MarkEOL reports on the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and ways that you can help.

The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is one of the biggest environmental disasters in modern history. After 3 months the oil spill has stopped, but during that time over 205 million gallons of oil has been released into the Gulf. In my WhyReef BBS, Pygmygoat asked how this oil spill hurts coral reefs and how she can help. I am sure many other Whyvillians are thinking the same thing, and I hope these articles answer your questions.

Oil is very toxic. Contact with oil, such as physically touching oil or eating oil, can kill marine life. In the Gulf hundreds of sea turtles, sea birds, fish and crabs have been found covered in oil. The harm to these animals is easy to see, but there are also long-term effects that will take time to appear - such as the impact of oil on the marine food web.

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Kittieme is awed by the beauty in her garden.

I live in the Midwest part of the United States and we have some of the most beautiful flowers. Each month from April to October have different types of flowers that bloom, but August is in my opinion is one of the months where the flowers are most exquisite. Each month brings something new to the table, but August seems to have the most varieties blooming. Daisies, cone flowers, balloon flowers, black-eyed susans, hostas, fall-blooming roses, stella de oros, burning bushes, mums, wave petunias, and many other varieties of plants are going strong during this month.

Since July has so many different flowers beginning to bloom most of them bloom in August too. Some of the most recognizable flowers that cover gardens all throughout the Midwest are daisies, cone flowers, and black-eyed susans. These were the three flowers that I first grew, and they continue to be the ones that are in my garden year after year because they are perennials. (They last for many years in a row without having to be replanted.)

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