Friday, May 14, 2010

PLN 28

The oil spill of the coast of Louisiana is nearing a crisis. Current estimates are over 4,000,000 gallons of oil has spilled into the ocean with no end in sight. If an earthquake were to occur in this area, worst case scenarios of 810,000 gallons of oil would spill each day. Additional impacts by hurricanes could create additional damage miles inland from the gulf coast. This crisis may be the event that inspires many Americans to change their dependence on oil and look for alternative fuels. The oil spill affects people and animals in so many ways; it impacts people’s livelihoods crippling the fishing and tourism industries, it destroys animal and marine life killing fish and organisms critical to the ecosystem in the Gulf of Mexico as well as impacting the ecosystem above the ocean surface. Although BP, the owner of the oil well is trying to implement ways to stop the leak and clean up the oil, it will take decades for the entire oil spill to be cleaned and the area returned to its previously clean state.

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