Opinion

Stop drilling; seek alternatives

Posted June 26, 2010 11:00 pm

I've always enjoyed the rich biodiversity Illinois has offered me. My natural surroundings are something that I will remember for the rest of my life, a treasured memory that I believe everyone deserves to have. And so, in recent news we have seen the impact of corporate negligence which has led to irreversible damage and has denied many the opportunity to enjoy what nature has provided to them.

The region has been negatively affected and there is now nothing we can do to stop the human loss and tragedy, as well as the impact to the sea life.

The Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989 was 11 million gallons, and the region is continuing to see the effects. It has happened in the past, it is happening now to a worse extent, and we must now ensure that it never occurs again.

Our dependence on oil has reached a point where the cost-benefit analysis is pointing toward alternative forms of energy. We must cease all future drilling. We need to keep oil companies from buying our representatives and the news media so that everyone is well-informed and we are truly a democracy working toward the betterment of humanity rather than the betterment of BP's profits.

Belia Portillo

West Dundee

Article Comments

Article Comments

Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.