The Environmental Impact of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill
Oil Crisis in the Gulf
The Deepwater Horizon oil spill, commonly referred to as the Gulf of Mexico or BP oil spill, is a current global environmental issue which has a profound impact on human society and the natural world. This environmental issue is interrelated to one of the major themes of biology (science, technology, and society), and is in the process of shaping the science, technology, and society with which the human race must live. The oil crisis in the Gulf of Mexico has significant impact on the delicate ecosystems of the Mississippi Delta and has caused severe damage to the industries which rely on these ecosystems. The full repercussions of the spill may not have yet been uncovered, but day by day this crisis shapes modern science, technology, and society.
The spill resulted from an explosion, killing a considerable amount of workers, and began the misfortune. The Gulf of Mexico oil spill is the largest petroleum spill throughout history, and its consequences are respectively massive. The spill has a great impact on many parts of life.
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The spill has had a deep impact on the natural wetlands of the Mississippi river mouth. Home to delicate communities of birds and many other life forms, the oil seeping into these wetlands is causing unimaginable damage. Birds have been covered in oil and ingest the oil, causing death in nearly all scenarios. Although natural wildlife has felt the strongest effect from the spill, human communities are suffering, too. Tourism has declined since the spill, which causes a fall in the funds needed to support many families.
Commercial fishing and smaller fishing boats have had to stop fishing in the Gulf of Mexico until testing is done to confirm the various species of animals taken from the Gulf do not contain hazardous amounts of oil. Shrimp is one of the largest exports from the Gulf, and some families who make a living from this are affected the hardest. Luckily, BP, the company who accidentally caused the oil spill, has stepped up and put forth a copious amount of money to handle the clean-up, as well as helping the Gulf families affected by the disaster.
The amount of crude oil spilled into the Gulf is astonishing: 4.9 million barrels. This massive spill has led to ecological problems, but with time, the problems are being solved.
While the clean-up will be long and tedious, nature has a beautiful way of restoring balance to its delicate ecosystems. With the help of the most powerful influence, the human hand, the spill can be recovered and life will eventually return to normal in the Gulf. Many efforts are currently being deployed in order to clean the oil spill. BP has declared responsibility over the spill, and is currently launching advertisement campaigns to show how they are going to make it right. Other smaller organizations can help, too, such as Matter of Trust fwww.matteroftrust.org'). This small organization is dedicated to accepting donations of human and pet hair with which they make large mats. Cleaned hair has excellent absorbency to oil, and patches of oil can be cleaned with these types of donations. Everyone can play a small part in the massive effort to replace the damaged ecosystem.
This issue is directly interrelated with the biological theme of science, technology, and society because it is dramatically shaping the way humans will respond to such disasters. The efforts made to control the oil spill were completely unique and never before attempted. These steps toward better technology are a part of the biological theme. Due to the spill, the human race can learn much about how ecosystems react to such disasters and how society can better develop technology to control, prevent, and fix such disasters. The Gulf oil spill has had a strong impact on society because it has affected many families within the Gulf. This disaster is also global because it occurred in the ocean, where all water is interconnected. The oil spill has been hazardous to certain species of turtles which come routinely to the Gulf in the summer to nest.
Animals who migrate to this area during certain seasons have met terrible consequences, and more consequences are yet to come. The optimistic view of the spill is a good one: that the spill will teach society how to prevent similar disasters and to protect natural ecosystems. The spill has led to one positive outcome: the oil spill disaster has increased awareness to protecting delicate ecosystems like the marshlands of the Mississippi Delta.
Global environmental issues impact society every day. While these issues may have dire consequences, it is important humans as a society learn from these mistakes and take from them valuable lessons about how the environment benefits the world. Although the BP oil spill has had dramatic effects on the natural ecosystem of the Gulf and on the families who live there, one can only learn from the recovery efforts. This global environmental issue relates to the biological theme of science, technology, and society because it influences the science of oil drilling and may benefit the technology used to power this resource.
Finally, the oil spill is related to society because it has had profound effect on the families of the Gulf, and on many other people across the world who care for the ecosystem or who rely on the Gulf for its numerous exports. In conclusion, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill has led to terrible consequences for the Gulf of Mexico, but with time, the help from BP and dedicated individuals, and the learning curve of such an event, the damaged ecosystem and families will recover and prosper.
The Environmental Impact of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. (2023, Mar 16). Retrieved from https://phdessay.com/the-environmental-impact-of-the-deepwater-horizon-oil-spill/Cite this Page
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