Oil Spill in Arkansas?

     I don’t see or read much in the way of news and I just heard about an oil spill in Arkansas. At first I thought it must be an April Fool joke but when I looked into it I saw it was indeed true.  I didn’t realize there was a possibility of an oil spill in Arkansas and one of the homeowners in the affected area didn’t even know there was a pipeline in his neighborhood. 

     I’m happy I live in a place where there isn’t an oil pipeline in my neighborhood.  I realize most people don’t want a pipeline in their backyard or frontyard but no matter where it is it can affect all of us.  Whether it’s the cost of a cleanup, price of gas, death of migratory birds or any number of other things it does affect everyone in some way. 

     It’s similar to mining, pollution or even vehicle emissions in the sense even though it’s not in our backyard it still affects us.  The difference is when it isn’t in my backyard I take it for granted and don’t make a big deal out of it.  I would guess that’s how most people are. The people in Valdez, on the Gulf or anywhere else there has been a major oil spill probably weren’t as concerned about oil spills before it happened to them as they were afterwards.

     With Earth Day coming up this month maybe we should think about these things a little more.  Maybe we should show more concern about an oil spill in Arkansas because if it can happen there then where will it happen next?