Breaking Up Is Hard To Do…

Just before the automobile industry took off with full speed down the highway to modern-day America, Thomas Edison and Henry Ford worked together to perfect the much desired electric car. After years of hard work, they had a top notch electric car on their hands. However, just five short years got in the way of their car’s success. To be more specific, the oil industry had taken over, and the less powerful electric motor was no match for the rumbling combustion engine. The day that Americans would not even give the cleaner, greener, electric car a second look, was the day that started our love affair with the big oil industries. Our obsession with oil must end now. We must focus on new, cleaner alternative resources, and most importantly we must not drill, because it would only strengthen our love for oil.

More offshore drilling would wreak even more havoc on our already deteriorating environment. Many pro-drillers claim that drilling is a very safe industry; however, the U.S. Minerals Management Service said that “after [hurricane] Katrina and [hurricane] Rita, 124 [oil] spills were reported.” (Bookman) So if drilling is so “safe,” why were there so many oil spills? The environment and the organisms in it cannot handle that many oil spills.  Marine life dies from oil spills, and if marine life dies, our fishing industries suffer. If enough oil is spilled, even our economy suffers because of the millions of dollars the clean up costs. To preserve our environment for generations to come, we need to explore new energy resources. According to BBC News, “solar power is coming on by leaps and bounds,” and “wind and wave power have promise.” (BBC News) So, we need to take steps today to converting to the non-harmful resources of solar, wind, and wave power. Our country would greatly benefit if we would resort to the cleaner alternatives to oil.

If we would just take those seemingly difficult steps away from offshore drilling today, it would make for a better tomorrow. We need to take a stand and break up with our beloved oil industries. The only way to halt our addiction to oil is to start up a new relationship with those cleaner, greener, environmentally friendly resources.

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