Oil Drilling in Alaska

Author's Note: I disagree with drilling in Alaska and in this essay I shared the dangers and risks of drilling. Also you will read quotes from different author's and their opinion's on drilling in Alaska.


Why do the majority of people in the U.S think drilling in Alaska will help themselves and their business, when we should also step into the view of the animals and wilderness? I strongly disagree with the idea of drilling in Alaska because of all of the animals that could be hurt. Tim Woody states on wilderness.org, “The first news from Alaska’s North Slope reads like the beginning of a disaster movie. Oil workers on a drilling rig hit a pocket of gas and quickly evacuate to avoid the hazard of an explosion as gas bursts from the ground. The well is out of control and an estimated 42,000 gallons of drilling mud spills onto the Arctic tundra.” In other words drilling may not only hurt the wilderness but the citizens of the U.S. Also if there were to be an explosion, animals and/or people may be injured by not escaping quickly enough.

“The areas have been open for drilling for years and the companies have paid billions of dollars to the federal government for the right to explore for oil and gas on them,” says Steve Hargreaves from money.cnn.com.” As said in the first paragraph, something could seriously go wrong and suddenly lead to tragedy, then not only would we lose work for drilling, but billions of dollars that were put into drill.

Not only is it money that could be a problem, but the transportation. While transporting oil to other destinations there’s a possibility of an oil spill that could hurt many animals in the ocean and cause a lot of extra work for our country. For example, last year in the Gulf of Mexico there was an oil spill that killed 11 workers along with many innocent animals in the ocean.170 million gallons of toxic oil was spilled into the Gulf of Mexico. Everyone pitched in to help wash animals and the beach, but the people of the Gulf still live with it everyday. “We cannot continue to place the lives of our workers, the health of our waters, the survival of coastal economies, and the wildlife of the Gulf of Mexico at greater and greater risk to sustain our costly and dangerous dependence on oil.” Says nrdc.org. There are too many risks we are putting in front of these workers and it needs to stop before it gets too late.

Some economic issues can sometimes be ignored to resolve other issues. Although, when animals and citizens are jeopardy of losing money and possibly their lives that’s something that should be resolved immediately. As paragraphs above, is dangerous, risky, and harmful for not only the animals of the wilderness, but the U.S. Our country is already struggling with money more than we ever have and now is not the time risk it all, meaning our lives, money, and wildlife.

I believe that drilling in Alaska should not be allowed, for the purpose our countries safety. I hope all of the readers see the causes of drilling and immediately change their mind and think of the harmful effect it can have on the wilderness of Alaska. Imagine men and women coming in big yellow construction hats and big tractors and tools about to drill into your neighborhood! Having to watch all of the miserable and confused animals wondering what those workers are doing to their home? I also want the readers to think of the workers and their dangers of spills or explosions. Drilling in Alaska is a dangerous and risky task, and I do not believe the United States is in the right place to do so.