Is Oil Evil?

Is Oil Evil? 1. Is your personal consumption of oil part of the problem? 2. What impacts does oil have on our environment? 3. Are there any viable energy alternatives? by Kiren G 4. Is there a connection and violence in the Middle East? Sources: Pawelski, Natalie. "Solar-Powered House Makes Light of Utility Bills." CNN April 1996. 28      April 1996 <http://www.cnn.com/EARTH/9604/28/power.house/index.html>  "Global Warming." New York Times. 11 Dec. 2007. 15 Dec. 2007 <www.nytimes.com>. Contributors:

1. Is your personal consumption of oil part of the problem?

The U.S. has become a symbol of arrogance, greediness, and wastefulness. We refer to this as a stereotype and a generalization, but how much of a stereotype is it? Does the everyday American make the effort to reduce their oil consumption on any level?

My parents drive an SUV and a luxury sedan (an Acura and a BMW, respectively). We live in a house that is continually heated and provided power to run TVs, computers, lights, and electrical appliances that are left on when they are not being used. Although I am only a small percentage of the U.S’s oil consumption problem, the mentality that “oil is infinite” cannot be that of all Americans.

2. What impacts does oil have on our environment?

Oil is the root of many problems in our world; violence in the Middle East, wars, etc. One of the overlooked problems, until recently, was the impact of oil on our environment. Oil and CO2 emissions are seen to be the cause of global warming, and the air pollution can hurt livestock, agriculture, and it is dangerous to human health in general.

THIS link, to the NYTimes, provides evidence to global warming, including massive polar ice melting. The number of category four and five hurricanes has doubled in the past thirty years, and the flow of ice from glaciers in Greenland has more than doubled in the past decade.

The average temperature, as you can see, has increased dramatically. This causes a change in ocean currents, and changes the environment of all animals, which will have to respond to this change.

3. Are there any viable energy alternatives? by Kiren G

 Honestly, Americans are very dependant oil. We use it to heat our homes, run our cars, lawnmowers, snowblowers, and other gardening tools such as those. Even though car manufacturers are putting out more fuel effiecient cars and trying to invet new fuel saving technoogies we are still emitting too much. BMW is trying to produce a hydrogen powered car. Hydrogen is good because the only emissions are water but hydrogen is very flamable and there are very few gas stations that allow you to pump hydrogeninto your car. GM and Chrysler are using E85 ethonol which is mostly made out corn. Although these cars are more fuel efficient the price of corn will go up but, thats not that bigg of a problem. Ford, GM, Chrysler, Toyota, Honda as well as many other manufactures are putting out hybrid vehicles. These cars shut off when the car is not moving and turn back when you step on the gas. This is really useful because we all know you spend a lot of time at red lights and stop signs. The downside is they are usually expencive. For example, the Toyota Prius starts around $20,000 and I know that you're going to additional features. But if you drive quite a bit hybrids are a good choice. There are also many other alternatives that could be available in the future such as, solar power, and electric cars. 

For powering your homes solar power can be put to use. There are people that run their entire on soar energy! They have solar panels on the roof that power all of there appliences. Though it is costly to install the system,  if you are out of the reach of power lines the $15,000 is a small price to pay because of the free energy and the fact that over the years your savings will add up.    

4. Is there a connection and violence in the Middle East?

 Ok, this question can be looked at in many ways. You could say that the violence is not related to oil and it is truely a war on terror. But, i'm goin to say that there is a connection between oil and the violence in the Middle East. The way I see it is that we need oil because we are one of the biggest if not the biggest consumers of oil in the world but, we don't produce the same amout of oil that we use. Let me put it this way, if you were short a quarter for your lunch money what would you do? You start to ask your friends if they have a quarter or any money that you can barrow. The same concept applies hear. Since we don't produce the amount of oil that we need we start asking the Middle East, which would be like the friends, for oil, which would be like the money. The Middle East says no, so what do we do, we go in and take it by force. We all know they're not just going to sit there and let us destroy their countries, they're going to fight back. You know what let me put it in these words, the school bully asks you for your lunch money, and you say no. NOw he says he's going to beat you up, and you still don't give him the money. I think you all know what happens next, the bully hits you and I know you wouldn't just sit there and take that you would hit him back and next thing you know, your in a big fight. Look, the U.S. is the bully, the Middle East is the poor kid that gets bullied, and the oil is the lunch money. See when you don't use alll of the fancy words the use to describe things like this on the news its very easy to undestand these concepts.  

Sources:

Pawelski, Natalie. "Solar-Powered House Makes Light of Utility Bills." CNN April 1996. 28

     April 1996 <http://www.cnn.com/EARTH/9604/28/power.house/index.html> 

"Global Warming." New York Times. 11 Dec. 2007. 15 Dec. 2007 <www.nytimes.com>.

Contributors:

-Adam J (questions 1 + 2)

-Kiren G (questions 3 +4 )

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