Is Oil Evil?

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

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

My personal consumption of oil is a part of the problem. The United States has become so dependent on oil that we can practically not live without it. Everyday I use oil in many different ways. First of all, it would almost be impossible to get anywhere you needed to be in a sufficient time without oil. We use our cars everyday to get us from one place to another, to school or work and back. That can use up a lot of oil. Especially if our vehicles we use are not very fuel efficient. Transportation is not the only way we consume oil. We also use oil to heat our houses. There are other ways to heat ur house but oil is a prominent source. If we didn’t heat our houses during the winter we would not be in a good shape. Oil is present in our everyday lives weather we like it or not. IT is very had to find ways to totally eliminate oil from our everyday use, but for now we can keep trying to use less and less of it everyday.

Tricia Connolly 12/14/07

2. What impact does oil have on our environment?

The question is quite contraversial. Many resoures have pointed to a very negative impact. "The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council estimates that 250,000 seabirds, 2,800 sea otters, 300 harbor seals, 250 bald eagles, and 22 killer whales, were killed," (Ambrose, William G, Paul E Renaud and Paula A Ford-Martin 1). This is the result of oil. March 4th 1989 was the day of death for these helpless creatures, also the day of the largest oil spill in the U.S. to this day. In addition, the government is trying to drill for oil in the Artic National Wildlife Refuge in northern Alaska. "Nevertheless, the oil industry has placed a bull's eye on the very same piece of land that Congress set aside as critical habitat for the caribou," (Markey, Edward J. 1). If we were to okay this action and drill in this refuge, we would destroy the entire area. Overall, oil can be very harmful to nature. Between oil spills and drilling, thousands of critters and habitats are destroyed.

Sarah S

3. Are there any viable energy alternatives?

Yes, there are many energy alternatives. Everyday scientists are trying to create even more energy alternatives. Some are better than others. Solar power is one example. Solar power is practically free; it is around us all the time every day. The sun supplies us with the power for energy almost all day. How come we didn’t think of this idea before? Another alternative energy source is Wind Power. Wind is virtually free also; wind is produced by Mother Nature and it is around us constantly. Also, we can use geothermal energy. Geothermal energy may not be an easy to get but it is still an efficient source. Tides and hydroelectricity can also be alternative energy sources. These both use water to create energy. Water makes up 80% of our planet, so these energy sources would be very efficient. I'm sure there are many other alternative energy sources out there being tested in the labs my many scientists, but for now we have a good list of alternative energy sources.

For more information you can visit this site: http://home.utah.edu/~ptt25660/tran.html

Tricia Connolly 12/14/07

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

Oil has caused problems for the Middle East in addition to wealth to a few. "In a 24-hour period in April in Rabiyah, police stopped and confiscated 1,200 tanker trucks that were smuggling oil across the nearby border into Syria," (Iraq's disappearing oil 1). How can this crime be explained by using anything but oil? Also, in this article, it states that oil is a corrupt business and how many detramental people are involved in it. More stories of crime connected to oil come from the Middle East as well. "In late August, a battle between the Iraqi Army and the militant Shia Mahdi Army diverted the attention of pipeline guards in Diwaniya, 100 miles south of Baghdad, and at least 67 people were killed when a looter flipped on his cigarette lighter to check the level of siphoned gasoline in his jerrycan," (Iraq's disappearing oil 1). Another example of violence that would not have happened without the presence of oil. Although Iraq may have vast reserves of oil, it is sells it for so cheap that people wait in line for up to a day to get their tank's full. With that much trouble involved in what may seem such a simple task, it would be hard for violence to not link to violence. Oil has corrupted parts of the Middle East.

Sarah S

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Pictures say a thousand words right? Well, see if you can guess them. Here's something to think about.

Sources:

Ambrose, William G, Paul E Renaud and Paula A Ford-Martin. "Exxon Valdez." Environmental Encyclopedia. Ed. Marci Bortman, Peter Brimblecombe and Mary Ann Cunningham. 3rd ed. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Thomson Gale. INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL. 7 Dec. 2007. <http://find.galegroup.com/ovrc/infomark.do?&contentSet=GSRC&type=retrieve&tabID=T001&prodId=OVRC&docId=EJ3018200528&source=gale&userGroupName=lom_inac&version=1.0>.

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