Washington, DC (July 29, 2010) – The X PRIZE Foundation (www.xprize.org), best known for launching the private spaceflight industry through the $10 million Ansari X PRIZE, and the ultra-fuel efficient vehicle market through the $10 million Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE, today announced the launch of its sixth major incentive competition, the $1.4 Million Wendy Schmidt Oil Cleanup X CHALLENGE. www.iprizecleanoceans.org.

At a press conference in Washington, DC, the announcement was made by X PRIZE Chairman Peter H. Diamandis together with Wendy Schmidt, who personally funded the $1.4 million prize purse. Wendy Schmidt is president of The Schmidt Family Foundation, Founder of the Foundation’s 11th Hour Project and Climate Central, as well as Co-founder, with her husband Eric, of the Schmidt Marine Science Research Institute. Other speakers included Philippe Cousteau, son of Jan and Philippe Cousteau Sr., and grandson of Captain Jacques- Yves Cousteau and co-founder and CEO of EarthEcho International; and Dr. Dave Gallo, Ph.D., Director of Special Projects at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute.

The goal of the Wendy Schmidt Oil Cleanup X CHALLENGE is to inspire entrepreneurs, engineers, and scientists worldwide to develop innovative, rapidly deployable, and highly efficient methods of capturing crude oil from the ocean surface. In making the announcement, the X PRIZE Foundation hopes to attract philanthropic and venture capital to support development of this important capability and provide a global platform where new technologies can be competed head-to-head, and the best approaches demonstrated, to prepare for future catastrophes.

“The devastating impact of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill will last for years and it is inevitable that future spills will occur – both from wells and from transport tankers,” stated Dr. Diamandis. “To be prepared to safeguard oceans and shores, the X PRIZE Foundation is announcing the Wendy Schmidt Oil Cleanup X CHALLENGE to find the most effective and environmentally-safe solutions for capturing oil from all spills at the spill site, thus limiting their impacts and protecting our oceans, shores, marshes, and, importantly, the health and well-being of the people and wildlife which live and thrive in these communities.”

“With more then ten thousands of ocean oil platforms across the globe, and million of barrels of oil being transported every day by tankers, it’s not a question of ‘if’ there will be another oil spill, but ‘when,'” stated Wendy Schmidt. “We need to come up with better solutions to capture oil on the surface, to minimize the harm these spills are causing to marine life, coastal wetlands, and beaches, and to our livelihoods – a harm that can last for generations. This is why I am personally funding this X CHALLENGE: to inspire innovators around the world – and all those who want to help address what has happened in the Gulf – to focus on solutions to an ongoing, systemic problem.”

Competition Rules

The Wendy Schmidt Oil Cleanup X CHALLENGE has two phases:

Phase I. From August 2010 – April 2011, teams from around the world are invited to register for this competition, and to submit their approach to clean up oil slicks created by spills or leaks from ships or tankers (e.g. Exxon Valdez) land drainage, waste disposal, or oil platform spill (e.g. Deepwater Horizon). An expert panel of judges from industry and academia will evaluate all of the proposals along the following criteria:

– Technical approach and commercialization plan
– No negative environmental impact
– Scalability of and ability to deploy technology; cost and human labor of implementation
– Improvement of technology over today’s baseline booms and skimmers

Phase II. The judges will select up to 10 of the top teams to demonstrate their ability to efficiently and rapidly clean up oil on the ocean surface in a head-to-head competition. These proofs of capability, which will determine the winner, will take place at the National Oil Spill Response Research & Renewable Energy Test Facility (OHSMETT) in New Jersey. The top team that demonstrates the ability to recover oil on the sea-water surface at the highest oil recovery rate (ORR) and recovery efficiency (RE) will win the $1 million Grand Purse. Second place will win $300,000 and third place will win $100,000 in purses.

Competition Benefactor
Wendy Schmidt is President of The Schmidt Family Foundation which strives to advance the development of clean energy and support the wiser use of natural resources. She is founder of the foundation’s 11th Hour Project and of Climate Central. Her other work, at ReMain Nantucket, focuses on generating a model for smart community downtown development on the island. With her husband, Eric Schmidt, Wendy created the Schmidt Marine Science Research Institute in 2009 to provide future opportunities aboard research vessels for urgent ocean studies. Wendy earned an M.A. in Journalism from The University of California at Berkeley, and a B.A. magna cum laude from Smith College. She serves on the boards of the Natural Resources Defense Council, The California Academy of Sciences, GRIST, and The Nantucket Dreamland Foundation.

Supporting Organizations
Alliance for Climate Protection, Global Green, Monterey Bay Research Institute, Natural Resources Defense Coucil, Oceana, Ocean Conservancy, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre, and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

About the X PRIZE Foundation
The X PRIZE Foundation is an educational nonprofit prize institute whose mission is to create radical breakthroughs for the benefit of humanity. In 2004, the Foundation captured world headlines when Burt Rutan, backed by Microsoft Cofounder Paul Allen, built and flew the world’s first private vehicle to space to win the $10 million Ansari X PRIZE. The Foundation has since launched the $10 million Archon X PRIZE for Genomics, the $30 million Google Lunar X PRIZE, and the $10 million Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE. The Foundation is creating and conducting competitions in four prize groups: Exploration (Space and Oceans), Life Sciences, Energy and Environment, Education and Global Development. The Foundation is widely recognized as the leader in fostering innovation through competition. Note to Media: Photos, film, and transcripts from the National Press Club announcement can be found by visiting http://mobprod.cachefly.net/XPrize and www.iprizecleanoceans.org after 4:00 PM (ET) on July 29. Please contact the press office for additional questions and needs.

CONTACT: Ian Murphy: 310.689.6397 (murphyian@gmail.com)

Press Office: 310.741.4883(prcontact@xprize.org)

www.iprizecleanoceans.org

As you may be aware, TEDxOilSpill was organized in under 4 weeks by a team of volunteers headed by Nate Mook and Dave Troy. There was no big corporate sponsor, and although we did our best to keep costs to a minimum, putting on an event is not cheap. A few incredible sponsors helped make TEDxOilSpill possible, but we are still about $3,500 short of covering our costs.

We need your help to raise the rest of these funds. Please donate whatever you can. While supplies last, if you give $20 or more, we will send you a limited-edition TEDxOilSpill t-shirt (example below) in the size you request.

We want to be completely transparent about this, so below we have detailed our current expenses and income.

Expenses
– Venue Fees: $7,500
– T-Shirts: $1,550
– Video: $3,000
– AV Rental: $975
– Food at TEDxOilSpill: $9,700
– Signage: $1,500
– Badge Supplies: $800
– Program: $800
– Speaker Travel: $3,000
– Transportation Costs: $393
Total Expenses: $29,218

Income
– Ticket Sales: $11,500
– Sponsors: $13,500
– T-Shirt Sales: $700
Total Income: $25,700

We were absolutely blown away by the quality of artwork entered into the TEDxOilSpill Poster Competition despite the short timeframe. Along with showcasing these posters during the breaks at TEDxOilSpill last week, we wanted to list them all here for you to check out in more detail. Each poster is linked to the Flickr page where you can find bigger versions and contact the artist about prints. You can view all of the competition entries on Flickr.

The contest was organized by Joseph Coates, an award winning graphic designer and design educator in Baltimore. Posters were judged by the following panel:

Ellen Lupton is co-director of the graphic design MFA program at MICA in Baltimore, curator of contemporary design at the Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum in New York City.

Aaris Sherin is associate professor of graphic design St. John’s University, New York. Sherin’s writing and research focuses on the history of women in graphic design and is the author of SustainAble: A Handbook of Materials and Applications for Graphic Designers and Their Clients (Design Field Guide) from Rockport Press.

Scott Stowell is an award winning graphic designer from New York City. Scott lectures and writes about design and teaches at Yale University and the School of Visual Arts. In 2008 Scott was awarded the Smithsonian’s National Design Award for Communication Design.

Now, onto the winners…

Gerren Lamson’s poster was chosen by all the judges and wins the Golden Pelican

Andrew Lewis’ poster was chosen by two of the judges and wins the Silver Pelican

David Vogin’s poster was chosen by two of the judges and wins the Silver Pelican

Ulises Ortiz’s poster was chosen by two of the judges and wins the Silver Pelican

Brian Hurst’s poster was chosen by two of the judges and wins the Silver Pelican

Aya O’Conner’s poster was chosen by one of the judges and wins the Bronze Pelican

Jude Landry’s poster gets an honorable mention

Denise Gallagher’s poster gets an honorable mention

Nancy Bratton’s poster gets an honorable mention

Jessica Ring’s poster gets an honorable mention

Donny Gallagher’s poster gets an honorable mention

Doug Hucker’s poster gets an honorable mention

We were disappointed to be unable to show this talk that Amory Lovins recorded for TEDxOilSpill on Monday, due to technical problems. However, we are happy to share it with you now. Amory is Chairman and Chief Scientist of the Rocky Mountain Institute. For four decades he has worked in energy policy and related areas. Lovins worked professionally as an environmentalist in the 1970s and since then as an analyst of a “soft energy path” for the United States and other nations. Time magazine named Lovins as one of the world’s 100 most influential people.

PBS newsmagazine Need to Know will be covering TEDxOilSpill on tonight’s show. The program will include footage from Monday’s event, along with interviews and a panel discussion with speakers such as Dave Gallo, Sylvia Earle, and Lisa Margonelli. Don’t miss this!

Be sure to check your local listings and find out when Need to Know airs. In Baltimore and DC, it will be airing at 10:30pm tonight, so don’t forget to set your TiVo.

Google is teaming up with PBS NewsHour to take you to BP headquarters in Houston for an exclusive interview with Bob Dudley, President and CEO of BP’s Gulf Coast Restoration Organization. In a live session moderated by the PBS NewsHour’s Ray Suarez, Mr. Dudley will respond directly to questions from the public.

Instead of offering up standard questions about BP’s actions that they will simply ignore or dodge, we at TEDxOilSpill want to put together a solid, cohesive request for very specific sets of data that would help better understand and visualize the scope of this disaster. With better data, we can be more informed about what action should be taken in the Gulf, and this is an opportunity to make that request in a way BP will have trouble refusing.

Our goal is to put together a list of the top-5 datasets that we ask the respective data owners to release to the public.

But we don’t have much time! The BP Q&A with Google Moderator will be happening tomorrow, Thursday July 1 and questions will only be accepted until 3:30pm ET. The sooner we have the question up and can point BP to a page with the request for this data, the more likely it will be that they will answer.

Please send an e-mail to tedxoilspill@tedxmidatlantic.com with your ideas for data that would be beneficial to you.

You can also submit a question directly to Google here.

We are pleased to announce that the X PRIZE Foundation is preparing to launch a multi-million dollar prize directed at cleanup efforts in the Gulf as a way to incentivize immediate privately-funded innovation and action. The announcement was made at TEDxOilSpill on Monday, June 28 by X PRIZE vice president Francis Beland and senior advisor Dave Gallo.

The X PRIZE has been incredibly successful at attracting the attention of the world’s top thinkers to our most pressing problems, and the oil spill in the Gulf certainly qualifies. The X PRIZE is viewed as the leading model to leverage the elements of public interest, entrepreneurial spirit and cross-disciplinary innovation to bring about breakthroughs that benefit us all.

So far, there have been four X PRIZE challenges: the Ansari X PRIZE for manned spaceflight, the Archon X PRIZE for Genomics, the Google Lunar X PRIZE, and the Progressive Automotive X PRIZE. The Ansari X PRIZE was won in 2004 and led to the creation of Virgin Galactic, which expects to make its first commercial sub-orbital flight into space in 2011.

An Oil Spill X PRIZE will represent only the fifth X PRIZE ever to be offered, and will be focused on the development of rapidly-deployable methods to clean up crude oil among coastlines and seas/oceans. Specifics of the challenge will be announced in the coming weeks.

Those interested in learning more about the new prize may contact Francis Beland at francis@xprize.org.

BP’s Deepwater Horizon oil spill is the largest spill in US history, and potentially the largest spill in world history. Crude oil contains hundreds of compounds including petroleum that are acutely and chronically toxic to marine organisms and people. Compounding the threat of the oil, between one and two million gallons of toxic Corexit chemical dispersants have been sprayed and injected into the Gulf. The use of dispersants is seen as a “trade-off” to keep the oil slick from reaching the marshes and beaches. But their massive application has created large subsurface plumes of dispersed oil that threaten the ocean food web itself.

The Marine Environmental Research Institute (MERI) proposes a collaborative, region-wide investigation of toxic impacts of oil and dispersants on the Gulf ecosystem – from phytoplankton, fish, and birds to marine mammals and humans. This broad-based, multi-species, multi-habitat approach can provide essential information in a timely way that will inform public health measures (seafood safety), as well as current and future restoration efforts.

Tracking Threats to the Food Web

Both types of Corexit dispersants used in the Gulf contain solvents – petroleum distillates that are animal carcinogens – capable of killing or depressing the growth of a wide range of aquatic species. For vulnerable species such as phytoplankton, corals and small fish, the combined effects of Corexit and dispersed oil can be greater and last longer than the effects of oil alone. As plumes of dispersed oil form in the water column, toxic globules of oil and dispersant envelope and kill floating plankton, fish eggs and larvae – and everything else at sensitive life stages. Planktivorous fish like herring indiscriminately ingest these globules and break the oil down to more toxic by-products that can be deadly at low concentrations. Depletion of critical niches in the food web sets the stage for “trophic cascades” which can cause the collapse of higher organisms.

At the top of the food chain, large fish (amberjacks, tuna, grouper) and marine mammals are exposed to oil and dispersant through consumption of contaminated fish. For air-breathing animals like dolphins, sperm whales, and manatees, exposure to volatile petroleum fumes occurs every time they surface for air and can result in liver and kidney damage and respiratory problems including chemical pneumonia. Skin contact with oil and dispersant can cause ulcers and burns to membranes of the eyes and mouth. Corexit 9527 contains an especially toxic component, 2-butoxyethanol, that ruptures red blood cells, causing animals to undergo hemolysis (internal bleeding).

While some of the effects of this disaster are all too visible – oiled pelicans, dead sea turtles — it is likely that the worst of the impacts on the Gulf are yet to come and will not be apparent without deliberate tracking and scientific assessment.

Call for Independent Research

Currently, there is no independent, region-wide effort to assess the short- and long-term impacts of oil and dispersants throughout the Gulf food web. BP and federal officials first denied that the dispersants were creating subsea plumes of oil. The voice of independent scientists brought this information to light. State agencies in the gulf are overwhelmed, underfunded, and fragmented – most are charged with protecting a single species or group of species with certain habitat types. These efforts will not tell the full story or consequences of the damages to the food web.

As a lead institute specializing in independent, region-wide ecotoxicological assessment, the Marine Environmental Research Institute (MERI) is uniquely qualified to fill this gap. Now in our 20th year, MERI’s Center for Marine Studies has extensive experience conducting large-scale investigations of exposure and effects of hundreds of environmental chemicals in marine species, including mammals and commercially important fish stocks along the US Atlantic coast.

Already, MERI’s toxicological research expertise has been instrumental in the Gulf. In May, MERI Director Dr. Susan Shaw conducted a preliminary investigation of potential impacts of oil and dispersant in the water column. Since then, she has been advising the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries in their efforts to assess oil exposure in shellfish (oysters, crabs, shrimps) and near-shore fish (black drum, red drum, sea trout, sheepshead) destined for human consumption.

As the core of a dynamic team of public, private, and university partners, MERI will plan and carry out independent, integrated scientific research to investigate the impacts of oil and dispersant on the Gulf environment and biota. MERI will utilize available data from existing federal and state monitoring programs and avoid duplication of effort wherever possible.
Partners

MERI is currently exploring key partnerships with research institutes, agencies, and universities within the Gulf region and beyond to carry out this project. Identified partners include the following:

– MERI has a longstanding partnership with The Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health and School of Public Health, State University of New York at Albany, NY, Under the direction of Dr. Kurunthachalam Kannan, Wadsworth’s Division of Environmental Health Sciences specializes in human biomonitoring and is a world leader in ecological monitoring of toxicants, including persistent pollutants and trace metals in air, water, soil, sediment, biota and human specimens.

– The Gulf Restoration Network, New Orleans, LA serves as a central information and networking hub across the Gulf. The Network will distribute sampling kits and training videos to participating groups and individuals.

– Google Ocean and Mission Blue Foundation will provide expertise in consolidating information and conducting public education through an integrated geographic information systems (GIS) approach.
RVLL Ocean Endeavors, Austin, TX, will provide communications consulting and coordination.

– The Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), a center within the Earth Institute at Columbia University, New York, will assist with on-line data and information management, spatial data integration and training, and interdisciplinary research related to human interactions in the environment (proposed partner).

Assessing Toxic Impacts

This project will assess the following:

– The distribution and fate of crude oil-related contaminants, including but not limited to, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and alkylated PAHs and their hydroxylated metabolites (OH-PAHs) throughout the Gulf food web – in water, sediments, plankton, estuarine and offshore fish, sea turtles, marine birds and marine mammals

– The distribution and fate of contaminants released from dispersants (surfactants, solvents)
Spatial and temporal patterns of contaminant transport, behavior, and food chain accumulation
The toxicity of crude oil, dispersed oil, and dispersants in targeted species, including potential human toxicity from seafood consumption

– A project of this scale will require significant new funding, yet the situation is volatile and sample collection cannot wait. Therefore, as MERI continues assembling the team and seek funds, a MERI-led team will immediately commence training and collection of environmental and biotic samples throughout the Gulf.

– MERI is enlisting the cooperation of state and federal agencies, stranding networks, and trained volunteers to obtain samples (see our preliminary Gulfwide Sampling Program). Sampling kits with detailed sampling instructions will be distributed region-wide through the Gulf Restoration Network and key agencies and universities. Volunteer training will be offered at selected locations beginning in July, and training videos will be made available. Preliminary analysis will follow the ecotoxicological research protocols established by MERI and Wadsworth over the past decade.

Summary

– Currently, there is no independent, region-wide effort to assess the short- and long-term impacts of oil and dispersants throughout the Gulf food web.

– MERI is uniquely qualified to lead an independent, region-wide assessment of toxic impacts in the Gulf because of its pioneering work conducting large-scale ecotoxicological investigations.

– The focus of this research is to document impacts of oil and dispersant on the Gulf ecosystem in key species at every trophic level.

– Sample collection will commence immediately and will include water, sediments, and plankton, and tissues of nearshore and offshore fish, sea turtles, marine birds and marine mammals.

– Chemicals to be measured include oil-related contaminants (PAHs, alkylated PAHs, OH-PAHs), and components of Corexit dispersants (surfactants, solvents).

– Contaminant-related health impacts assessment will include mortality and morbidity, and testing for bioindicators such as enzyme induction in various species.

Contact

Susan D. Shaw, DrPH
Director, Marine Environmental Research Institute (MERI)
Center for Marine Studies, PO Box 1653, 55 Main Street
Blue Hill, ME 04614 USA
Tel: (207) 374-2135 Cell (212) 203-9539 Fax: (207) 374-2931
Email: sshaw@meriresearch.org
http://www.meriresearch.org

We’ve been hard at work on the schedule for TEDxOilSpill. Many of you have been asking about who will be speaking when, and we’re releasing this schedule information now as a general guide. It is subject to change (as circumstances dictate) but it should give you a good idea what is planned. We will do our best to post updates here as new information becomes available.

Prelude
8:45:00 David Troy – Welcome to TEDxOilSpill
8:55:07 Farai Chideya – Remarks/Intro
8:58:07 END Intro

Observation
9:00:00 Philippe Cousteau – 18min
9:20:00 TEDxOilSpill Expedition – 25min
9:47:00 Elizabeth Coffman Docu – 10min
9:59:00 LaTosha Brown – 8min
10:09:00 Casey DeMoss – 10min
10:21:00 Jim Geringer/ESRI – 10min
10:33:00 Kitemap Demo – 5min
10:40:00 OilReporter Demo – 5min
10:47:00 Christen Lien – 10min
10:59:00 END Session 1

Oil Science
11:30:00 Lisa Margonelli – 18min
11:50:00 Ronald Atlas – 15min
12:07:00 Jackie Savitz – 9min
12:18:00 Andrew Sharpless – 9min
12:29:00 Amory Lovins Vid – 8min
12:39:00 Dave Gallo, Francis Beland – 25min
13:06:00 END Session 2

Conservation
2:15:00 Sylvia Earle – 18min
2:35:00 Wolcott Henry – 10min
2:47:00 Google Demo – 8min
2:57:00 Susan Shaw – 15min
3:14:00 John Francis – 18min
3:34:00 Carl Safina – 18min
3:54:00 David Johnson – 5min
4:01:00 Leroy Stick – 18min
4:21:00 END Session 3

Future of Energy
4:45:00 Mike Tidwell – 10min
4:57:00 Reid Detchon – 10min
5:09:00 Jigar Shah – 18min
5:29:00 Klaus Lackner – 10min
5:41:00 Phil Radford – 18min
6:01:00 Mike Mendez – 18min
6:21:00 Diarmuid O’Connell – 10 min
6:33:00 Christen Lien – 12min
6:47:00 Closing Remarks
6:54:00 END Event

All times posted are in Eastern Daylight Time.

With just one day to go before TEDxOilSpill, we’re putting the final preparations in place for what’s shaping up to be a day to remember. Because we’re aiming to completely fill the day with amazing moments, we also need you to be prepared. Here’s what you need to know:

Come Rested

It’s going to be a packed day from sunrise to sunset with only a couple breaks for coffee and lunch. Youʼll be sorry if you miss something because you were too tired to stay focused or awake.

Dress Comfortable

Like we said, it’s a long day. Casual attire is absolutely appropriate and encouraged.

The Theater Will be Completely Full

Pretend it’s a Southwest flight. Please arrive early to secure a seat and also be sure to fill in every last seat. Make lots of friends. Sit in a few different places. You will find that your fellow TEDxOilSpill peers are wonderful people.

Leave Your Computer, Phone, etc. in the Car

We know this is a tough one. But for the sake of the live audience (and the video team that will be recording TEDxOilSpill), we ask that you not use your computers, cell phones, cameras, recording devices, etc. in the auditorium. The clicking of computer keys and glow from your phone is not pleasant to other attendees. Please note that we are serious when we say that all electronic devices must be turned off before you enter the auditorium and remain off while you are seated. Don’t worry, all of the content will be available online following the event!

Your Arrival on Monday Morning

Doors to the Woolly Mammoth Theatre will open at 7:00am and we encourage everyone to arrive well before the 8:30am start time. You must check in with registration upon arrival and retrieve your name badge. Please plan to arrive early enough to find parking. If you are late to TEDxOilSpill, you will not be permitted inside the auditorium until there is a break between speakers.

This day is about exploration – meeting new people, hearing new ideas, experiencing the unexpected. There will be elements that will move you, make you think, bring you to tears, give you chills, make you laugh, and perhaps even offend you. Youʼll love some of it, and might hate some of it. But to have any reaction, youʼve first got to show up on time. Transportation and parking details can be found here.

Breakfast, Lunch and Coffee

If you arrive early enough, you will have time to grab some fruit and coffee before TEDxOilSpill begins promptly at 8:30am. We will have two coffee and tea breaks throughout the day, along with a longer break for lunch, which is being provided thanks to the gracious TEDxOilSpill sponsors.

TEDxOilSpill Schedule on June 28

8:40am Introduction
9:00am Session 1: Observation
11:00am Coffee Break
11:30am Session 2: Oil Science
1:00pm Lunch
2:15pm Session 3: Conservation
4:15pm Coffee Break
4:45pm Session 4: Future of Energy
6:45pm Closing Remarks
7:00pm Reception

Tell Your Friends About the Live Stream!

Know people who are interested in the topics being covered at TEDxOilSpill but can’t make the event? Tell them to tune in to our free live stream at: http://tedxoilspill.com/live

Any Questions? Ask Us!

If you need something, just ask us. Our staff and volunteers will be easy to spot with grey TEDxOilSpill t-shirts, and our concierge team will be available all day.