Ethics Essay Unit 1

Write 10 sentences in your journal explaining your opinion about the issue. Bioethical Issue: Oil Drilling in the Arctic The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is home to a diverse array of wildlife, including migratory birds, caribou, grizzly bears, Dall sheep, polar bears, and musk oxen. The nearby continental shelf provides the coastal waters with a rich nutrient base that supports a wide variety of marine mammals during the summer months. Those who favor oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge suggest that it would affect only an area the size of an airport within a state. They contend that the effect would mainly be underground because new techniques allow us to go lower and spread out beneath the surface to get the oil. Acquiring the oil, advocates say, would also protect jobs and security in the United States by lessening dependence on foreign countries for oil. If these countries were to stop supplying the United States with oil, it would cause economic hardships, including a high price of gasoline. Those who do not favor oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge believe that U.S. citizens can reduce their need for energy by adopting simple efficiency measures. They suggest that this would save many times the oil that could come from drilling in the Arctic refuge and that, by using a renewable energy resource, the environment in the lower 48 United States would be protected, in addition to protecting the wildlife in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. How should citizens go about making a decision on this matter? What do you think is the best option for America? Would you vote for a president that felt differently than you on this particular issue? Why or why not? Mader, S.S. (2007). Biology. McGraw Hill: New York, NY.