Ben Samoylov    Allison Wagner 

Is Oil Evil?

Ben Samoylov    Allison Wagner  Is Oil Evil? PT.1 PT.2 PT.3 PT. 4

PT.1

Is your personal consumption of oil part of the problem?

   Whether we realize it or not, oil affects our life everyday. Like many others, I use oil everyday. Not only in our cars, like many expect, but in is present in many products. Since oil is such a big part of my life I, personally, am part of the problem. This is because there are so many like me. If everybody cut back on their oil consumption, it would not only benefit our environment, but it could help solve problems in the Middle East.

Allison Wagner

PT.2

What impact does oil have on our environment?

There’s no doubt about it, oil is part of the cause of global warming. The question is: how much? People say that oil is destroying our environment, that burning oil is emitting lots of carbon dioxide, which is contributing to the greenhouse gases, supposedly causing global warming. In fact, if you take a look at the numbers, you’ll see that water vapor makes up 95 percent of greenhouse gases. If you include water vapor in all this panic about greenhouse gases, the amount of greenhouse activity caused by humans levels off to about 0.28 percent. Carbon dioxide is given off by enormous natural activities, such as volcanoes. When leaves fall off trees and die, they give off carbon dioxide. Think about how many leaves there are in the world! Giant oceans give off carbon dioxide all the time. Oil burning is causing global warming and heating up the earth, but there’s so much more carbon dioxide emitted from natural events, not to include the water vapor.

Ben Samoylov

PT.3

Are there any viable energy alternatives?

 Yes, there are plenty of energy alternatives that people can use, like hydroelectric energy, which is electric power generated from running water, like a water wheel, or wind and solar energy. Unfortunately, either no one wants to go through the trouble of switching their energy source, because it’s so much more convenient to go to a gas station, or, in the case of hybrid cars, they’re too expensive for anyone except the richest people to buy. Hybrid cars, by the way, are much more efficient than regular cars. Here's how they work:

 Ben Samoylov

PT. 4

 Is there a connection between oil and violence in the Middle East?

       With as much power as the oil industry holds, there is bound to be complications. Since oil is used daily in almost every part of the world, a lot of money goes into the oil industry. Since a majority of oil can be found in the Middle East, there can be many negative affects occuring there. When people want access to such power, they are willing to fight for it. I think that can definitely lead to problems of violence. Since there is no controlling where these natural resources, are the cycle of power and violence will continue to occur in the Middle East.

 Allison Wagner

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