The idea has been toyed with for years, drilling in the arctic. Land that has been set aside for over 40 years, has recently reemerged for the long lasting debate of whether or not drilling in the arctic will solve our soaring gas prices. Drilling in the arctic would create up to 330,000 jobs, but at the same it would be destroying an already delicate ecosystem.
Well the big one hit the other day. A massive avalance tore through Alaska's capital city Juneau, or just outside of it I should say. The damage is done though. The avalance took out juneaus hydro electric plant, tearing some of the power lines(you know... the big ones?) out of the ground.
While visiting graduate schools this past month, trying to find the perfect fit, I spent my time in the airports, buses and subways reading "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer. I was told by several friends close to me that the movie was amazing and that the young Chris McCandless (the stories protagonist) was a bold, and awe-invoking character.
Hello, everyone! For those of you who haven't heard of ANWR, it's the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Located up in Alaska, the Refuge is a very large reservation with a very beautiful and biologically diverse landscape that is home to hundreds upon hundreds of endangered arctic species that the Alaskans are trying to save. ANWR also happens to be the topic of an essay I am doing as of late, and so I thought I would spread the issues out here for people to read and respond to.
Alaska is the only state, not surprisingly, with a natural population of polar bears. One might thus assume that Alaska would want to protect the symbol of their state. However, it is currently being debated as to whether or not polar bears should join the list of threatened species under the Endangered Species Act, and Alaska is against the motion.
For thousands of years, the Inuit people have overcome many obstacles to preserve their unique lifestyle and culture. They hone incredible hunting and fishing skills and depend on marine life to support their alimentary needs. We might relax in front of our televisions with a microwaveable factory-made dinner, while arctic natives catch seal, whales, caribou, and walrus for their meals.
Lately, we have been so dependent on oil from the middle east, that we are putting many things at risk. It seems very silly to depend on oil from the middle east when that is the very place where we are waging war (Iraq to be more specific). Excuses have been made that there is no oil elsewhere, and the best place to drill is in Alaska.
