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Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Research Paper

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The rate of oil spills has increased rapidly as humans become more reliant on oil as an energy source. In fact, there have been more than 50 mega-spills since 1970. One of the worst effects of oil spills is the immense impact on marine wildlife. Humans should reduce their oil usage because oil spills are harmful to marine mammals, dangerous to whales, destructive to aquatic birds, deadly to fish, and can be as disastrous as the Exxon Valdez oil spill. The effects of oil spills on mammals are catastrophic. When these creatures come into contact with oil, they can develop hypothermia. This is caused by oil matting their fur and making it lose its ability to hold in heat. Also, the animals lick their fur clean, but this often has lethal outcomes. This can result in lung, kidney, and liver damage, as well as death from toxins. Oil spills also have indirect effects on these mammals, such as habitat loss and a diminishing food supply. Lastly, the oil slicks can make animals blind from continuous exposure. Because oil spills cause so much damage, many marine mammals die because of it. Whales, including dolphins, …show more content…

Nearly 11 million gallons of oil was spilled into the Gulf of Alaska. That’s as much as 125 Olympic-size swimming pools. Secondly, the Exxon Valdez oil spill covered 1,300 square miles, damaging many different ecosystems. The spill killed many animals, including 250,000 seabirds, 2,800 otters, and 300 harbor seals. It also killed 250 bald eagles, 22 killer whales, and countless salmon and herring. Finally, Prince William Sound has still not recovered more than 25 years later. It is still possible to find oil, and some species are not recovering. This includes the herring, pigeon guillemots, and the Killer Whale Pod AT1. Since the Exxon Valdez oil spill was so devastating to the environment, is is a sign of why humans need to change their energy

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In “Is Humanity a Special Threat?” author Greg Easterbrook states his thoughts about the Prince William Sound site oil spill, saying that in 10 years the William sound site will look as if it had never been affected by the destructive oil spill. In 1992, Easterbrook recalls himself aboard the research vessel Arctic Dream, in the waters of Prince William Sound. What he found amazed him. Author Easterbrook recalls the scene saying, “it was just 3 years later, and already the sound was so close to its former state, it was impossible to determine where the spill had occurred without resorting to navigation charts.”

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The toxic chemicals released from extraction were poisoning clean water sources. This lead to increasing cases of cancer, hyperthyroidism, lupus, and renal failure in people located in areas near the present pipeline. These effects clearly show the vast hazard this oil presents for the environment and society. In conclusion, as stated and proven throughout this essay, the Keystone pipeline creates many environmental issues.

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For centuries the United States has been a beacon of hope for environmentalism, and it is imperative for our country that we preserve this identity. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge or ANWR is in the secluded northeastern corner of Alaska and could contain large reserves of oil in the Prudhoe Bay region. The question of whether or not to drill for oil has been a controversial topic in American politics for decades, though the evidence will show that drilling for oil is a mistake for this country. This is because it will devastate and destroy the fragile environment. Additionally, drilling in Prudhoe Bay will not solve our oil problems.

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1 The Deepwater Horizon was a drilling rig, which had been rented by British Petroleum (BP), in the Gulf of Mexico. The rig exploded on April 20th, 2010, pouring nearly 5 million barrels of oil into the sea over a three months’ span. This environmental crisis endangered marine wildlife, as well as workers that were injured during the explosion. Of 126 people, 28 workers in total were hurt, leaving 11 that were fatally injured, while the other 17 were severely injured (Crandall, Parnell, & Spillan, 2013).

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Like what is said above there is a risk for oil to get into the water and there is a lot of concern in the parts of the aquifers that are just below the Sand Hills and certain areas of the aquifer the water is near on at the surface Subpoint: Wildlife— There are two primary types of impacts that occur with a spill of crude oil Physical impacts— soil, sediments, plants, and animals can become coated with oil. When animals are covered in oil they can have difficulty feeding or obtaining oxygen toxicological impacts— crude oil may be toxic when ingested… “ingestion occurs typically when an oiled animal attempts to clean its fur or feathers

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Fishes don’t swim in oil What happens when you force a fish in oil? it dies. Fishes live in water, not in oil. So as the Lubicon Cree.

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The greatest concerns would be a spill or leak near environmentally sensitive places such as wetlands, streams and rivers, shallow groundwater areas, areas near water intakes for drinking water or for commercial/industrial uses, and areas with populations of sensitive wildlife or plant species” (Palliser 2012, 9). If there would be a leak or the crude oil would spill into water, humans could be gravely impacted. There has been research done in the Fort Chipewyan community, in which researchers found that among these people the rates of cancer were higher. This community is near tar-sands operations, downstream of the Athabasca River in Canada. Moreover, the tar-sands pollutants can increase chances of asthma, heart and lung disease

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Their primary source of nutrition comes from fish and marine species; however, the availability of food in the artic ocean has been greatly reduced due to predation. Although predation from other animals is a big threat for the seals, human predators are one of the biggest concerns. Litter and pollution caused by humans severely harms wildlife habitats. In fact, the Gulf oil spill of 2010 had a huge impact on the wildlife and their habitats in the area. Pelicans, dolphins and sea turtles not suffered immediately from the oil and sludge, these animals will have lingering effects on their population for many years.

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The article states that there is a rapid decline in the population of sea otters, the mammals found along the coast of California to Alaska. The article claims that the reason for the declination is because of environmental pollution and provides two reasons of support. However, the speaker refutes that the dwindling is due to predation. First, the reading claims that environmental pollution is the most likely cause because oil rigs found along the coast cause pollution to a greater extent.

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Approximately 206 million gallons of oil were reported to have spilled into the Gulf of Mexico. Additionally, in 2012, the General Land Office stated that there were 543 oil spills on the Texas coast. On average, that is more than

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According to Sea Turtles Conservancy there has been a study in 1994 on baby sea turtles, that 63% of all the baby sea turtles had tar inside of their bodies. This happens because when they are eggs the oil washes up the shore and goes into the sand, where the eggs are and then they have tar in them. That is just for how the babies can die from oil, not the adults. Even though they oil does not stick to them as much as other species, they still eat things with tar on them and according to the Sea Turtle Conservancy, whenever they eat oil, it messes up their heath and they become weaker and in more danger. Oil spills are harmful to our turtles, but that is this is only one of the dangerous threat they face.

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It can make polar bears have low access to food and low rate for baby polar bear to survive by pour out of oil in ocean. According to WWF (assets.panda.org/downloads/pb_factsheet.pdf), scientists have believed that about 67% of polar bear population will completely extinct in

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