Is Oil Evil?

Is Oil Evil? PT.1  Is your personal consumption of oil part of the problem? PT.2   What impact does oil have on our environment?  PT.3  Are there any viable energy alternatives? PT. 4  Is there a connection between oil and violence in the Middle East? Sources: Contributors:

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

 Yes, I believe that our personal consumption increases the problem. The United States is the world's leading consumer of oil. The United States consumes about 21 barrels of oil per day. Each person that consumes oil is part of the problem. People mainly use oil to get around. There cars burn lots of oil and we only have a certain amount of oil in the worl. This is becuase oil is a nonrenewable resource. Personally we might not be making a huge affect on the world because of our consumption of oil, but we are adding to the problem. We personally need to use oil to get to work, the mall, school, and everywhere else. Oil is something that most people need. We need to find an alternative way becuase soon the oil will run out. We only have so much in  the world.  

               Lilly Farahani 12/21/07

PT.2   What impact does oil have on our environment? 

    I believe, and I know that many of you agree, that oil has a very negative impact on our environment. Air pollution from oil can cause disease and kill animals and humans. Oil spills from ships transporting it can destroy the ocean ecosystem, and kill many of the creatures that call the ocean their home. However, these horrible affects do not seem to change the world’s dependency on oil. For instance, in 2004, America’s use of gas alone was responsible for 11 percent of the world’s oil consumption. In more recent years, this percentage has increased even higher. You might be asking, “How does this impact our environment?” Well, it kills people and animals, it pollutes our water, and some people even say that our oil consumption as a means for fuel is causing global warming. If we do not stop using oil for energy, our environment in the next several years will take a turn for the worse. In a short period of time, we may not have a clean, healthy planet to live on, due to our consumption of oil.

 Here is an example of how oil drilling can ruin an ecosystem.

-Andrea H. 12/14/07

PT.3  Are there any viable energy alternatives?

   Solar panels are one possible way for energy to be collected.

    There are several viable energy alternatives that are available to us. Some examples of these are things like vegetable oil, hydroelectric energy, and solar power. For all of these alternatives, though, there are setbacks that could keep them from replacing oil. Take, for example, solar power. Solar cells turn the energy from sunlight into electricity. Now, this is a good thing because it is a renewable resource (it’s naturally supplied, as long as we have the sun), and it does not pollute the air. Unfortunately, some of its drawbacks are that it is expensive compared to our grid electricity that we have right now, and also the solar panels need to be cleaned in order to work properly. We have many different energy alternatives, but so far, none of them are cheap enough and easy enough to get for them to make a real difference in our oil consumption.

-Andrea H. 12/14/07

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

There is definitely a connection between oil and the violence in the Middle East. In the beginning Baghdad was planning a quick, easy win over Tehran. Saddam thought it would be an easy win against Iran because Iran’s kingdom had just collapsed. Since Iran’s kingdom had collapsed, Iran had lost most of their army. Saddam thought that they could have an easy win over Iran and get Iran’s oil. Another example how there is a connection between oil and the violence in the Middle East is the attack on Kuwait. Saddam, once again, thought that he could get an easy win over Kuwait. He thought he could get Kuwait’s rich oil easily. Most of the violence in the Middle East is about oil. The countries what the Middle Eastern countries valuable “black gold.” Most countries that attacked the Middle Eastern countries were mainly because of wealth and greed.

The countries are just looking for a way to get money, and one way is by getting the wonderful “black gold,” from Middle Eastern countries.

                                                         -Lilly F. 12/14/07

Sources:

1.   Energy Statistics. 14 June. 2007. CIA World Factbook. 21 December. 2007 .< www.nationalmaster.com>.

Contributors:

 Lilly Farahani and Andrea Hayen

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