The polluting of the Gulf of Mexico by the still-spewing oil disaster is just the latest of our assaults on the region. Did you know that for part of every year, the area near the Mississippi River delta has been so poisoned by agricultural and industrial contaminants that it is literally called the Dead Zone? And that was BEFORE the recent spill. There are hundreds of Dead Zones around the world that ebb and flow with the seasons, but this may set a record as a Dead Gulf. What can you do? Choose organic food as often as you possibly can. Plant a fruit tree, grow some tomatoes in a pot – join the growing crowd of urban farmers who are starting to take back the ancient human art of growing food.