Environment

You might be able to get rich quick if you can fix the BP oil spill. The X Prize Foundation wants to make fixing the BP oil spill a multimillion dollar competition. It has done the same for space, fuel efficient cars and gene-mapping.

Foundation Vice President Francis Beland (BE'-land) says his group is kicking around the idea. They've already received 35,000 unsolicited ideas for fixing the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) announced a project to provide wetland habitat for migratory birds affected by the Gulf oil spill. NFWF's Recovered Oil Fund for Wildlife invested $2.5 million in the project. The organization will join Ducks Unlimited and others to establish wetlands on private lands along the coasts outside of the spill area to provide millions of migratory birds with a natural habitat.

BP today announced significant progress in its half-billion dollar pledge to the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GRI). Three research institutions in the Gulf region will receive a total of $25 million in fast-track funding for high-priority studies of the distribution, composition and ecological interactions of oil and dispersant. On May 24 BP announced a commitment of up to $500 million to the GRI open research program to study the impact of the Deepwater Horizon incident, and its associated response, on the environment and public health in the Gulf of Mexico.

Washington, DC - 06/14/2010 - The April 20 explosion and fire aboard the Deepwater Horizon drilling platform killed 11 workers and unleashed a massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Beyond the immediate human tragedy, this disaster has imperiled the ecosystem along the U.S. Gulf Coast and impacted residents who depend on a healthy Gulf.

This spill did not need to happen. In its wake, the spotlight has focused on multiple failures of our legislative and regulatory system. The Pew Environment Group is concentrating its efforts on changing these laws and regulations to help ensure that this tragic spill is not repeated.

NEW ORLEANS — The Gulf of Mexico oil spill has brought out thousands of people who just want to help — though there isn't much for them to do unless they own a Hazmat suit.

Directors of charities and BP PLC — the company responsible for cleaning up the spill unleashed after the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded April 20 — say the outpouring has been huge among people with vivid memories of Hurricane Katrina five years ago.

A month and a half after the start of the drilling disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, donors have contributed more than $4-million to support relief efforts.

Among the recipients:

Grant Makers

• The Gulf Coast Fund for Community Renewal and Ecological Health, a project started by Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors after Hurricane Katrina, had received more than $245,000 as of June 9. The fund has awarded $155,000 in emergency grants to 27 grass-roots environmental groups in the region. The Gulf Coast Fund also organized a three-day tour that allow potential donors to see the work and meet the leaders of the groups the fund supports, which resulted in commitments of at least $60,000 to those organizations.

BERKELEY, Calif . - BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) , Eat a shrimp, support a Gulf of Mexico fisherman. That's the thinking behind the "Dine Out for the Gulf Coast" campaign in which restaurants across the country will be putting a little fish philanthropy on the menu.

During the event, scheduled for June 10-12, participating restaurants will be donating to the Gulf Coast Oil Spill Fund. Restaurants that are able to, also will feature seafood from the Gulf.

The far-reaching Gulf oil spill tragedy has left many people feeling powerless to help out. But beyond the official Deep Horizon response, pockets of non-profits and people are starting to use social media tools to organize grassroots activities throughout the Gulf region. Here’s a quick look at four tools and efforts geared towards delivering aid and cleaning up crude oil in local coastal areas.

A grant-making organization founded in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina has started an aggressive fund-raising effort to make sure that grass-roots environmental groups and community organizations along the Gulf Coast have the money they need to respond to the oil spill.

So far, the Gulf Coast Fund for Community Renewal and Ecological Health, a project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, has raised more than $110,000, and has awarded $47,000 in emergency grants to nine grass-roots environmental groups in the region. The fund dipped into its reserves to make the first round of awards.

CHICAGO, Ill. – May 24, 2010 – The Walmart Foundation today announced a $1.2 million dollar donation to the National Energy Education Development Project (NEED) to install solar panels on 20 schools in five cities across the country. The five cities taking part in the program are Chicago, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, Minneapolis and Seattle.

“The Walmart Solar School program will help educate the next generation on the opportunities and benefits of using more renewable energy,” said Margaret McKenna, president of the Walmart Foundation. “This program aligns perfectly with Walmart’s sustainability commitment to involve our communities and customers in our environmental and social efforts.”