I love the state of Louisiana. I’ve lived here since the age of 7 and have grown to love the Pelican State. The fact that 60,000 barrels of oil are leaking into the Gulf of Mexico each day is a little discerning to me.
All around campus people are talking about oil spill recovery jobs and the high pay that accompanies them. I’ve heard rumors of all sorts for oil spill-related jobs. Apparently you can make $250 daily for shoveling dirt on beaches in Venice and Shell Beach for 12 hours. The highest pay-out I’ve heard of tops off at $500 a day, but ownership of a boat is required.
Students are certainly going to be enticed by this supposed luxurious pay. Some may even drop out of school just to get these full-time jobs.
However, the magnitude of this disaster needs to be acknowledged. Think about the jobs lost, the slick of the oil across the water, the animals killed. The environment is at stake here.
The tremendous damage the oil spill has done to the ecosystem thus far is shocking.
There are more than enough reasons for someone to want to do their part in expediting the recovery. It’s just the fact that some people seem to be doing it for pure profit with little to no care about what is actually happening.
Searching craigslist.com for oil spill jobs produced some interesting results. Some descriptions seemed to be cash-ins. Take for example “As the BP oil spill continues the supply for Louisiana Shrimp is quickly fading away! Shrimpin’ Around is offering the largest and most select Shrimp you will find anywhere in louisiana [sic]!!”
I’ll be honest. You’re not going to catch me on ESPN2’s Masters of Bass or anything like that. I’ve had very little experience fishing whatsoever. I’ve never owned a fishing pole, and I definitely don’t have a pair of Costa Del Mars. The one time I did go deep sea fishing in the Gulf, I spent the majority of the trip violently vomiting all over the boat.But I still love my seafood. Shrimp po-boys are a staple of my diet. I look forward to crawfish and Abita season as much as any Louisianan. Soft-shell crab stands as one of the greatest inventions ever. Oysters, catfish – the list could go on forever.
I am thankful for the fishermen and restaurant owners that are responsible for such a delectable cuisine. Even the truck drivers and line cooks deserve credit for some of the South’s most legendary dishes.
That’s a major concern in this oil spill disaster. What are these fishermen going to do for a living? Commercial fishermen and charter boat guides are in a serious bind. The most scrutinized party in this whole mess, BP, has agreed to use $20 billion to pay those directly affected by the oil spill. Hopefully that compensation will cover the losses endured by such victims.
If not, then these are the people who deserve the high-paying jobs, not some college student trying to make a quick fortune. For years I’ve noticed the “Save Our Coast” and similar related bumper stickers across the state. Similar to the after-effects of Hurricane Katrina, it’s an odd feeling that such a disaster has now actually occurred.
Recognize the problem and play your part in the recovery. Don’t take advantage of the worst environmental disaster in the history of the United States.
Instead take the time to give back to the coast that we have all enjoyed for so long.
—-Contact Cory Cox at [email protected].