Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Black tea steeping in the Gulf of Mexico
I think that this spill is just a symptom of a greater problem. Sure, this is the most dramatic symptom that American citizens are aware of because it is an immediate detriment on our livelihood. However, our need for fossil fuels, oil in particular, makes our economy fragile and has obvious environmental and less obvious human impacts. We are involved in one war that is arguably in attempt to secure a region of the world where we could consume its oil resources. This war costs thousands of lives annually, and hundreds of billions of dollars. The amount of sulfates that enter the air due to gasoline combustion are very harmful to urban centers, and all inhabitants downwind of these concentrated communities of exhaust emitters. This causes respiratory disease and acid rain. The threat of anthropomorphic climate-change is yet another example of a symptom to the worlds biggest problem. Our societies depend on fossil fuel consumption. Is this appropriate? Are there alternatives?
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I hadn't really thought of it in that light, but you make a very good point. Our dependence on fossil fuels, especially oil, has very disastrous side effects. Environment. Health. The economy. However, I do slightly disagree that the current war we're involved in is due to securing an area for oil use, although that may play a small role in the matter. I can see where you're coming from and why you have that point of view. It's a valid point of view. But that's besides the point. What really matters here, is that we need to do something about our oil dependence. I'm no expert in this area, but alternatives do need to be found. I hope there are some and that we find them soon.
ReplyDelete~Chelsea