InnerSelf.com

For three months, in 2010, we watched in horror as BP's Deep Water Horizon oil spill pumped millions of gallons of crude into the Gulf of Mexico. Those of us living near Cedar Key, Florida prayed we would be spared, but our hearts none the less sunk as we watched the black goo ooze ashore in Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi. It was only later that we learned that the long term damage was done by the dispersants sprayed from the air to mask the disaster's news and PR potential.

Little Effort Has Been Expended In Oil Spill Technology

What we later found out was that the oil industry had spent little money or offered little effort to combat the eventual massive spill. And then we were to learn that massive spills were customary, only that they had been forgotten or ignored. But most of all, what we learned was that governments and captains of industry had failed us. But still the cry for "drill baby drill" from the more ignorant of us rang out. We were told that if only government would get out of the way, the problems would solve themselves. But what we do need is for the greedy, self-centric, and corrupt to step aside and let humanity progress.

X Prize Oil Cleanup Challenge

Wendy Schmidt's X Prize Oil Cleanup Challenge is proof positive that many times the technology is available or close at hand to solve many of our problems. It is notable that this money and effort came from the philanthropic sector rather than government or private industry. However, it remains to be seen if governments and industry will spend the money or extend the effort or let this innovative effort go to waste.

TheX Prize Oil Cleanup Challenge highlights the need for cooperation between government and business, Democrats and Republicans, New York and New Jersey, and competing high schools to solve problems and advance humanity.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Find Out More:

Illinois Team Wins Oil Spill Cleanup X CHALLENGE - National Geographic

XPrize Foundation 

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bobby jennings is co-publisher of InnerSelf Publications and webmaster of InnerSelf.com. Originally a Democrat for many years, he moved to the Republican party in the mid 1980's and the Green Party in 2000. He now supports common sense initiatives from all parties and votes independently in the general elections. He supports small efficient honest government, government managed capitalism, an independent judiciary, religious tolerance, as well as social and economic justice. He is an ex-Army officer and retired small business owner. He best describes himself as a now extinct "Eisenhower Republican".

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