More Polar Bears or More Oil? You Decide.

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More Polar Bears or More Oil? You Decide.

Posted Feb 7th 2008 12:04AM by Ana Kasparian
Filed under: Young Turks, Government, Environment, Animals

There has always been extreme debate over oil and gas drilling in Alaska. While some are convinced the drilling is making no negative effect on the environment and its inhabitants, others exist on the complete opposite side of the spectrum. The debate is understandable, and one must look at the facts.

The federal government is expected to begin sales of drilling leases in Alaska's Chukchi Sea. But it's not a big deal because they are only selling 30 MILLION ACRES of Alaskan sea in the name of oil. More importantly, most of this area is critical to the survival of polar bears.

However, environmentalists and Alaskan Natives cannot decide on whether or not to list polar bears under the endangered species act (ESA). The reason for this is because a conservative law-firm known as the Pacific Legal Foundation is ready to pounce and attack, "any arbitrary, unjustified ESA listing." A bitter court battle could possibly ensue.

Studies show that in recent decades the polar bear population has increased dramatically. There are estimates that as few as 5,000 polar bears existed in the 1950s. But keep in mind, that was a time when hunting polar bears was legal and acceptable. Now that polar bear hunting is regulated, as many as 25,000 polar bears exist. Unfortunately, we are still 60 percent below historic levels of polar bears.

U.S Geological Survey scientists say drilling 30 million acres of Alaskan sea will result in the loss of about two thirds of the world's polar bear population by 2050. In a letter to congress last week, a group of more than 600 scientists said, "Global warming is already causing serious damage to wildlife and ecosystems, and reliable projections call for significant additional damage and disruptions."

Legislative director for the Alaska Wilderness League, Kristin Miller, says the Mineral's Management Service has admitted there will be a substantial likelihood of oil spills in the Chukchi Sea. She adds that, "There is no proven method to clean up an oil spill in the Arctic's broken sea ice, or even to reliably clean up a spill in open water."

I'm not exactly sure how anyone could think that drilling is not harmful to the environment. We obviously have to encounter the death of thousands of polar bears by the mid-century to be convinced. But even then, I doubt the federal government will care much. Coca-Cola better come up with another animal to feature in their winter ads!

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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 2)

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1. If we kill the polar bears, why not use their pelts as coats thereby eliminating some of our need for oil.

Both camps can be happy, no?

mac at 5:57PM on Feb 4th 2008

2. Right now, when I pull up at the pump, the sign says that it contains "10% Ethanol." So, when will it be "100% Ethanol"? You can make ethanol out of anything, even mulch, dead leaves and grass clippings. All those bags of raked leaves heading for the landfill could be used, and we could leave the polar bears, or whatever alone.

The Goddess Athena at 5:59PM on Feb 4th 2008

3. Hey Big Guy,

Well, it seems no matter how big people talk, no matter how many bright ideas are thrown out there, oil isn't going any where...except in your gas tank if you want to drive a car.

Pick your scare tactic boss, global warming, air polution, no more Old Growth forest, no more polar bears, O-Zone depletion or deforestation of the rain forest. Nothing has even slowed oil use down, much less stopped it.

What did Mark Twain say.."everybody talks about the weather but does nothing about it". Well just change weather to oil in his comment and you have the general idea.

Willet at 7:03PM on Feb 4th 2008

4. 1. If we kill the polar bears, why not use their pelts as coats thereby eliminating some of our need for oil."
-----------------------------------------------

I've found that kitten pelts make great ear muffs.

Just how much oil are we talking about? The reason I ask is that I've read that the oil they want to suck up through the Arctic National Wildlike Refuge is enough to last the United States for about six months.

I've read that we could save as much oil as we'd get from ANWR if we all just properly inflated our tires.

We are going to run out of oil very soon. Many scientists and petroleum experts believe we have already passed the, "tipping point." The question is, "Will drilling a little more, from such a sensitive region, help US or will it just enrich the oil companies at the expense of the planet."

Captain Negative at 7:03PM on Feb 4th 2008

5. Every time oil companies exploit oil resources environmental groups make some unjustified claim that it will decimate wild life. Remember back when they were building the Alaskan Pipeline? Environmentalists claimed that it would destroy the caribou. The reality was just the opposite. The caribou love the pipeline. They tend to congregate under it and meet other caribou. It is like one big caribou singles bar. And as a result the caribou population has skyrocket.

There is really no reason to believe that building oil derricks in Alaska will cause polar bears to commit mass suicide. In fact, as this post explains, the bear population in Alaska has gone up dramatically since the fifties, while at the same time oil companies have also increased their presence. This is just another example of environmental extremists attempting to use the endangered species act to forward their agenda.

Greg at 7:46PM on Feb 4th 2008

6. When gas gets to maybe $5 a gallon, many angry people will be going to Alaska to kill all the bears so this issue is no longer an issue.

ROBERT OKANE at 12:24PM on Feb 5th 2008

7. This is just a way for liberal alarmist and environmental extremist to push their agenda of "Wealth Envy" (see #3) with the Polar Bear as the Straw Man.

Paul Sparcello at 4:31PM on Feb 5th 2008

8. But is there really oil there? Will it really make a difference? Are we just looking for another way to enrich the oil companies for something which will ultimately do us no good at all?

Even a disruption in our oil supply will devastate our economy - probably permanently. Even if the oil companies drill there, will it be enough oil? Will it come in time?

We'd do a whole lot better if we just accept the fact that we are running out of oil. What we need is a few massive technological advances... and not just in automobile technology. Most everything we use on a day to day basis is made (at least in part) from petroleum based products. Our agriculture and food distribution systems are entirely dependent on petroleum and petroleum based products.

Let's chagne our emphasis while we can.

But those of you who are driving SUV's really ought to contemplate the re-sale value of your behemoths when a gallon of gas costs $4.50 or more.

Captain Negative at 5:07PM on Feb 5th 2008

9. 1. If we kill the polar bears, why not use their pelts as coats thereby eliminating some of our need for oil.

xxx

why not shave em, bring 'em south, put 'em on farms, engineer a four seat hydraulic polar bear press and just squeeze 'em for oil? I hear they eat garbage so it would be pretty green.

It would maybe shut up all those wingnuts who bitch about the extra virgin baby oil business too.

Clif Kuplen at 1:53AM on Feb 6th 2008

10. NO BABIES FOR OIL!!!

It really is a bi-partisan issue. But let's not throw the babies out with the bath oil.

Captain Negative at 5:10PM on Feb 6th 2008

11. LETS GO DEMS I KNOW THERE ARE SOME RICH PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO DON'T WANT 2 SEE A MAN OF COLOR AS OUR PRESEDANT;;;; IF YOU CAN PLEASE HELP SHE NEEDS EVERY ONE WHO CAN HELP GOD BLESS

patricia christner at 2:00PM on Feb 7th 2008

12. Why not forget drilling in Alaska, where we do not know for sure how much oil is there, and just drill in Washington? After all, isn't that where all the dipsticks are?

TalkingBird at 8:42AM on Feb 7th 2008

13. I got your solution Captain Negative: First to whine, Last to Dine.

I will get my Louisiana Legislature enact an Oil and Natural Gas First policy for our State. What it would do is supply the Citizens of Louisiana with free Natural Gas and Gasoline for a set price of $.25/gallon. Surplus production would be sold on the open market with the States whose Senators oppose domestic oil production in ANWR would pay a 25% "Solution Subsidy" and be the last ones to get any supply. Brilliant!!!!!!!

Paul Sparcello at 11:14AM on Feb 7th 2008

14. to/with = +/-

Paul Sparcello at 11:18AM on Feb 7th 2008

15. How many polar bears does it take to pull my 7,000 lb SUV ???

BirdmanJones at 2:33PM on Feb 7th 2008

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Mo Rocca appears on a bunch of shows, including CBS News Sunday Morning (with the indescribably wonderful Charles Osgood), The Tonight Show on NBC, and NPR's Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! He's a sometime judge on Iron Chef and was featured on Telemundo's Amore Descarado. Last year he starred on Broadway in the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. His expose "All the President's Pets" was published by Crown in 2004.