It has been nearly a year since the chaos and catastrophe of the BP oil spill.  Still remnants of oil are surfacing on shorelines and an entire eco system faces sizable risk.

Besides Kevin Costner's reoccurring roles in ecologically minded movies, he has taken a more direct step in safeguarding the environment from catastrophe.

Partnering with Ocean Therapy Solutions, Costner has developed giant drum-shaped machines that act as giant vacuum cleaners, separating the water from the oil.

Costner wants to ensure that a crisis like this does not come up again.  Even after the spotlight of the media has shifted off BP, Costner keeps the pressure on these corporate giants and their accountability.

These giant vacuums can suck 200,000 gallons of oil and water a day.  A significant difference compared to the workers that used hand held suction devices collecting oil one, tiny patch at a time a year ago. It's like trying to bail out water from an ocean liner with a thimble.  Costner's apparatus is designed to separate oil from huge volumes of water, creating a sizable difference, and saving an ecosystem that is already at risk.

Costner belief in protecting the environment is clearly evident as he has spent the last 15 years working with partners and investing $24 million of his own money into this potential solution.

The last piece of the puzzle is BP.  An investment from them would get these giant vacuums out in the gulf where they can be actively decontaminating the water.  Costner's actions have created a domino effect that is blocks away from tipping a corporate giant in the direction of investing in the environment and that is far from famous, it is legendary.