Since the oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico on April 20th, I have felt anger, frustration, and disbelief over the severity of this disaster. I have also been struggling since the oil spill began to feel much hope about a situation that is seemingly out of control.
What has comforted me is reading and learning about all the efforts and tireless work that many are lending to the cleanup effort, many of whom do not work for either BP or the US government. In fact, many colleges and universities are leading efforts to track, analyze, and cleanup what could be one of the worst environmental disasters the world has ever seen.

Although nowhere near a comprehensive list of all the colleges and universities lending a hand, the below articles are some of the positive stories I have come across. If your campus is involved in efforts or you know of others that are, please leave a comment with more information.
 

• Clark Atlanta University’s Environmental Justice Resource Center and Dillard University’s Deep South Center for Environmental Justice in New Orleans have offered training in hazardous waste removal as part of their minority worker training programs. Now, some of the students trained are helping to clean up the spill. (See the article, “Colleges Train Poor to Help with Oil Spill")
• Virginia College campuses in Pensacola, Mobile, and Biloxi, have made their classrooms available for the training of volunteers and professionals who are assisting in the cleanup efforts. Also, cosmetology programs at all Virginia College locations are making a special effort to collect hair to send to the area to be used in the special oil booms that are being deployed in the Gulf to protect beaches and estuaries (hair and other fiber material can be used to help soak up the oil). (See the article, "Virginia College Assists in Oil Spill Efforts")
• University of Delaware Prof. James J. Corbett has launched a website which reports the growing loss of energy that could have been produced by the oil spilling into the Gulf. See the College of Earth, Ocean, & Environment website.
• A consortium of scientists and scholars from institutions in the Florida State University System as well as from four of Florida’s private universities working in collaboration with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection have created the Oil Spill Academic Task Force (OSATF). More information is available at the OSATF website. (Also, see the article, "FSU to Lead Academic Task Force to Help with Response to oil Spill in Gulf of Mexico")
• Scientists from Western Carolina University’s Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines are lending their expertise to help determine the best way to mitigate damage to coastal communities from the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. (See the article, "WCU scientists respond to oil spill")
• Researchers from the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science are playing an active role in determining long-term damage to the ecosystem and providing science-based analysis to policymakers and natural resource managers working to minimize the impact of this environmental tragedy. (See the article, "UMCES Scientists Respond to Gulf Oil Spill")
• The Mississippi Research Consortium Deepwater Horizon Response Team (DHRT) has been created by Mississippi’s four research universities. The intent is to join forces to help monitor and relieve the effects of the disaster. (See the article, "Mississippi universities work together on oil spill")