TEDxOilSpill will explore new ideas for our energy future, and how we can mitigate the current crisis in the Gulf.

First of all of course, discussing and finding solutions for the current crisis in the Gulf (and doing whatever we can to make sure this never happens again) is the primary reason why this is so important. Secondly, discussing and learning how we can all help the health of our oceans is also extremely important.

At a day-long forum here devoted to probing every aspect of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, activists and scientists saved discussion of alternative energy technology for last, but they agreed it could be the most important focus for public policymakers.

This is a week-long project to document the current situation in the Gulf of Mexico and bring a first hand report back to the TEDxOilSpill event in Washington DC on June 28th. We'll be working on land, air, and maybe even on boat. Our team is composed of several talented photographers and videographers. In addition to documentation of oil on the water and on the beach, we're particularly interested in the human side of the equation and will be talking to some of the people most affected by the catastrophe in the Gulf. We'll also be documenting any and all evidence of media interference by BP, the Coast Guard, or other officials.

A historic catastrophe is unfolding before our eyes, but we are not powerless. If we educate ourselves by discussing the surrounding issues, we can make informed decisions about where to go from here. TEDxOilSpill is an attempt to facilitate that discussion, and has no political agenda nor advocates a specific position.

Rather, in the spirit of TED, TEDxOilSpill is simply a convergence of ideas that we hope will raise awareness and inspire tangible action around our energy future, and its current and long-term impact on the environment and humanity.

The X Prize Foundation announced today that it is developing a multimillion-dollar “oil spill cleanup X challenge” to come up with solutions to cleaning up shorelines and open water fouled by oil leaking from the BP Deepwater Horizon rig in the Gulf of Mexico.

My friend Kris Krug is part of a team documenting the impacts of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.Kris has joined the Tedx Oil Spill expedition in the Gulf. They are documenting what they are experiencing online and will also be making a presentation to the Tedx Oil Spill conference in Washington DC on June 28th. Their work has been incredibly moving to me.

Kris is a modern day renaissance man - photographer, web developer, journalist. In the past year, he has documented many events that have had great impact. He traveled to Copenhagen to photograph activities surrounding the climate change talks in December 2009. He photographed the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.

Amid all the ecological carnage and socio-economic chaos of the spill, the biggest unfolding tragedy is that we risk not learning from it. As was highlighted repeatedly throughout the day, we aren’t even really applying our learning from past spills like Exxon Valdez, or what we already know today about the potential impacts of some of the clean-up techniques being employed. As but one example, there is clear and alarming evidence that the dispersant chemicals being used are a source of longer-term ecological harm than is the oil itself.

Join us as we tackle the tough questions raised by the recent and ongoing environmental catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico. Topics will include mitigation of the spill and the impending cleanup efforts; energy alternatives; policy and economics; as well as new technology that can help us build a self-reliant culture.

100's of Creative Commons lisenced photos from #TEDxOilSpill conference you can use in your blog posts/articles/coverage