The tragic oil platform explosion off Louisiana's Gulf Coast is rapidly becoming an environmental disaster.1 The loss of 11 oil workers may be just the beginning of this tragedy as millions of gallons of oil head for land, putting birds, wildlife and the coastal environment in grave danger.

Audubon Mobilizing to Help
Audubon staff across the country are marshalling resources and personnel to respond to the looming disaster. Audubon Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi staff and chapters are working to prepare for impacts to birds, wildlife and important habitat as the spill makes its way toward land.

Audubon is coordinating volunteer efforts and you can help! From cleaning oiled birds to counting birds to picking up trash on beaches before the oil hits - there are many things that you can do to help. If you are interested in volunteering, please sign up here . We will be back in touch soon with more details.

While every hand is needed and welcome, it's vital that volunteers offer their help through coordinated efforts like this so that the greatest good can be focused where it is needed the most. Please avoid going to affected areas or handling wildlife until you are part of coordinated responses. Even well-intentioned people can inadvertently interfere with important recovery efforts. Other sensitive areas with nesting birds that may not be impacted by the spill will not welcome random volunteers, however good the intention.

Audubon has our people on the ground and is working with state and federal agencies leading the response - we can help find the best volunteer job for you.

Let's Stop Further Spills
If you have not already submitted comments on the Interior Department plan to expand offshore oil and gas drilling, now is the time. A long-term energy strategy should focus on clean, job-producing, renewable technologies, not expanded drilling off our sensitive coasts.