Big Ideas
- Help animals who have been affected by oil spills, so to help them return to the wild
- Find a water treatment plant and try to help out as much as i can, because 90% of oil spills are not accidental and caused by municipal dumping in local lakes
Small Ideas
- try to raise awareness by making pamphlets telling people how they can reduce their dependency on oil
- give myself the initiative to reduce the use of oil in my community such as my dorm, building or school
Thursday, May 13, 2010
The Science Behind It
Oil is a very important resource and it can be found all throughout different areas. Crude oil also known as petroleum is a dense mixture of hydrocarbons and other organic compounds, it has many uses in the world and most of them are energy related it can be used to make gasoline and other oil by products. There is not specific component of crude oil that is detrimental to the earth it’s the way it pollutes the water which to humans unless it’s released into lakes or fresh water sources is not of great importance but to the animals living in this marine environment, the oil spills ravage their ecosystems.
The reason why oil spills are dangerous is not only because it pollutes water sources, but the worst effect is on animal. When Oil is spilled it mushrooms into a black cloud that can sometimes even be seen from space depending on the magnitude of the spill, in that mushroom will not just be water but an entire life system of animals and plants. Birds are affected because when they land on water or try to find fish to eat, they plane over the water and land in oil without realizing it, now this is bad because the oil is so dense it prevents them from flying so in an attempt to rid themselves of the oil they will ingest it and in doing so they ruin their internal organs and if they go untreated they will die. Oil affects many other animal and plants but it can also cause air pollution, because when trying to recover and oil spill a widely used option is to simply burn it , the burning of oil produces a very damaging amount of carbon and adds to the already fragile ozone layer.
The reason why oil spills are dangerous is not only because it pollutes water sources, but the worst effect is on animal. When Oil is spilled it mushrooms into a black cloud that can sometimes even be seen from space depending on the magnitude of the spill, in that mushroom will not just be water but an entire life system of animals and plants. Birds are affected because when they land on water or try to find fish to eat, they plane over the water and land in oil without realizing it, now this is bad because the oil is so dense it prevents them from flying so in an attempt to rid themselves of the oil they will ingest it and in doing so they ruin their internal organs and if they go untreated they will die. Oil affects many other animal and plants but it can also cause air pollution, because when trying to recover and oil spill a widely used option is to simply burn it , the burning of oil produces a very damaging amount of carbon and adds to the already fragile ozone layer.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Thesis Statement
Oil plays a major role in the world economy, we are extremely dependent on it and this dependency disables any one from preventing the off shore drilling of oil which is the main cause of oil spills. If oil spills are to be avoided the government should step in to regulate the use of oil by looking to new energy sources as options and by putting a ban on offshore drilling, such a great risk should not be imposed on nature.
Outline
Outline
Thesis Statement: Oil plays a major role in the world economy, were extremely dependent on it even too dependent. Oil is a crucial part of the world but it’s a large burden to nature. Oil spills like Exxon Valdez and the situation in the Gulf right now provide great examples on how much risk is involved in being too dependent on oil
I. Background
TS: Oil spills are caused by many different factors, but the release of oil in the world caused by human activity is a problem that we immediately need to fix
A. What is an Oil Spill
- Oil Spills are leakage of petroleum unto the world, which is caused by human activity, mostly occurring in the ocean
- It has great negative effects on nature
B. Cause of an Oil Spill
- Oil Spills are mostly caused by technical problems in oil tankers carrying petroleum
- Another cause can be the failure of oil rigs that are out at see
II. The Effects of Oil Spills on Nature
TS: Wherever oil spills happen every aspect of nature is affected from wildlife to different vegetation, this has an extremely negative impact certain species of this world especially marine life
A. Affects on Animals
- Wildlife is greatly Affected by oil spills especially Birds and Marine mammals
- When Oil gets on a bird plumage it decreases it mobility and ability to fly, and can even can even cause liver damage resulting in death without human intervention
- In a lot of sea mammals such as otters the oil gets on the fur and makes the body temperature fluctuate resulting in hypothermia
- This also affects the Fauna because the food chain would be messed up
B. Affect on Plants
- As a result of oil covering water almost no sunlight can get to marine plants
- This results and no being able to do photosynthesis
III. Recovery and Prevention
A. Recovery
- Different ways to clean up oil is the use of skimmers to lift the oil off sea, and sometimes burning the oil
- Chemical agents and regular household tools can be used to clean up the beach from oil
B. Prevention
- They are many different methods to prevent oil spills such as having two boats always hulling a tankers and different methods of containment
- The most effective way if too decrease our dependency on oil, and looking to new energy source therefore decreasing the risk of oil spill occuring
Thesis Statement: Oil plays a major role in the world economy, were extremely dependent on it even too dependent. Oil is a crucial part of the world but it’s a large burden to nature. Oil spills like Exxon Valdez and the situation in the Gulf right now provide great examples on how much risk is involved in being too dependent on oil
I. Background
TS: Oil spills are caused by many different factors, but the release of oil in the world caused by human activity is a problem that we immediately need to fix
A. What is an Oil Spill
- Oil Spills are leakage of petroleum unto the world, which is caused by human activity, mostly occurring in the ocean
- It has great negative effects on nature
B. Cause of an Oil Spill
- Oil Spills are mostly caused by technical problems in oil tankers carrying petroleum
- Another cause can be the failure of oil rigs that are out at see
II. The Effects of Oil Spills on Nature
TS: Wherever oil spills happen every aspect of nature is affected from wildlife to different vegetation, this has an extremely negative impact certain species of this world especially marine life
A. Affects on Animals
- Wildlife is greatly Affected by oil spills especially Birds and Marine mammals
- When Oil gets on a bird plumage it decreases it mobility and ability to fly, and can even can even cause liver damage resulting in death without human intervention
- In a lot of sea mammals such as otters the oil gets on the fur and makes the body temperature fluctuate resulting in hypothermia
- This also affects the Fauna because the food chain would be messed up
B. Affect on Plants
- As a result of oil covering water almost no sunlight can get to marine plants
- This results and no being able to do photosynthesis
III. Recovery and Prevention
A. Recovery
- Different ways to clean up oil is the use of skimmers to lift the oil off sea, and sometimes burning the oil
- Chemical agents and regular household tools can be used to clean up the beach from oil
B. Prevention
- They are many different methods to prevent oil spills such as having two boats always hulling a tankers and different methods of containment
- The most effective way if too decrease our dependency on oil, and looking to new energy source therefore decreasing the risk of oil spill occuring
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