Clean water is a
necessity for not just humans but for an array of wildlife. There is no possible way to sustain life on
this planet without clean water. Yet,
everywhere we turn we see examples of clean water becoming polluted, wasted,
and depleted. To add to this challenge
is the need to obtain fossil fuels for the everyday energy requirements of modern
life. The two main ways fossil fuels
come into the picture are by hydraulic fracking and off shore drilling. There is even a desire by many energy
companies to start off shore drilling in the pristine waters of the arctic.
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This is important
to everyone on the planet because, even when sea water is affected, water
pollution has a detrimental effect on the entire ecosystem. Clean water is also important to a variety of
businesses. The first businesses that
are affected are the many fishing companies that rely on the sea for their livelihood. Then, water pollution affects tourism for all
areas that are downstream of the source or are on the coast close to the source. Finally, it affects shipping lanes that have
to be halted or diverted during clean up periods.
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From a strictly
environmental standpoint, it is easy to simply demand that companies end all
fossil fuel use immediately. However,
abruptly ending fossil fuel use without an abundance of renewable energy
sources and the infrastructure to support them would hurt, if not severely harm,
the world economy. Publicly traded firms
are required, by their investors, to be as profitable as possible at all times
even if that means doing things that are not environmentally friendly. Therefore, the public has to give these
corporations the latitude to, at least for a relatively short period of time,
not be as profitable while they transition to more sustainable methods of
delivering energy.
Peter Smithson |
There needs to be
a global understanding of the quandary that energy companies are in. In one instance they have to do what is right
for their investors, and also do what is right for the environment. Surprisingly, the very investors that are
demanding profits above all else are also the ones that want these companies to
be environmentally friendly. Unfortunately,
most investors would simply force the company to figure out the monumental task
of transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy without ever considering
a possible a momentary slowdown of record breaking profits. The ability to improve our water ways and
oceans is up to us. Fortunately, once we
realize that we are contributing to the reckless nature in which corporations
deal with the environment we can have a cleaner planet.