gulf coast

"BP has gotten away with this, the government has helped them get away with it, we can't even get cooperation from the government to test the carcasses of dead mammals washing up on the shore because they're joined at the hip with BP," says Mike Papantonio, radio host and attorney representing Gulf Coast residents. It's the anniversary of the oil spill that became America's biggest, and news reports tell of BP's involvement with the decision to go into Iraq and their intent to control the research around the Gulf Coast recovery to help clear their name, we check in with Mike via Skype to give us the latest on BP's shady dealings. "The real issue here is that modern humanity looks at nature as a great big resource for our pleasure, profit and convenience, and we do whatever we want with it. We're in trouble," says Maude Barlow of our current relationship with the our natural world. She and Shannon Biggs have spearheaded the discussion over the legal rights of nature, a discussion that has gone all the way to United Nations, where arguments are now being heard. "I think that what we’re trying to do here is take a step forward and realize that we’re not just damaging the earth, but we’re damaging people," says Shannon. A year after the Deepwater Horizon explosion claimed the lives of 11 and destroyed the livelihoods of many others, the link between respecting the earth and protecting the rights of humans should be clear. However, since the Deepwater disaster, the U.S. government has failed to pass a single law regulating oil and gas drilling. Shannon and Maude join us to talk about what's at stake for both the natural world and the people who benefit from it--and which American cities have taken the lead in officially recognizing the rights of nature. Finally, Laura has some thoughts about the recent news that China's sovereign wealth fund chair thinks the US needs to invest at home--for the health of the whole global economy. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Hurricane Katrina and the BP spill have hit New Orleans with a double whammy, but the one bright side has been the opportunity to create not just new jobs for local residents, but green jobs--jobs that help the city move into a new energy future. This video from Green for All looks at just a few of the residents of the city who've found a new purpose helping weatherize homes and better their neighborhoods.

"We can't spray dispersant on poor people and expect they go away," Tracie Washington says, calling attention at once to the plight of the people of New Orleans, still struggling to rebuild, and the ongoing issues with the oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico. ; Like the oil that BP claims to have cleaned up, the problems left behind by Hurricane Katrina are still there, just a little bit harder to see.It's been five years now since the levees broke, and the changes to New Orleans are many: around 150,000 people haven't been able to return, the city has more charter schools than anywhere in the country, and it's not hard to guess who's been left behind by the policies. Bill Quigley of the Center for Constitutional Rights and Tracie Washington join us to discuss the challenges New Orleans faces, half a decade after the storm. Actress Melissa Leo didn't know much about New Orleans before moving there to shoot a season of HBO's Tremé, but she quickly fell in love with the city, its music, and its resilient people. The show's focus on the music and culture of the city has brought national attention once again to the unique jazz scene, and filming in New Orleans has brought money and jobs to a city badly in need of both. Melissa joins us via Skype to talk about her experience in New Orleans as an outsider, and why it's important for pop culture to remind us of people's struggles. Finally, Laura has some thoughts about what we can do to make sure that the next time disaster strikes, there's help for all affected.

"Anything BP does and doesn't do is to preserve their profits and their future ability to operate in the United States, no more, no less." That's according to "Martha," a hazardous waste worker in the Gulf, who joins us via Skype anonymously to report on the conditions workers are facing cleaning up BP's mess. "Martha" has been reporting on conditions to the blog The Political Carnival, where more of her stories of workers being fired, prisoner labor used in cleanup, improper training and safety conditions, and of course, following the money around the trail of contracts and confusion that is the Gulf Coast post-Deepwater Horizon.