By Todd Hatton
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkms/local-wkms-910854.mp3
Murray, KY – Workers trying to clean up after BP's Gulf of Mexico oil spill will tell you that when petroleum gets into things like wetlands and coastlines, it's hard to get out. But how hard is it to remove from the lifestyle of the average American? And what if you're among those boycotting BP, how effective is just staying away from the gas station? Is it even possible to escape the reach of petrochemicals?
To find out, I went to the home of John Walker, co-president of MESS, the Murray Environmental Student Society, armed with a list of petroleum-based product categories from the website TheDailyGreen.com. I asked him if there was anything he had that he couldn't do without.
We walked into his kitchen, and checked the list.
Or his books, for that matter. The problem there is that the ink on the page contains petroleum derivatives. A plastic crate sitting on a corner table, full of vinyl LP's? Petroleum again. Now, it's important to note that Walker considers himself a good environmentalist. He owns a hybrid automobile that he uses for long-distance trips. When he gets to a city, he rides his bicycle. He avoids running the air conditioner. He's even conducting his own personal boycott against BP by staying away from stations displaying the BP brand.
Walker isn't alone. Facebook's BP Boycott group has well over three-quarter of a million members and provides a list of BP brands to stay away from. But in 2007, BP sold all but a fraction of its U-S gas stations and convenience stores, meaning the up to 40 percent decline in sales over the last two and a half months reported by the Associated Press and the Christian Science Monitor is hurting the local independent owner, not the corporation. And according to Canada's Centre for Energy, because of the way crude oil is marketed, you may end up buying BP gas no matter where you go.
The point is, petroleum and the substances derived from it are in almost everything, making a total boycott of BP difficult and a complete abstention from oil impossible. Why is it everywhere? Murray State University Professor of Environmental and Analytical Chemistry Doctor Bommanna Loganathan says it's because they're stable.
"Those chemicals are...they're made very strong. That means they're very persistent, stable, non-degradable. Therefore, whatever they produce, they can be there for a long time."
While the chemistry of petroleum is fairly cut and dried, the politics and economics of a petroleum boycott are less so. Back at John Walker's house, he talks about the conflict between social justice and social responsibility. He gives the example of the local branch of a bank. You find out that at the corporate level, the bank is getting into some less than savory situations; maybe it's involved in human or environmental rights issues. So, you pull your money out. Yes, Walker says, that may hurt the tellers and managers, people trying to make a living, but it also sends a message that those still involved with the bank are supporting the darker things it's doing.
Therein lies the conundrum: sticking to one's principles versus the real-world consequences of doing so.