How is this oil spill not a big deal?

[Amber Lamps]

Originally Posted by The Chi

But then we would all die like the dinosaurs cuz hoomans are too stupid not to drive into things like that...

Yep!!! Oh and I appreciate that you "get me"... I just get tired of people that use 3 drops less oil than I do, telling me how to live.

[azoomm]

Originally Posted by Amber Lamps

I avoided this tactic because they covered it with Rush Limbaugh...it could also be said that by draining off the pressure with drilling, we actually reduce the amount of oil that seeps into the ocean.... In other words, if we left oil alone, we would have hundreds of tar pits around the world....

I'm always confused by the deflection statements of "it happens in nature anyway..."

Do zebra muscles have their place in the environment, yes. What happens when humans introduce them artifically into another environment? Bad things. To simply state that something happens to some extent somewhere else on the planet is not a valid argument.

[Cruzergirl]

Originally Posted by MILK

Because the media blows most everything out of proportion it makes it hard to judge what is really a disaster. Like I said in an earlier post - I was in Alaska after the Valdez and the locals said the spill was nowhere close to being as bad as potrayed...

Same goes for whenever we get 1/4" of snow here - you'd think the world was coming to an end..

On this ONE point I have to disagree. I had friends who helped clean and know many fishermen in the area. It WAS that bad.


Luv ya! Mean it!

[Amber Lamps]

Originally Posted by azoomm

I'm always confused by the deflection statements of "it happens in nature anyway..."

Do zebra muscles have their place in the environment, yes. What happens when humans introduce them artifically into another environment? Bad things. To simply state that something happens to some extent somewhere else on the planet is not a valid argument.

what if it occurs in that part of the world naturally... what if they could prove that this oil plus whatever has been pumped would have seeped into the ocean naturally, them what? oil is a natural compound... I honestly want to discuss this as I am honestly interested in non emotionally driven debate.

[azoomm]

Originally Posted by Amber Lamps

what if it occurs in that part of the world naturally... what if they could prove that this oil plus whatever has been pumped would have seeped into the ocean naturally, them what? oil is a natural compound... I honestly want to discuss this as I am honestly interested in non emotionally driven debate.

OK, I won't use smilies.

If they can prove THAT MUCH oil seeps from the ground in that area naturally then I wouldn't have any issue with it at all.

Hell, I'm just hoping the industry starts taking the safety issues seriously. And, by safety, I mean for people and the world around them.

[EpyonXero]

Originally Posted by Amber Lamps

what if it occurs in that part of the world naturally... what if they could prove that this oil plus whatever has been pumped would have seeped into the ocean naturally, them what? oil is a natural compound... I honestly want to discuss this as I am honestly interested in non emotionally driven debate.

Thats a big IF. Proving that oil could leak through 1000 m of rock.

[goof2]

Originally Posted by EpyonXero

Thats a big IF. Proving that oil could leak through 1000 m of rock.

The note at the bottom of the below linked page, continuing to the next page, covers how they estimate natural seepage. Part of that estimate is through observation of actual natural seepage. Take it how you want but scientists actually observing it happening constitutes proof for me.

The primary subject of the link shows how and in what quantities the government believes oil gets in to the seas for anyone else who is interested.

http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=10388&page=69

[Papa_Complex]

I sure hope that you aren't equating a minute level of natural seepage with punching a bike sized hole straight down to it.

[azoomm]

Originally Posted by Papa_Complex

I sure hope that you aren't equating a minute level of natural seepage with punching a bike sized hole straight down to it.

That's what I'm reading.

[goof2]

Originally Posted by Papa_Complex

I sure hope that you aren't equating a minute level of natural seepage with punching a bike sized hole straight down to it.

If by "minute level" you mean their midline estimate of 140,000 metric tons per year (around 1 million barrels per year) in the Gulf of Mexico alone than yes, that is what I am equating it to.

ETA: As I said in my earlier post though, there will be a large impact because of the concentration of oil in this case.