Population Resource Environment - Essay Example

Proposed Oil Drilling in the Artic National Wildlife Refuge Drives Minimal Impact on the Oil Market and Maximum Impact in Environmental Damage The Artic National Wildlife Refuge is located in northeastern Alaska in the United States. It is a federal protected area which aims to maintain existing natural conditions and resource values of the variety of plant and animal life that exists within that environment. It is classified under Minimal Management, in which there is minimal to no human intervention.

This has been a controversial issue because of the ecological and economic implications that it may bring. Because of the shortage on gasoline and natural gas, prices of these products have increased drastically over the years. To address this issue, a proposed energy plan to drill the ANWR has been revisited. Data results that the US Geological Survey released estimated a 95% chance that 11.6 billion barrels of oil is present in the area (Corn, 51). This proposal caused the conservationists to react because of the possible negative impact on the preserved natural environment.

Analyzing the pros and cons of the proposal, I have come to stand against oil drilling in ANWR because of the negative implications it may bring on the environment and the less established positive implications that the proposal presents. The said wildlife reserve is a federal protected area which aims to make every living thing in that environment to live under its natural environment circumstances and conditions. It is protected and isolated from human intervention to avoid unnatural wildlife disturbance.

Though the oil drilling plan proposes to drill on the wilderness part of the ANWR, the drilling will still cause a disturbance in the other areas of the ANWR. A restriction in the habitat of the fauna living in the area caused by the development may result to a decline in the herds (McKinney, et.al., 193). The Inupiat tribe living in the borders of the area might also be affected since their cultural tradition is linked to the caribou, which they believe will be endangered by the development (McKinney, et.al., 193).

The oil that can be produced by the development, according to the US Energy Information Administration, will lower the world price of oil by no more than $1.44 per barrel (Lavelle, Arctic Drilling). This indicates little impact on the oil market making the development insignificant. This issue is a matter of development against natural environment preservation. We have to understand that one of the major reasons on why natural calamities have an exaggerated effect on our surroundings is because of human intervention itself.

It is sad that human beings are very much capable of compromising the environment for the sake of development but not being able to preserve more for the sake of the future habitants of this planet which are our today’s children.Industrialization and development most of the time leads to the destruction of most natural habitats. Industrialization and development of the Artic National Wildlife Refuge propagated by the oil drilling proposal is not the answer to our economic problem. There is little bearing in the possible results of the proposal but a big impact on the preserved wildlife that we have little of these days.

ReferencesCorn, M. Arctic national wildlife refuge: background and issues. NY:Nova Publishers, 2003.Lavelle, M. “Arctic drilling wouldn’t cool high oil prices.” US News. n.p. 23 May 2008. Retrieved from http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/national/2008/05/23/arctic-drilling-wouldnt-cool-high-oil-prices.html. Retrieved on 02/23/10McKinney, M. Environmental science: systems and solutions, 4th ed. MA:Jones & Bartlett Publishers, 2007.http://books.google.com/books?id=B1frE18TmAgC&pg=PA53&dq=The+Arctic+National+Wildlife+Refuge+should+be+opened+to+Oil+Drilling&as_brr=3&cd=3#v=onepage&q=&f=falseArctic National Wildlife Refuge: background and issues By Mary Lynne Cornhttp://www.usnews.com/articles/news/national/2008/05/23/arctic-drilling-wouldnt-cool-high-oil-prices.

htmlArctic Drilling Wouldnt Cool High Oil PricesFederal energy analysts say it would take 10 years for production to begin, and its impact could be very modestBy Marianne Lavelle http://books.google.com/books?id=xBGffKNfsq8C&pg=PA193&dq=disadvantages+of+oil+drilling+in+The+Arctic+National+Wildlife+Refuge&as_brr=3&cd=4#v=onepage&q=&f=falseEnvironmental science: systems and solutions By Michael L. McKinney, Robert M. Schoch, Logan Yonavjak