In the war for hearts and minds, the battles over pollution and the environment, have been among our most successful. When we have as allies both the Chicago Tribune and Republican Mark Kirk, you know we have penetrated pretty deeply into conventional wisdom. So deeply in fact that corporations spend millions if not billions of dollars in greenwash. So deeply that even Bush and Cheney have to give us lip service: "Clear Skies" and "Healthy Forests" anyone?
So when we are handed a chance to further our brand identity of environmentalism, we should make the most of it. The Chicago Tribune fired the opening salvo against multi-national polluter BP on Sunday July 15th with an article on BP's plan to increase the amount of pollution, including heavy metals, into our treasured fresh water icon, Lake Michigan. Since then, following their lead, have been such disparate business interests as Mark Kirk and the Edgewater Chamber of Commerce.
Illinois Senator and majority whip Dick Durbin is upping the ante.
You know when someone is picking on your kid brother you step in. BP is trying to push Indiana around. Indiana is ill prepared to stand up to BP on its own. So it would be quite appropriate for the State of Illinois to step in a sue BP for the pollution. I'm sure that corporate polluters have already blocked that avenue so that not only may not Illinois be able to sue but neither can Wisconsin nor Michigan.
I wouldn't be surprised if even Canada can't sue. Lake Michigan is geologically a single feature with Lake Huron, so Canada is directly affected by the increased pollution. And here's the real kicker. Since the reason for the increased pollution is so BP can refine heavier Canadian crude, we should be suing Canada for selling to an irresponsible buyer. That's the way it should go down. I sure hope we have more tools than shame with which to fight BP.
