Oil Spills
By Kimberly Wee
How do oil spills happen?
- People being careless or making mistakes
- Different equipment breaking down
- Natural disasters
- Deliberate acts by people
- Many more reasons
Effects of Oil Spills
The Environment
Animals who have fur or feathers, such as otters, find it harder to float or regulate their body temperature because of the oil getting into their fur or feathers. Oil can also cause baby animals to die because they can't fend for themselves, and their parent cannot detect their scent because of the oil.
Birds who get oil in their feathers and try to get it out by preening themselves, accidentally swallow the oil and die due to the toxic effects.
The Economy
Cleaning the oil spill requires a lot of financing. Even though the company that caused the oil spill has to clean it up, a lot of government help is needed at this point.
The workers that are hired to clean the spill face a lot of health problems later on in life. Their medical bills have to be paid for, and that is either the responsibility of the government or the responsibility of the company that hired them.
The Tourism Industry
Industries that rely on the ocean on a day to day basis have to stop their operations until the spill gets cleaned.
Solution
Advantages
- They remove the spilled oil from the surface of the ocean
- They make the oil more soluble in water so it won't just sit on the surface
- Reduces damage done by floating oil
- Minimises the damage that could be done to coastline
Disadvantages
- They don't actually remove the oil from the water entirely
- They spread the spilled oil more extensively into the atmosphere
- There is a risk to marine life
How using chemical dispersants affects the environment
Bibliography
Dispersants. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/public_lands/energy/dirty_energy_development/oil_and_gas/gulf_oil_spill/dispersants.html
Gulf Oil Spill - Photo Gallery. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2010/10/gulf-oil-spill/gulf-spill-photography
How does oil impact marine life? (n.d.). Retrieved from http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/oilimpacts.html
Gulf Oil Spill: Effects on Wildlife and Habitats. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.neaq.org/conservation_and_research/oil_spill/effects_on_wildlife_and_habitats.php
How Oil Harms Animals and Plants in Marine Environments. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/oil-and-chemical-spills/oil-spills/how-oil-harms-animals-and-plants-marine-environments.html
Effects of Oil Spills. (2013, June 06). Retrieved from http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/effects-of-oil-spills.php
Gulf Oil Spill. (2012, July 24). Retrieved from http://ocean.si.edu/gulf-oil-spill
Oil Spills: Sad But True. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.kidzworld.com/article/24170-oil-spills-sad-but-true
Bourne, J. K., Jr. (2010, September 15). Why the Gulf Oil Spill Isn't Going Away. Retrieved from http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/09/100915-gulf-oil-spill-bp-top-kill-science-environment/
Caldon, R. (2010, July 16). Pros and Cons of Oil Spill Dispersants. Retrieved from http://ezinearticles.com/?Pros-and-Cons-of-Oil-Spill-Dispersants&id=4682562
Vasko, J. (2010, May 10). Dispersant Chemicals Help in Oil Spill Cleanup, but What Are the Side Effects? Retrieved from http://www.aiche.org/chenected/2010/05/dispersant-chemicals-help-oil-spill-cleanup-what-are-side-effects