Human Rights, Democracy, And Peace - 1134 Words

â€Å"In a few decades, the relationship between the environment, resources, and conflict may seem almost as obvious as the connection we see today between human rights, democracy, and peace (Nobel Peace Prize Medalist Maathai 2004).† TransCanada, a Canadian company, has high hopes of beginning to build an oil pipeline that would stretch close to 2,000 miles from Alberta, Canada to the Gulf Coast of Texas. With the approval of construction, the pipeline, known as the Keystone XL, would carry one of the world’s filthiest fuels; tar sand oil. Tar sands oil alone has levels of carbon dioxide emissions that are three to four times higher than those of conventional oil, due to more energy-intensive removal and refining processes (Friends of the†¦show more content†¦The U.S. uses nearly 400 million gallons of oil every day moving people in automobiles, goods on freight trucks, air travel, also rail and transit. Cars and everyday trucks use nine million barrels of oil per day alone (Sierra Club Foundation). Oil poses major environmental problems, and the world’s heavy reliance on it for transportation makes it difficult to reduce consumption. Spilled oil can harm living things because its chemical components are poisonous. This can affect organisms both from internal exposure to oil through ingestion or inhalation and from external exposure through skin and eye irritation. Oil can also smother some small species of fish or invertebrates and coat feathers and fur, reducing birds and mammals ability to maintain their body temperatures. The short-term threat from heavy oils, like tar sand oil, comes from their ability to smother organisms whereas over the long-term, some long-lasting health effects like tumors may result in some organisms (Office of Response and Restoration). If animals like birds and otters become drenched in heavy oil, they lose the ability to keep themselves warm and eventually die. The Keystone XL supporters exhaust the idea that constructing of the Keystone will create thousands of jobs. While that is partially true, the numbers are exaggerated and unemployment will only raise half of what supporters