A visitor to the Audubon Aquarium in New Orleans was ruffled by signage at the formerly named Gulf of Mexico exhibit.
The Redditor posted a photo showing the name "Gulf of America" with insignias of the exhibit's sponsors, all oil and gas companies.
"Audubon Aquarium in New Orleans along with all of their generous corporate sponsors embracing the rebrand of the Gulf," the Redditor wrote.
The aquarium's website notes that "the Gulf of Mexico's name was changed to Gulf of America (in the United States only) by the U.S. Geographic Names Information System … in 2025. The exhibit name was updated to reflect this change."
This recent controversy was caused by President Donald Trump's executive order known as "Restoring Names that Honor American Greatness," which directs the Department of the Interior to rename the north of the Gulf of Mexico as "the Gulf of America" and to reinstate the name "Mount McKinley," overturning an Obama-era decision to revert to the mountain's Koyukon name, Denali.
However, the Texas Observer's Lise Olsen wrote after the order that "most of the Gulf of Mexico is international waters, and the International Hydrographic Organization, which maintains registries of names, will likely not adopt Trump's moniker."
"President Trump should be taking action to protect this incredible resource, which has significant cultural, ecological, and economic value to communities that live along its coast," Jen Duggan, the executive director of the Environmental Integrity Project, told the Texas Observer.
Chevron, BP, Exxon Mobil, and Shell did sponsor the exhibit before the name change. One Redditor posted a photo in 2016 of the exhibit, pointing out the companies' sponsorship.
The aquarium's website invites viewers to "explore an underwater oil rig in the Aquarium's Gulf of America exhibit and meet the aquatic animals that thrive around its barnacled pilings."
Some commenters on the 2016 post were outraged, given the history of oil spills in the region — like the Deepwater Horizon disaster of 2010, which is still negatively affecting whales and dolphins, according to Mongabay.
TCD Picks » Upway Spotlight
💡Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands
|
Do you think America has a plastic waste problem? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Definitely 👍 Others pointed out that oil rigs do indeed create habitats for fish and other creatures.
"They dumped tanks and old cars in the ocean for the purpose of marine life dwelling … it's just another piece of metal for them to live in and around,"one commenter wrote.
These companies may be illustrating that their presence benefits the Gulf, but it's important to be aware of nuanced "greenwashing" by oil and gas companies, too. Chevron, Shell, BP, and Exxon Mobil have all been accused of greenwashing.
Commenters on the "Gulf of America" post were harsh, with a demoralized tone.
"The real life version of Idiocracy…it's terrifying," one person wrote.
"Dystopian society has been going for a while now," another said.
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
