Ott gets personal in ‘Not One Drop’

JOY LANDALUCE

January 08, 2009 at 12:27PM AKST

Riki Ott carries readers down an intimate path that destiny seems to have chosen for her with her new book “Not One Drop.” Ott takes you into her childhood as she champions the environment with her father as her teacher.

She headed off for a summer fishing job after college graduation to be taken in by the small fishing community of Cordova. She fished with her own Area E permit in the summer of 1986. She recalls fishing long hours in the Prince William Sound, and she writes about how the Copper River had her poised preciously in the center of the dangers of oil transportation through the fishing grounds she loved so fiercely.

Ott’s first book, “Sound Truth/Corporate Myth,” spoke to the hard science surrounding the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Both books will now be used as a speaking platform that author/activist Ott intends to take around the world.

”If you dig deep enough – you realize that America is in the midst of its own economic crisis caused by corporate greed,” Ott said. “Something is fundamentally wrong with America when we privatize profits and socialize the risk. I hope to create a citizens movement using the legacy of the Exxon Valdez oil spill. The people of America should help overturn the Exxon Valdez decision and amend the Constitution to restrain corporate power.”

The Cook Inlet Keeper recently presented the 2008 Muckraker’s Award to Ott. She was chosen for the special award because she has been the leading advocate in proclaiming injustice with Exxon’s spill, everything from lingering environmental harm to sick workers from the oil and toxic chemicals used on the cleanup. Ott’s studies have uncovered the type of chemicals used for cleaning beaches, and the effects of the spray mist from shooting hot seawater through hoses onto the crude-oil-covered beaches.

“I have written these two books showing what the problems are, I intend to use them now as a platform to work on making solutions happen,” said Ott, who received her doctorate degree in marine pollution from the University of Washington in 1985. “The Exxon Valdez oil spill really affects the whole world. We learned that oil is more toxic than anyone thought; we need to get off oil. It is causing global warming and poisoning people.”

Ott is launching a new Web site www.ultimatecivics.com in late January. She can also be reached at www.Riki Ott.com

Joy Landaluce can be reached at 907-424-7181.

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