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An Environmental Analysis Of Offshore Drilling And Oil Production

Written by admin on August 3, 2013

Many of us are feeling the pinch at the pump. It seems as if gas prices will never quit rising, and for many Americans, this can constitute a serious financial hardship. After all, American culture has come to revolve around having a car or truck. This is apparent in something as simple as the distance many live from where they work, play, and shop.

But is offshore drilling really a workable solution to the problem, and what are the costs? Such plans, in the moment, seem like great ideas. The oil is there. Let’s just go and get it, right? Wrong. Surface and inexpert appraisal for these plans operates in a factual vacuum, ignoring the economic, ecological, and political realities of our world. Instead, proponents rely on emotional reaction to immediate personal financial issues.

Such drilling would not eliminate the international oil interests, the workings of the stock market, or the machinations of political and financial giants, who are only interested in their own success. Further, the implications of drilling in a system of intimately interlinked organisms already in distress pose a threat to us. It simply isn’t immediately apparent. More expert research is urgently needed on this issue, to explore the real costs and find workable alternatives.