Yes, the BP Oil Spill is a big deal. Is it an extinction-level event? No. But just because you can think of a bigger catastrophe does not diminish how big this catastrophe is.
In terms of immediate impact, the health of the millions of people living along the Gulf Coast is threatened. A toxic substance (oil) has been introduced in a big way to the Gulf ecosystem. People along the coast are getting sick from the contaminants. Wildlife is dying in massive quantities, and habitats are being destroyed. As with all ecosystems, every animal and plant has an important role to play, and all of these roles are being severely damaged, creating ecological problems that will likely persist for decades, even with vigorous human intervention. Also, keep in mind that environmental symptoms are not always quick to appear. We are now entering Atlantic hurricane season, when huge storms travel up from the Caribbean, often through the Gulf, and into the mainland. Will the storms pick up oil-tainted water and carry it inland where it can fall as rain onto crops and drinking water? Will the spill enter the Loop Current and travel out into the greater Atlantic, contaminating other states and possibly other nations? Only time will tell, but these are very real, very serious possibilities.
In addition to health and environmental problems, the oil spill has drastic economic consequences as well. The Gulf supplies a livelihood to millions of fishermen, sailors, oil workers (they are people too) and others. The spill threatens their ability to put food on their tables and roofs over their heads. There is also a huge tourism industry that stands suffer. Who wants to take their summer vacation to a beach that is littered with globs of oil and swim in tainted water? Again, jobs are in jeopardy, and not just in the immediate future. Economic hits to major industries in the area will have long term repercussions as well. The disrupted economic system will likely cause Gulf communities to suffer for years to come.
The immediate impact is local, from a global perspective, but it's important to see the significance of this event. There are offshore drilling fields off of every major continent. The Deepwater Horizon platform was aptly named because it delved deeper into the ocean than any other rig before it. As our resources grow scarcer and less accessible, companies are forced to take bigger risks to keep production up. The BP oil spill is a sobering example of what can happen when our reach exceeds our grasp.
It is also noteworthy from a national perspective because, unlike the countless other environmental disasters caused by the oil industry, this one directly affects Americans and we won't be able to turn a blind eye to it. Whether or not you are an American yourself, you should recognize the importance and impact of this event. Writing off disasters as "not really a big deal" is not only callous and rude, it gives the impression that the only problems in the world that matters are the ones that affect you. And that is the kind of narrow-mindedness that the world can not afford to indulge.
tl;dr The oil spill is causing very serious, immediate and long-term damage to an area of the world populated by millions of people and animals. It is a big deal, and it is callous and narrow to think otherwise.
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