Is Oil Evil?

 

 

 

 

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

 

     My personal oil consumption is not a part of the current problem we are having. Cars are the main source for oil emmitions and as I am only 14 and not old enough to drive, I do not consume any oil when related to cars. Oil is also used, not only for transportation needs, but as a source for heat when people are crafting products. I may use these products, however, I am not directly consuming oil. Overall, i do not use oil on a daily basis and I do not directly use oil for any task, therefore, my personal consumption of oil is not a part of the problem. Also, because I am only one person out of 6 billion, even if I did use oil, it would not highly contribute to the problem.

 

 

 2.  What impact does oil have on our environment? (Max)

 

 

   Oil has many impacts on our enviroment, unfortunately, none of them are good or benficial to the enviroment. The main impact of oil many people know as Global Warming. The oil (or gas) that is burned in everyday activities and used many times a day releases Carbon Dioxide which goes to our O-zone layer. This Carbon Dioxide (CO2) traps in heat which is slowly raising the average temperature. Global Warming is melting our polar ice caps and if it isn't stopped, then the average sea level will be raised. This will sink Louisiana, The Everglades, and any other place that is under sea level under the ocean. This is the main impact of oil, Global Warming which is raising the world's temperature, melting our polar ice caps and sinking our planet.

 
 3.  Are there any viable energy alternatives? (Ezra)

 

    There are other possible ways to make oil an obsolete source of energy. One type is solar, which i think will be the energy resource of the future. There are many upsides to solar energy over oil, such as solar energy is 100% clean, harming the environment in no way. Another big difference which is causing problems for oil right now is there is a basically limitless source of solar energy, because the energy comes from the sun which isn't going out for billions of years, while oil is speculated to last only another 65 years. A problem people seem to be having with solar energy is finding a way to harness it. Also, drilling oil out of the ground destabilizes our earth and lowers the gravitational pull on everything in the earth. With solar energy, everything is coming from the sun, and its a constantly renewable resource. Other possible energy sources could be geothermal, wind power, hydroelectric, and even getting power from tides. The following link successfully illustrates all the aspects of solar energy, and why more people are looking to it for the near future. Solar Energy

 

 

 
 4.  Is there a connection between oil and violence in the Middle East? (Ezra)

 

 
    There is an obvious connection between many aspects of violence in the middle east and oil. The war in iraq does not have many good reasons for occurring, and some people are blaming George Bush searching for oil there, not weapons of mass destruction. Middle-Eastern extremists blame the west for buying saudi oil, which apparently somehow threatens their livelihood. Maybe the extremists are mad because the big oil people in the Middle-East are taking all the profit while others are suffering right around them. Oil roots itself in both of those conflicts, and may be the cause for terrorist attacks on the U.S. If we were less reliant on oil from the middle east, many conflicts could be potentially solved and the big saudi oil people could even give back to their community.

 

 


Page Information

  • 8 months ago [history]
  • View page source
  • You're not logged in
  • Recent comments:
    Tommy P.:First off, I do not agree with the first post because everyone does effect the environment. You still drive to school, but it's not your car. You are still using it though, also it will effect the environment gradually with every other person that uses oil. Also, oil doesn't effect the ozone layer,it builds up greenhouse gases and doesn't let sunlight back out of the atmosphere. Every thing else in these articles is fine though. It was interesting to read your views even thought I do not agree.
    mat:I understand your position on all the questions, and agree to most of them.I agree to question 1, when you say that your personal consumption of oil is not part of the problem.
    Ben:I know this isn't a blog next to mine, but I was looking at people's comments, and I felt that I needed to respond to Laura's comment. You say that the people that drive you are harming the environment; but yet if you look at Sophia's comment, which I'm sure you agree with, she says that if one person saves a gallon a day, that one person will not only make a huge difference over time, but encourage other people to do the same. If Max carpools, he is that one person. Also, I of course agree with you when you say that he indirectly uses oil every day. However, remember seeing the BBC video on global warming? Remember that woman in Africa with the baby on her back, and all the facts they told us about families like that? That's what happens when you completely cut oil out of your lives. It's impossible to not use oil at all, aside from hydroelectricity, which is so much more expensive and so much less convenient, so the problem is the overuse of oil, not the use of oil.
  • No tags yet learn more

Wiki Information

Recent PBwiki Blog Posts