAct. Friends of the Earth, 312 Smith street, Collingwood, Victoria, Australia 3070. Upstairs (entry via side-door on Perry Street). RSVP to ace@foe.org.au. Contact: 0421 955 066 (Gem).

Wednesday 3 December – Friday 5 December: Melbourne Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Workshop. The purpose of the DRM workshop is both to develop practical skills for risk management practitioners who are involved in initiatives across the Disaster Risk Management Cycle (DRMC) spectrum in both Australia, and the Asian-Pacific region. Venue: 277 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne. Further details: http://www.torqaid.com/images/stories/melbdrmdec2014...pdf

Wednesday 10 December – Friday 12 December: Melbourne Participatory Project Management (PPM) Workshop.The purpose of the PPM workshop is to develop practical project management skills for community development (CD) practitioners or project managers, working in either Australia or overseas, who are involved in initiatives throughout the Project Management Cycle (PMC). Venue: 277 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne. Further details:http://www.torqaid.com/images/stories/melbppmdec2014...pdf