Green & Eco Friendly Roofing Options

Eco-friendly Roofing OptionsChoose from a variety of durable and environmentally friendly roofing materials.  Let Scott's Contracting supply a FREE Green Roofing Estimate for your next roof. 

Scotts Contracting offers Roofing Options that carry a "LIFE TIME GUARANTY" with prices that Start at $5 / SQ FT

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June/July 2010

By Dan Chiras 

Most homeowners have to replace their roof shingles at some point. Exposed to sunlight, heat, cold, rain, wind, and sometimes snow, sleet and hail, conventional asphalt shingle roofs last 20 years, if you're lucky.

Recycled Shingles

Among the most popular — and perhaps the "greenest" — of all roofing products are shingles made from recycled waste materials, such as plastic, rubber or wood fiber. Some products are made from clean post-consumer waste (waste from homes), others from post-industrial waste (factory waste). Recycled-content shingles are amazingly durable, and they look nice, too. You'd never know they were made from "waste" materials!
Recycled-content roof shingles help divert waste from landfills and reduce our need to extract and process raw materials, which lowers energy consumption and reduces pollution. Some of these products are recyclable, too, and many come with amazing 50-year warranties. A few even carry fire ratings that could lower your insurance rates.

Wood Shingles and Shakes

In many parts of the country, wood shingles and shakes have long been a popular choice among builders and homeowners. Unfortunately, conventional wood shingles are made from old-growth western cedar. Although the amount of energy it takes to produce this product is relatively low, the harvest of old-growth trees is not sustainable in the long run. These shingles are also quite combustible and can no longer be used in areas where there is a risk of brush and forest fires.
If you would like to install wood roof shingles and local building codes permit them, consider a product made from reclaimed lumber. The Armster Reclaimed Lumber Co. in Connecticut, for example, makes roof shingles using wood reclaimed from mills, bridges, old water and wine tanks, and a number of other sources. This company acquires old wood throughout the country and makes an effort to process it locally — close to where you purchase the product — to reduce costs and transportation energy.
Another environmentally friendly wood shingle is produced by Maibec Industries in eastern Canada. The company harvests sustainably grown (certified by the Forest Stewardship Council) eastern white cedar trees to produce shakes and shingles. These are most commonly used for siding, but they can be used for roofs, if installed according to the company's recommendations.

Make Good Wood Choices

Almost half the world's original forests have disappeared, one-fifth since the late 1950s....

If you'd like a roof that will outlast a conventional asphalt shingle roof and is made from environmentally friendly roofing materials, consider the products outlined here. Many of them are virtually immune to hail. Green roofing products are many and varied, ranging from recycled-plastic shingles to recycled-metal roofs to sustainably harvested or reclaimed wood roofs. The best option for your home depends on the design of your home, local building codes and price considerations.

Slate and Clay Tiles

Slate is a natural material and produces an extremely durable roof tile — one that can last hundreds of years. Several companies offer slate tiles, and one company offers a 100- year warranty, a deal that will expire long after most of us.
Mining slate and transporting it to market is an energy-intensive process, but several slate roof tile manufacturers offer salvaged slate and clay roof tiles. Durable Slate in Ohio sells both. Clay tiles also are a highly durable roofing material, although they won't last as long as slate.

Metal Roofing

Many metal roofing products include at least some recycled material, but one advantage of metal roofing is that it can be recycled at the end of its life. Because metal roofs can last up to 50 years, roofing replacement is less frequent, which means less waste in the long run. They offer exceptional durability and fire-resistance, and they're ideal for those who want to collect rainwater from their roofs to water gardens (or for household uses). You don't have to worry about chemicals that might leach from a conventional asphalt roof. Standing-seam metal roofs work nicely as the base for thin-film photovoltaic panels, too.
Metal roofs are great in snowy climates because they allow snow to slide off, which prevents ice dams from forming. (Ice dams can damage roofs of improperly insulated homes.) To protect walkways from snow sliding off the roof, you'll need to install snow bars or a similar device over walkways, garage doors and entryways.

Rubber Roofing

Another recycled roof material is reinforced rubber shingles made from old steel-belted radial tires. The material is coated with ground slate for texture and comes in a variety of colors. A big advantage to this material is a long life and a 50-year warranty, including against hail and other extreme weather. Verify with your local building department that rubber roofs are permitted in your area before choosing this option.

Roofing Tips

Roofing is not a job for the inexperienced. It involves working at dangerous heights — possibly on steep slopes — and lifting heavy materials. Roofing requires a considerable amount of knowledge and skill, too. So, unless you've done this kind of work before, are skilled in carpentry, and perhaps have guidance from a professional roofer, this is a job best left to the pros. Read up on safety precautions before you consider doing any roof work, and never work alone.
There's a wide variety of eco-friendly roofing products, so compare your options carefully. Be sure to check the materials' fire ratings, hail ratings and warranties. Call your insurance agent to see whether the product you're considering will qualify you for a discount on your homeowner's insurance.
To re-roof your home, you'll likely need to obtain a building permit and pass an inspection. Be sure your building department approves the shingle product you've selected before you lay your money down!
Although the products discussed in this article offer many benefits, they do have some downsides. Some of them are not as widely available as conventional roofing products, so you may have to shop around to find the option you want. Many green building material outlets sell roofing products. Green Building Products: The GreenSpec Guide to Residential Building Materials provides a helpful listing of environmentally friendly products and manufacturers.
You may also have to shop around to find a roofing contractor who is familiar with the product you're interested in using. Some of these products are relatively new to the market and, although they've been tested, not many roofers have experience with them. When shopping for an environmentally friendly shingle, try to talk to roofers who have installed it, not just to a salesperson. Also ask your roofing contractor whether your old asphalt shingles can be recycled. Some companies grind asphalt shingles to create products for roadway maintenance and repair.

Additional Notes: If you're interested in a slate or clay tile roof, either new or recycled, remember the framing of your roof needs to be strong enough to support the weight of these tiles, which can be substantial. You may need to consult with a structural engineer or with your building department to determine whether your framing is up to the task.

The Cost of a Metal Roof vs. Other Options
Eco-friendly roofing products typically cost more than asphalt shingles — sometimes two to four times more — but you most likely get a product that will outlast two or three conventional roofs, saving you substantially over the long term. You may also qualify for lower insurance rates. These benefits add value to your home, whether you stay there or sell it, and you're also helping promote a healthier, more sustainable world.
Metal roof cost estimate: Installation of standing-seam metal roofing on 2,500-squarefoot, two-story house (area of the roof estimated at 1,500 square feet), does not include cost of removing old shingles:
Cost for materials only: $6,300
Contractor's total, including materials, labor and markup: $9,800 (about $6.53 per square foot)
Other options, per square foot installed:
Laminated, asphalt, 30-year shingles: $3.15
Cedar shingles: $6.65
Clay tile: $9.20
Costs are national averages and do not include sales tax.

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Cool Roofs That Reduce Air-Conditioning Bills

Consider a cool roofing material if you live in a hot, sunny climate. Cool roofs reflect heat instead of absorb it, which helps make your home more comfortable and reduce air conditioning costs. Check with your local building department or neighborhood association for possible roof color restrictions.

Let Scott's Contracting supply a FREE Green Roofing Estimate for your next roof. 
Scotts Contracting offers Roofing Options that carry a "LIFE TIME GUARANTY" with prices that Start at $5 / SQ FT

Email: scottscontracting@gmail.com
http://stlouisrenewableenergy.blogspot.com

Human Powered Generators: Cheap and Easy Renewable Energy

Renewable energy. Energy-efficient homes. Green vehicles. It's all about energy.

By Michelle Martin

Human-powered generators cleverly derive electricity from something we already use in abundance — human movement — offering an easy way to tap renewable energy for anyone interested in a low-impact lifestyle. In the past, a few dedicated individuals have used contraptions like bicycle generators to help power their homes, while campers and disaster-ridden populations have long depended upon hand-crank appliances, like radios. These contraptions convert the force of human motion into renewable energy, which in turn powers your appliances. Capturing this free and abundant power source for electricity continues to become increasingly streamlined and efficient with time. Here are a few creative ways others have turned everyday movement into energy powerhouses.

Children's Playtime Energy Powers Gadgets

Every day 200 schoolchildren in Essam, Ghana spin around their favorite toy, a merry-go-round, as they simultaneously light up their school building's LED bulbs. Empower Playgrounds develops playground equipment that converts the energy of children's play into electricity for rural African villages. In 2008 the non-profit sponsored students from Brigham Young University to help Ghanaians install the merry-go-round, constructed with recycled car parts available within Ghana. In fact, the merry-go-round was designed for Ghanaians to assemble it easily in the future, with materials already abundant. Turning the structure at 12 revolutions per minute creates power to store in car batteries, which powers the LED lights inside the building. The lights can run for 50 hours without needing another boost. Empower Playgrounds has constructed nine merry-go-rounds in Ghana, alongside a swing set. A zip line is in progress.

A few adventurous individuals have taken the idea a step closer to home by making their own motion generating swing sets.

And if you're tired of replacing batteries for your children's toys, SONY sells a line of motion-powered toys for children called ODO, which includes video and still picture cameras and headphones. These gadgets, created with recycled materials or Bioplastic, power themselves with simple actions like cranks or buttons.

Human Power Revolving Door Powers Train Station

Consider every object you move in a day — every door you push through, every button you press, and every time you turn the steering wheel. What if you captured all of the energy that you routinely spend and turned it into electricity?

Boon Edam, a revolving door and turnstile manufacturer, wondered the same thing. Thus, the company developed a revolving door that generates electricity from the commuters who push through it every day. The first one, created in 2008, beckons customers into the Driebergen-Zeist train station in the Netherlands. The energy generated by the door (approximately 2.5 times greater than the energy usage of the average European), powers the LED lights in the ceiling, which can switch to an alternative energy supply in case too few passengers travel through the door.

Boon Edam claims that the energy conserved by their revolving doors worldwide has exceeded 735,000 kWh to date, more than the small island of Monhegan uses in two years. That translates into a reduction of  over 730,000 pounds of CO2 emissions. 

Photos courtesy of Brigham Young University and Boon Edam

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Oil Spill June 11

With each look at oil flow, the numbers get worse

AP – This image from video provided by BP PLC early Friday morning, June 11, 2010 shows oil continuing to …

• Slideshow:Gulf Coast Oil Spill
• Play Video Video:Oil rig families meet Obama Reuters

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Symbol	Price	Change
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XOM	61.29	-0.60
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By SETH BORENSTEIN and HARRY R. WEBER, Associated Press Writers Seth Borenstein And Harry R. Weber, Associated Press Writers – 2 hrs 45 mins ago

HOUSTON – With each new look by scientists, the oil spill just keeps looking worse.

New figures for the blown-out well at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico show the amount of oil spewing may have been up to twice as much as previously thought, according to scientists consulting with the federal government.

That could mean 42 million gallons to more than 100 million gallons of oil have already fouled the Gulf's fragile waters, affecting people who live, work and play along the coast from Louisiana to Florida — and perhaps beyond.

It is the third — and perhaps not the last — time the U.S. government has had to increase its estimate of how much oil is gushing. Trying to clarify what has been a contentious and confusing issue, officials on Thursday gave a wide variety of estimates.

All the new spill estimates are worse than earlier ones â€" and far more costly for BP, which has seen its stock sink since the April 20 explosion that killed 11 workers and triggered the spill. Most of Thursday's estimates had more oil flowing in an hour than what officials once said was spilling in an entire day.

"This is a nightmare that keeps getting worse every week," said Michael Brune, executive director of the Sierra Club. "We're finding out more and more information about the extent of the damage. ... Clearly we can't trust BP's estimates of how much oil is coming out."

The spill was flowing at a daily rate that could possibly have been as high as 2.1 million gallons, twice the highest number the federal government had been saying, U.S. Geological Survey Director Marcia McNutt, who is coordinating estimates, said Thursday. But she said possibly more credible numbers are a bit lower.

And the estimate does not take into account the cutting of the riser pipe on June 3 — which BP said would increase the flow by about 20 percent — and subsequent placement of a cap. No estimates were given for the amount of oil gushing from the well after the cut. Nor are there estimates since a cap was put on the pipe, which already has collected more than 3 million gallons.

The estimates are not nearly complete and different teams have come up with different numbers. A new team from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute came in with even higher estimates, ranging from 1 million gallons a day to 2.1 million gallons. If the high end is true, that means nearly 107 million gallons have spilled since April 20.

Even using other numbers that federal officials and scientists call a more reasonable range would have about 63 million gallons spilling since the rig explosion. If that amount was put in gallon milk jugs, they would line up for nearly 5,500 miles. That's the distance from the spill to London, where BP is headquartered, and then continuing on to Rome.

By comparison, the worst peacetime oil spill, 1979's Ixtoc 1 in Mexico, was about 140 million gallons over 10 months. The Gulf spill hasn't yet reached two months. The Exxon Valdez, the previous worst U.S. oil spill, was just about 11 million gallons, and the new figures mean Deepwater Horizon is producing an Exxon Valdez size spill every five to 13 days.

On Thursday, President Barack Obama consoled relatives of the 11 workers killed in the oil rig explosion, acknowledging their "unimaginable grief" and personally assuring the families he will stand with them.

One man who lost a son asked Obama to support efforts to update federal law limiting the amount of money the families can collect.

"He told us we weren't going to be forgotten," said Keith Jones of Baton Rouge, La. "He just wanted us to know this wasn't going to leave his mind and his heart."

Jones' 28-year-old son, Gordon, was working on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig leased by BP PLC when it exploded and then sank.

Later in the day, the White House released a letter from Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, who is overseeing the crisis for the government, inviting BP Chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg and "any appropriate officials from BP" to meet Wednesday with senior administration officials. Allen said Obama, who has yet to speak with any BP official since the explosion more than seven weeks ago, would participate in a portion of the meeting.

As the crude continues to foul the water, Louisiana leaders are rushing to the defense of the oil-and-gas industry and pleading with Washington to immediately bring back offshore drilling. Though angry at BP over the disaster, state officials warn that the Obama administration's six-month halt to new permits for deep-sea oil drilling has sent Louisiana's most lucrative industry into a death spiral.

They contend that drilling is safe overall and the moratorium is a knee-jerk reaction. They worry that it comes at a time when another major Louisiana industry — fishing — has been brought to a standstill by the Gulf mess.

"Mr. President, you were looking for someone's butt to kick. You're kicking ours," Lafourche Parish President Charlotte Randolph said Thursday.

The oil-and-gas brings in billions of dollars in revenue for Louisiana and accounting for nearly one-third of the nation's domestic crude production, and it took a heavy blow when the government imposed the moratorium.

"It's going to put us out of business," said Glenn LeCompte, owner of a Louisiana catering company that provides food to offshore rigs.

With all sorts of estimates for what's flowing from the BP well — some even smaller than the amount collected by BP in its containment cap — McNutt the most credible range at the moment is between 840,000 gallons and 1.68 million gallons a day. Then she added that it was "maybe a little bit more."

But later Thursday, the Interior Department said scientists who based their calculations on video say the best estimate for oil flow before June 3 was between 1.05 million gallons a day and 1.26 million gallons a day. The department mentioned only a cubic meter per second rate from Woods Hole — not a rate that translated into actual amounts — and those numbers only added to the confusion on just how much oil is gushing out.

Previous estimates had put the range roughly between half a million and a million gallons a day, perhaps higher. At one point, the federal government claimed only 42,000 gallons were spilling a day and then it upped the number to 210,000 gallons.

___

Associated Press writers Tamara Lush, Alan Sayre and Ray Henry in New Orleans, Chris Kahn in New York, Melinda Deslatte in Baton Rouge, Mary Foster in Port Fourchon and Brian Skoloff in Morgan City contributed to this report. Weber reported from Houston, Borenstein from Washington.

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Politics as usual-The bill is S.J. Res. 26.

Obama's greenhouse gas rules survive Senate vote

AP – Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., center, joined by Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, right, and Sen. Kit Bond, R-Mo., …

• Play Video Barack Obama Video:Grading Obama on Gulf Crisis ABC News
• Play Video Barack Obama Video:Oil rig families meet Obama Reuters
• Play Video Barack Obama Video:Family members of the BP explosion victims seek help in Washington KVUE-TV Austin

By JIM ABRAMS, Associated Press Writer Jim Abrams, Associated Press Writer – Fri Jun 11, 1:52 am ET

WASHINGTON – In a boost for the president on global warming, the Senate on Thursday rejected a challenge to Obama administration rules aimed at cutting greenhouse gas emissions from power plants and other big polluters.

The defeated resolution would have denied the Environmental Protection Agency the authority to move ahead with the rules, crafted under the federal Clean Air Act. With President Barack Obama's broader clean energy legislation struggling to gain a foothold in the Senate, the vote took on greater significance as a signal of where lawmakers stand on dealing with climate change.

"If ever there was a vote to find out whose side you are on, this is it," said Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee.
The vote was 53-47 to stop the Senate from moving forward on the Republican-led effort to restrain the EPA.
Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., predicted the vote would "increase momentum to adopt comprehensive energy and climate legislation this year."

But Obama still needs 60 votes to advance his energy agenda, and Democrats don't have them yet. Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., said the vote made clear that a majority in the Senate back either a delay or an outright ban on "the Obama EPA's job-killing, global warming agenda."

Republicans, and the six Democrats who voted with them to advance the resolution, said Congress, not bureaucrats, should be in charge of writing climate change policy. They said the EPA rules would drive up energy costs and kill jobs.

But Democrats, referring frequently to the Gulf oil spill, said it made no sense to undermine efforts to curtail greenhouse gas emissions and reduce dependence on oil and other fossil fuels.

The effort to block the rules "is an attempt to bury our heads in the sand and ignore reality," said Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M.

Obama said the vote was another reminder of the need to pass legislation to reduce the country's reliance on oil. The White House had issued a veto threat this week, saying the resolution would block efforts to cut pollution that could harm people's health and well-being.

"Today the Senate chose to move America forward, towards that clean energy economy — not backward to the same failed policies that have left our nation increasingly dependent on foreign oil," he said.

The EPA crafted standards on greenhouse gas emissions by big polluters after the Supreme Court ruled that those emissions could be considered a danger to human health and thus could be regulated under the Clean Air Act. The rules are to go into effect next January.
The poor chances of the anti-EPA measure overcoming a veto and becoming law did not deter fierce debate.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky called the new regulations a "blatant power grab by the administration and the EPA." With a broad energy bill unlikely to pass this year, "the administration has shifted course and is now trying to get done through the back door what they haven't been able to get done through the front door," he said.

But Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., called the blocking measure, "a great big gift to big oil" that would "increase pollution, increase our dependence on foreign oil and stall our efforts to create jobs" in clean energy.

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Thursday that he anticipated the Senate taking up a broader energy bill in the next several weeks "and hopefully we can get something done before Congress adjourns this year."

The sponsor of Thursday's resolution, Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of oil-rich Alaska, said her intent was to protect the authority of Congress, not the interests of the oil industry. "It should be up to us to set the policy of this country, not unelected bureaucrats within an agency," she said.

Her Democratic allies used similar arguments. "The regulatory approach is the wrong way to promote renewable energy and clean energy jobs in Arkansas and the rest of the country," said Sen. Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas, who faces a difficult re-election campaign this summer.

Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., who opposed the resolution, agreed that Congress should not cede its authority to the executive branch but expressed concern the measure would reverse progress made in such areas as vehicle emissions. He said he supported a bill that would suspend EPA's regulation of greenhouse gases from stationary sources for two years.

Murkowski, too, said Congress should be working harder to come up with an energy bill. The issue was whether a consensus was possible this year.

"Here's the real rub," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican who has worked with Democrats on possible energy legislation. "If we stop them (the rules), are we going to do anything?"

"This is going to be the great hypocrisy test," said Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., cosponsor of a major clean energy proposal. He asked whether those demanding that Congress act first would actually vote for change.

There were other disputes about the consequences of the Murkowski resolution. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson and the White House said the resolution would force the EPA to rescind the standards for emissions from future-model cars and light trucks it came up with earlier this year with the Transportation Department. The result, she said, would be a need for the country to consume an extra 455 million barrels of oil.

Murkowski and others countered that Transportation has long been able to set fuel efficiency standards without the help of the EPA.

Jackson also denied the argument of critics that the EPA rules would impose devastating costs on small businesses and farmers, resulting in major job losses. The EPA added a provision that exempts small sources of pollution from the regulations for six years.
___
The bill is S.J. Res. 26.
Online:
Congress: http://thomas.loc.gov.

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More Active Sun Means Nasty Solar Storms Ahead

Solar Storm News Wed Jun 9, 6:00 pm ET The sun is about to get a lot more active, which could have ill effects on Earth. So to prepare, top sun scientists met Tuesday to discuss the best ways to protect Earth's satellites and other vital systems from the coming solar storms. Solar storms occur when sunspots on our star erupt and spew out flumes of charged particles that can damage power systems. The sun's activity typically follows an 11-year cycle, and it looks to be coming out of a slump and gearing up for an active period. "The sun is waking up from a deep slumber, and in the next few years we expect to see much higher levels of solar activity," said Richard Fisher, head of NASA's Heliophysics Division. "At the same time, our technological society has developed an unprecedented sensitivity to solar storms. The intersection of these two issues is what we're getting together to discuss." Fisher and other experts met at the Space Weather Enterprise Forum, which took place in Washington, D.C., at the National Press Club. Bad news for gizmos People of the 21st century rely on high-tech systems for the basics of daily life. But smart power grids, GPS navigation, air travel, financial services and emergency radio communications can all be knocked out by intense solar activity.  A major solar storm could cause twenty times more economic damage than Hurricane Katrina, warned the National Academy of Sciences in a 2008 report, "Severe Space Weather Events—Societal and Economic Impacts." Luckily, much of the damage can be mitigated if managers know a storm is coming. That's why better understanding of solar weather, and the ability to give advance warning, is especially important. Putting satellites in 'safe mode' and disconnecting transformers can protect electronics from damaging electrical surges. "Space Weather forecasting is still in its infancy, but we're making rapid progress," said Thomas Bogdan, director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)'s Space Weather Prediction Center in Boulder, Colo. Eyes on the sun NASA and NOAA work together to manage a fleet of satellites that monitor the sun and help to predict its changes. A pair of spacecraft called STEREO (Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory) is stationed on opposite sides of the sun, offering a combined view of 90 percent of the solar surface. In addition, SDO (the Solar Dynamics Observatory), which just launched in February 2010, is able to photograph solar active regions with unprecedented spectral, temporal and spatial resolution. Also, an old satellite called the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE), which launched in 1997, is still chugging along monitoring winds coming off the sun. And there are dozens more dedicated to solar science. "I believe we're on the threshold of a new era in which space weather can be as influential in our daily lives as ordinary terrestrial weather." Fisher said. "We take this very seriously indeed."  SPACE.com Staff SPACE.com Space.com Staff space.com – Gallery: Hyperactive Sun Video - How Space Storms Wreak Havoc on Earth Gallery: Solar Storms Original Story: More Active Sun Means Nasty Solar Storms Ahead SPACE.com offers rich and compelling content about space science, travel and exploration as well as astronomy, technology, business news and more. The site boasts a variety of popular features including our space image of the day and other space pictures,space videos,

• Play Video Space Video:Nasa puts faces in space KGW NewsChannel 8 Portland, Ore.
• Play Video Space Video:NASA Langley home to testing facility for safe water landings 13 News, WVEC Hampton Roads
• Play Video Space Video:Without AC, most of Newport News city hall to close early 13 News, WVEC Hampton Roads

BP Oil Spill Film Footage June 10

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   More on AP

   AP Exclusive: Scuba Diving in the Gulf Oil Spill

   Wed Jun 9, 5:37AM PT - AP 3:23 | 173856 views

   A rare and different perspective at the oil spill from beneath the surface. The AP's Rich Matthews got an exclusive look at the spill by joining a dive team who explored how the oil is impacting the…

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BP's Falling Stock Prices

BP shares fall on oil spill fallout fears

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AP – A BP logo is seen at a petrol station in Birmingham, England, Thursday, June 10, 2010. Shares in BP PLC …

• Play Video Energy & Oil Video:Mad Money Recap: Weatherford TheStreet.com
• Play Video Energy & Oil Video:Raw Video: Dozens protest BP in California AP

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Symbol	Price	Change
BP	32.54	+3.34
^GSPC	1,080.41	+24.72
^IXIC	2,203.87	+45.02

By JANE WARDELL, AP Business Writer Jane Wardell, Ap Business Writer – 1 hr 27 mins ago

LONDON – BP shares fell Thursday in London as U.S. politicians pressed the British oil company to halt its dividend payments and fork out greater compensation for American workers and companies devastated by the massive Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

But markets were also beginning to heed warnings from analysts who said Wednesday's 15.8 percent sell-off of BP shares in New York was an overreaction.

BP shares dropped as much as 11 percent to a 13-year low at the open in London, then recovered some ground by early afternoon, trading 6.1 percent lower at 367.8 pence ($5.39). In New York, the stock opened 9.8 percent higher at $32.05.

BP has lost around half its market value since the spill began with an April 20 rig explosion in the Gulf.

The company has found itself caught in a trans-Atlantic squeeze between an angry U.S. administration and unhappy shareholders — some 18 million Britons hold shares or pension funds in the company.

Prime Minister David Cameron's office said the British leader would discuss the issue with President Barack Obama on a scheduled telephone call over the weekend.

"I understand the U.S. government's frustration because it is a catastrophe for the environment," Cameron said Thursday while on a visit to Afghanistan.

Investors are fretting about the rising costs facing BP after Obama suggested it should also pay unemployment benefits to thousands of oil workers laid off during a moratorium on deep-sea drilling triggered by the spill.

BP tried to reassure investors before the London Stock Exchange opened, saying it was in a strong financial position and it saw no reason to justify the U.S. sell-off, and many analysts agree that the company can withstand the crisis.

But most market experts also acknowledge that the political rhetoric surrounding the accident is outweighing financial fundamentals.

"We don't believe BP has a funding issue, but given the overwhelmingly hostile nature of the U.S. government the company may decide to suspend payments until the wells are capped and the clean-up sufficiently advanced to convince the U.S. that it can afford all the costs as well as pay dividends," said Evolution Securities analyst Richard Griffith. "Unilateral action against BP over its U.S. operations, be it unreasonable or illegal, hangs over BP."

Robert Talbut, the chief investment officer at Royal London Asset Management, a shareholder in BP, said "there is a lot of very irrational and short-term selling going on." But he added that talk of a potential sale of assets or takeover bid — PetroChina Ltd. has been suggested by some as a potential suitor — was not surprising.

"I can understand exactly why someone else would want to buy the BP assets because I think they are grossly undervalued at the moment," he said. "As a shareholder, it's not something I would welcome."

The politics of the spill crossed the Atlantic, with London Mayor Boris Johnson expressing concern Thursday about the "anti-British rhetoric that seems to be permeating from America."

Johnson said BP was paying a "very, very heavy price" for an accident.

"I would like to see a bit of cool heads rather than endlessly buck-passing and name-calling," Johnson told BBC Radio. "When you consider the huge exposure of British pension funds to BP, it starts to become a matter of national concern if a great British company is being continually beaten up on the airwaves."

The influential Financial Times newspaper ran a banner front-page headline "UK alarm over attack on BP."

Cutting the dividend would have a big impact in Britain, where the company accounts for about an eighth of dividend payments from companies in that country's blue-chip stock index, providing crucial income for retirees. In addition, about 40 percent of BP's shareholders are based in the U.S.

BP, which earned more than $16 billion last year, said Thursday the cost of the clean-up and containment efforts had now hit $1.43 billion.

Speaking to investors last week, CEO Tony Hayward wouldn't estimate the total bill, though he told analysts that minority partners in the rig would be expected to pay as well.

BP stressed on Thursday that it had "significant capacity and flexibility" to deal with ongoing costs, underlining its additional cash flow, strong debt to equity ratio and proven reserves.

The company reminded investors that it had indicated in March — before the explosion at the Deepwater Horizon rig — that its cash inflows and outflows were balanced at an oil price of around $60 per barrel.

It said its gearing was currently below the bottom of its targeted range and its asset base was "strong and valuable." The company had more than 18 million barrels of proven reserves and 63 billion barrels of resources at the end of 2009.

Killik & Co. analyst Jonathan Jackson said the shares would remain very volatile until there was a clearer idea of the potential cost but he remained positive on the stock.

"Despite the high risk involved in adding to holdings in the short term and the possibility of a temporary suspension of the dividend, we would continue to do so," he said.

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AP Reporter Robert Barr contributed to this story.

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