For those of us old enough to remember or that have had a chance to study it in school, the Gulf of Mexico BP oil spill that occurred April 20th has conjured up images of the 1989 Exxon Valdez accident. That incident impacted more than a thousand miles of pristine shoreline killing tens of thousands of animals including birds and marine mammals.

While it is too soon to determine whether or not the BP spill will eclipse the Exxon Valdez catastrophe, President Obama has called this latest spill “a potentially unprecedented environmental disaster.” And experts have begun to warn about the damaging effects the BP Gulf oil spill will have on the environment, wildlife and certain economies especially along coastal Louisiana, Alabama and Florida.

 

Many charities are responding. Some need volunteers, many request donations and others are asking their supporters to write to elected officials to advocate for legislation to protect the environment. The list to the right includes highly-rated charities that we know are responding and need your help. Please click on their names to view their Charity Navigator rating and then link to their websites where you can learn more about their specific efforts related to the April Gulf oil spill.