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Is Oil Evil?

 

 

 

 

Is Oil Evil? Sources: By Quinn K. and Reem K.

 

 

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

Everyone uses oil. In today’s world it is almost impossible not to. We all get up in the morning hop into our cars and drive to school or work. Can you imagine a world without cars? Detroit is a city that was indirectly built on oil. Detroit became the car capital of the world and cars run off oil. In Detroit while many other cities installed mass transit systems, we did not. The reason for this was that we are the car capital of the world. Why would we need mass transit when we have cars? Nobody wants to give up their big cushy gas guzzling cars, and that is why we are so dependent on oil. Everyone plays a small part in the use of oil. We not only use oil in cars but in many everyday objects. The website below has a map that shows many ways that we use oil everyday.

 

http://www.priweb.org/ed/pgws/uses/uses_home.html

 

Quinn K. 12/8/07

 

2. What impact does oil have on our environment?

First of all oil doesn't only impact humans it impacts animals, probably even more than huamns. Oil spills on land, rivers, bays and the ocean are mostly caused by accidents involving tankers, barges, pipelines, refineries and storage facilities. Well, when these accisents happen they cause more than just a mess. Oil spills are often harmful to marine birds, mammals and, sometimes, fish and shellfish. Birds are protected by their feathers, they are aligned like bricks on a house. The feathers are strand together by little hooks. When oil gets on their feathers the feathers seperate and allows water to get on their skin, and they eventually freeze to death, and if they don't freeze to death they are poisoned trying to clean themselves because they ingest the oil . .Also oil is fuel for cars, and cars cause air pollution which poisons our lungs. Think about it whenever you go somewhere you increase your chances of lung cancer and asthma. This is all becasue of the fumes the gas gives off while it burns, but ths doesn't only affect us it affects animals too.

Reem K. 12/10/07

 

3. Are there any viable enery alternatives?

Ethanol, Solar power, Nuclear power, hydroelectric power, wind power, and hydrogen fuel, all of these are possible energy alternatives that people have come up with to eliminate the use of coal, oil, and natural gas. But are any of these really a solution to the energy crisis? Lets take a look at all of these individually.

 

Ethanol: Is a high-octane motor fuel typically made from grains such as corn.

Pros:

- Easy to grow

- Can be made in the U.S

Cons:

- Normally is mixed with gasoline

- Takes a lot of space to grow a enough

- You expend more energy growing ethanol than you get energy from ethanol

Opinion: Ethanol is merely a temporary patch for the problem. You cannot get enough energy from ethanol to support the world. Not a viable solution.

 

Solar Power: Taking the suns light energy and converting it into electricity

Pros:

- The suns light energy is free

- Can power office buildings and houses

Cons:

- It is not always sunny

- Is not effective for cars

Opinion: Solar Power may be a solution for some houses and office buildings but is not effective for cars. It is an option for some places but not widely accessible.

 

Nuclear Power: The use of uranium reactions to produce power

Pros:

- Extremely clean, releases little into the environment

- Uranium is relatively common on earth

Cons:

- Can be dangerous

- Spent fuel can be radioactive for centuries

 

Opinion: Nuclear Power is effective for houses and other buildings if properly handled. Is a viable option for all places.

 

Hydroelectric Power: Use of water to spin turbines and produce electricity

Pros:

- Minimal pollution

- Water is free

Cons:

- Must be on a river, not always available

- May interrupt migration patterns of aquatic life because a dam must be made

 

Opinion: Not great solution because harms aquatic life and could make people move. Is an option for some places.

 

Wind Power: Use of wind to spin turbines to make electricity

Pros:

- Very clean energy source

- Is a free energy source

- Is available widely

 

Cons:

- Is not necessarily nice to look at

- Wind is not constant

- May require many windmills

 

Opinion: Is a solution! It is readily available and it very clean. It would eliminate use of coal and natural gas.

 

Hydrogen Fuel: Use of hydrogen fuel cells to produce energy in a fuel tank

Pros:

- The water which is used is readily available

- Makes little waste

Cons:

- Scientists have not discovered a way to make them cost effective

 

Opinion: Is a Solution! They may not be cost effective yet, but it is an option that is clean and able to be used in cars.

 

I have now gone over the six major options that are being discussed as an alternative energy source. In my opinion Wind Power and Hydrogen Fuel Cells make the most since as alternative options.

 

The Article in the New York Times talks of how China and India are implementing wind power into their countries. This article shows how readily accessible wind power is because of the picture at the top of the article which shows wind turbines being used out in rural areas of India.

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/28/business/worldbusiness/28wind.html?n=Top/News/World/Countries%20and%20Territories/India

 

By: Quinn K. 12/8/07

 

 

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

Yes actually to be exact, most of the violence in the Middle East is becasue of the rich oil resting underneath the ground. Iraq has one of the world's biggest and richest oil reserves, that was probably the primary reason why they went into Iraq in the first place. It wasn't a "weapon of mass destruction", it was nothing but oil. Actually from the time America went into Iraq up until now they haven't even found one weapon of mass destruction. Also some terrorist groups are supported and funded from the money the country gets from the oil, for example like Al-Kaida gets funded from money that the country gets from oil. Also these countries get very wealthy because of the amount of oil, but only about 1% of the people actually get this money. The majority of the rest of the people are living in poverty, and they blame America for their condition. They start turning against and hating the U.S. and eventually do some violence. So, yes, oil does connect to most of the violence in the Middle East.

 

 

Sources:

http://frecklescassie.files.wordpress.com/2006/12/big-oil.jpg

 

http://www.teachingtools.com/CrudeEnergy/OilEnvironment.htm

 

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/ethanol-facts.htm

 

 

 

By Quinn K. and Reem K.

 

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