3 Birds and Marine Wildlife

I don’t like to call it a disaster, because there has been no

loss of human life. I am amazed at the publicity for the

loss of a few birds.

FRED HARTLEY, PRESIDENT OF UNION OIL COMPANY (196 9)

C

urrent concerns about oil and the environment express two

dominant themes. One emphasizes the role of carbon-based

fuels in climate change. The other emphasizes the hazards

involved in drilling, especially in areas considered environmentally

sensitive. In both instances animals are vulnerable, more so than

humans. Because animals cannot escape the consequences of our

petroleum addiction, they often face risks sooner and more directly.

Yet, with the growing energy demands of the planet’s human popu-

lation, their vulnerability seems of little consequence. Why should

the lives of a few birds matter, when we simply need more oil?

When Fred Hartley spoke his mind about “a few birds” at a 1969

hearing of the Senate Subcommittee on Air and Water Pollution,

he expressed a sentiment still held by some today.^1 Environmental

policymakers continue to argue over whether a disaster that takes

no human toll really constitutes a disaster.^2 This chapter takes oil

spills as the focusing event for thinking about our responsibility

to some of the wildest creatures on the planet. Moreover, because

many spills involve human error or technological failure, in combi-

nation with forces of nature, they provide a contrast to the natural