Fear, anger, hope.

These three things are very inter-related and part of the process of progress.

I find myself falling into fear, that entities which we have entrusted, like Government, Industry, and aspects of modern culture, such as certain Environmental PACS, have totally failed the Earth, as evidenced in the recent potential Global killer, that is the Platform Horizon Wellhead Blowout.

The fear generated by this realization leads to an intense burning anger.

That anger causes a hell of a lot of introspection of myself, what I stand for, and a VERY close look at the things I am able to affect in this world, that could contribute to a course change.

In my life, I have always been about social contribution through enlightenment, and understanding of Man’s role in this world via a relationship with God and Nature. In my experience, Science has always proved God, and vice versa. The entire world gives testimony to the glory and power which created it.

So out of all of this examination, there arises amidst the dark swirling clouds of a prior Eon’s birth and death throes, (which MADE the oil which may kill off a substantial portion of our planet) a glimmer of hope within a very serious message of impending doom.

Here is a very close look at the Gulf Disaster . Make sure to watch the News report at it’s end.  Yes, you should be scared, as well as angry. That is a righteous response.

But………..

Below are two links. They will make you sad, they will cause you to fear, you will get angry, feel sorrow, and at the end of it all, a small light will begin to flicker inside. Grab that. The other stuff, it just needs to be experienced, for you to find that little glimmer. We need informed hope.

Story One A beautifully done grand perspective on our struggle to exist.

Story Two is a piece that I shot while working under Cinematographer Greg Huglin. Edited by my friend and colleague Rob Dafoe. I WANT you to ponder the Gulf Sea. Consider also, that this was shot in the waters that I grew up in off of Santa Barbara and the Gaviota Coast. These pods have existed there for ages.

In 1969 I lived in Goleta. I saw the affects of the well head blowout that affected my beach, and gave rise to the modern day environmental movement. I swam, sailed, dove, fished and surfed in an oil soaked ocean, much as the Chumash who inhabited my home, generations before had done. But I am convinced what I experienced, was far worse in terms of oil contact. It went on for decades. (Think about that.)

The tale of the 1969 Union platform blowout is here.

A couple weeks ago, I was up working on the Gaviota Coast. Beaches once soaked in oil were now clean. For the first time in my 50 year long life, and possibly ever, they were pristine in appearance. I suspect that the Environmental movement had nothing to do with this, nor did the EPA. The steady pumping of the reserve simply lowered the pressure, and both the issues from the old wellhead blowout, and natural seeps, slowed to their lowest point.

I shot a few images to illustrate Man’s relationship with the coastline that has been my home. When I get angry, part of my process is to create something positive. Jeanette Ortiz, who is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and connected human beings that I know, collaborated with me. Donna Von Hoesslin helped style the work. The four images in this post, are part of a 24 image collection we created as an homage to the Gaviota Coastline.

Now ponder this. We have drilled a hole into the past, and unleashed a geologically based poison into the Gulf waters. All of what we know and have done in the past may now be ineffective. We could be wrong about everything. Our Govt. agencies are wrong, our environmental groups are wrong, we were wrong. Wrong about what?

Our choice to disconnect our culture from God and subvert our role in creation. We placed commerce and money in the position of being our God. We cut ourselves off from Wisdom and Truth. Wrong choice.

Reconnect. It is where the hope lies.

Here is a beautiful invitation to do that.

Here is a piece on Jacques Yves Cousteau , that is probably one of the more succinct and pertinent instructionals which I have read, with regard to Politics and the Earth.

Broken Bells. Good name. Sobering social commentary, exquisitely produced.

Steady on.

Hope.