In the past week, there has been a major oil leak in the gulf of Mexico. The leak, sparked by an explosion which killed 13 on the Deep Ocean Rig Horizon, has now grown and has dumped over 500,000 gallons of crude oil into the ocean. The oil, which is now reaching the shorelines of Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, and Texas, has grown into a 600 square mile track of black sludge. And it only plans to get worse. Unlike a massive oil tanker, the is a leak and not a spill. This means that until they either plug the hole, drill a relief well, or run out of oil, the crude will continue to escape into the Gulf at a dizzying rate. This is now what most people would consider a nightmare on the Gulf coast. Cities along the Gulf make their money from two things. Tourism and Fishing. This will completely desecrate the fish populations, rendering Gulf caught fish to be uneatable for years to come. And what tourist is going to want t go to an oil covered beach? It is also an absolute disaster for the ecosystem. Birds, fish and plants will be killed by the millions due to this spill. Louisiana will be hit the hardest, with most of its wetlands be killed by this disaster. The wetlands are home to billions of animals and plants, as well as a crucial part of the protection of cities like New Orleans when hurricanes hit. Even the areas that aren't destroyed will be rendered unusable for years to come. Whenever there is a strong tide or storm, the oil will seep out from crevasses and pollute the water for numerous more years. Was this a preventable accident? That is to find out. But what we do know is that somehow something screwed up and now it is going to effect the Gulf and its economy, ecology, and society for years.