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Town Hall
The Oil Spill (November/December 2010)
If you've been keeping up with the BP oil spill news, you've heard a lot of executives and politicians talk about how they'll fix America's worst environmental disaster ever. Now, Muse is turning the spotlight (and microphone) on you: what do you think should be done about the oil spill, Muse-lings? And how can we prevent oil spills in the future? End off-shore drilling? Focus more on the animals? Fire Poseidon, the sea god, for sleeping on the job?
And if you live near the spill, we'd love to hear about your experiences and observations!
Oil is kind of the source of all our problems, isn't it? Burning fossil fuels causes pollution, the wars that will inevitably break out when it runs out, the drilling, the spill, don't even get me started on oil prices! So find an alternative fuel source!
(November 13, 2010 - 4:03 pm)
nice thinking
YAY!!!!!! alternate fuel
(November 16, 2010 - 10:24 am)
Yes, but how will people fight wars without oil to fuel the tanks, aircrafts, etc.?
(December 30, 2010 - 6:26 pm)
Exactly! oil causes so much destruction, and problems!
(December 30, 2010 - 10:59 pm)
I think that an alternative fuel source is a good idea. the coasts of america hold enought wind power to run the usa 4 times over. same with the deserts . they have enough sun! why wont people run their lives on solar and wind power. we have caused enough oil problems already!
(November 14, 2010 - 11:42 am)
Rock on with the solar energy/alternative fuel power source! I mean, people have already worked on and completed solar powered engines and transportation. It wouldn't be hard to reduce the price of production with all the scientific research in matters such as this.
MD
(November 24, 2010 - 3:22 pm)
I just reread the book Lionboy. It says that in the future they had to ban cars because the oil ran out. We can't wait until the oil runs out to realize that the way we are consuming this disgusting liquid is not going to work forever. Emma S and Caroline G told us about alternative energy sources. What about more hybrids? What if we figured out a way to make an oil equivalent out of water? Preventing oil spills in the future means that we need to break off our relationship with oil itself.
(November 14, 2010 - 6:08 pm)
Funny, I'm reading Lionboy right now! The book mentions electrically run scooters and vans. That's worth some consideration, I think.
(November 23, 2010 - 8:58 pm)
I just say people should be more careful. Oh, and T.F.O.T.M.R. (The Force Of The Muse Readers) should fire the oil rig workers.
(November 14, 2010 - 6:33 pm)
Good plan.
(January 1, 2011 - 2:58 pm)
most of the oil rig workers died. can you fire dead ppl??????????
(January 11, 2011 - 9:15 pm)
Honestly, I think that oil rigs are the stupidest idea ever. To solve oil problems, FIND AN ALTERNATE FUEL SOURCE ALREADYand stop making oil rigs!!! They are ugly and a waste of money.
SOLAR POWERED CARS RULE!
(November 15, 2010 - 5:13 pm)
Also-I think that we should bring back horses. Sure, it'd take longer, but we could also use their poop as compost!
(November 18, 2010 - 4:47 pm)
I totally agree w/ you, Erin. I think so as well. But my brother can't stand the smell of horse poo... oh well, I guess he'll just have to live with it. :-)
(November 21, 2010 - 8:18 pm)
weren't clothespins invented to plug your nose? your bro has NO excuse!
(December 7, 2010 - 6:33 pm)
This is sooo cool! I got a reply! Well, i suppose. I will tell him that. Thank you!
(December 27, 2010 - 11:49 am)
i agree with erin k. humens think soo wiered. they only think of htemselves and not of the earth and their surondings. it cind of confuses me dosn't confuse you. rainforst gon, birds dead, oil spilled. you know what they say DON'T CRY OVER SPILLED MILK UNLESS IT'S GOING TO KILL SOME SEA TURTLES. ok HAS ANY ONE SAID THAT??? i say, look how late it's getting. i still have somem home work to do, that i'l happly print on resicled papper. bye
ps, how come the discusiton page has less traffic now.
(January 5, 2012 - 9:26 pm)
If you ask me about oil, it causes nothing but trouble. Oil spils on the water hurts and kills wildlife, it causes pollution, and we only have a limited supply of it. We need to find a different source of energy to run our cars. Find a way to use grass for example. It is easly grown and there is plenty of it. It is also easy to grow. My point is that we need to find a different source of energy fast or the world we live in will become a wasteland before we know it. The pollution from coal burning power plants doesn't help. The less fossil fuels we use, the better the world will be.
(November 15, 2010 - 7:44 pm)
I agree. I'm not saying that we should stop using oil completely, or that we evan can. But we can definitely use less. Is it really that hard to walk sometimes instead of driving, or ride a bike? Both are better for the environment, more fun, AND healthier. I've got a lot to say here and could go on and on, but I will spare you the headache and just say that we could do a lot more for the environment then we are doing now.
(November 20, 2010 - 8:28 pm)
Walking and biking and running are all a lot better, but in the winter what else can we do? Biking is out, walking is cold and running is hard. Lots of excuses people could make would make them drive instead which is why oil and gas could be spared by using hydrogen! Hydrogen is awesome and it doesnt have carbon dioxide or something like that for exhaust, it's exaust is water! it's super awesome! and they make Hydrogen cars now, it's just hard to find them because of the severe lack of hydrogen fuel stations in this really confusing world that we live in. I like mac N' Cheese, I wanted to end on that.
(December 20, 2010 - 5:59 pm)
We need to find a better energy source than fossil fuels. Oil rigs and oil spils are happening all around us. They are hurting wildlife and destroying everything around us. Stop the drilling of oil and find a better source of energy.
(November 15, 2010 - 7:48 pm)
What would be cool is if there were a chemical-opposite-whatchamacalit-thing to oil. Like acid and base. It would neutralize the oil spill!
(November 16, 2010 - 5:42 pm)
Petroleum is quite chemically stable, which is a bummer. But the bacteria they've set to work on the problem have enzymes that might break down the oil very efficiently...hey! That's it! We extract the enzymes from the bacteria and spray it all over. Poof! Problem solved.
(December 16, 2010 - 11:25 am)
But what will the enzymes do to the rest of the ocean? Nice thinking, though...
(December 19, 2010 - 3:06 pm)
What do you not understand about the words "First & Last name initial only"?!?!?!?!?!
PS- I'm Erin's sister in 6th grade. GO ANACONDAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(November 18, 2010 - 4:50 pm)
GO HYBRIDS!!
or better yet,electric or hydrogen!
(November 15, 2010 - 10:26 pm)
YESSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GO HYBRIDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(November 18, 2010 - 4:14 pm)
The problem with hybrid cars is that it will take FOREVER to get everyone driving hybrid cars. All the car manufacturers would have make only hybrid cars, and then still it would be a long time. What I suggest is this: Start now, and until then, PLANT MORE TREES ON ROADS. They absorb the carbon dioxide.
AND GET A HYBRID CAR. When you're old enough I mean (I'm guessing that most people on this blog aren't 16 yet. )
(November 19, 2010 - 4:02 pm)
We shouldn't drive hybrid cars, we should just walk to places or ride a bike. and if your in a hurry, take public transportation, that way dozens of people can get to a place at once. in one bus.
(November 25, 2010 - 12:31 pm)
What about family car trips? I recently went on one, and I 'm sorry but if my sister had to ride a bike from here to 5 states away, I would go berserk from the screaming and whining. It's bad enough in the car. So don't use a car for, say, going to the library, but sometimes it's unavoidable.
On Mondays I have to carry an alto sax AND a tenor sax to school (long story), and seeing as I can't take it on the bus (it's too much to carry, not only would I trip everywhere walking to my seat but the bus driver would suspend me) and it would be pretty much impossible to take them on a bike with a backpack too, I kind of have to take a car. So we can't completely eliminate cars.
It's sometimes hard to take a bike, because the bike routes are REALLY messed up sometimes. But there's sidewalks everywhere (not in neighborhoods, people use those) that practically NOBODY uses. So use those! For biking! It's pretty much impossible for me to get to the library on my bike using the bike routes on the street, so I cut through neighborhoods and use the streets, and use sidewalks on main roads with too much traffic.
This way I'm not using the "bike routes", risking my life biking on a narrow strip of road that's crumbling into a lava-filled gorge. I can see the red fire bubbling below me. My bike teeters precariously on the edge. Come on, I think to myself, keep pedaling. You're almost there. Don't look down. Think about the overdue books that you need to return. There's a crunch as the pavement crumbles beneath the wheel. "NOOOO!!!", I yell. The street gives way. My life flashes before my eyes as I tumble into the abyss with a bicycle and some chunks of concrete. The last thing I will ever feel is the searing heat, and see the firey redness encompassing me... and I die.
Okay, so that was exaggerated a little. Fine, a lot. Still.
(November 28, 2010 - 4:12 pm)
I think that -like most of the other comments- we need to find an alternet source for energy. One that is renewable or inexhaustable (I know that really there is no such thing as inexhaustable since the sun will eventialy blow up anyway and then their will be no wind or solar power then.) But of coarse that is easier said than done.
I heard that a scientist was tring to make things run off of corn, but quite frankly I like corn and I bet it would get extremly expensive if everything ran off of corn. I can picture it: "Now, when I was your age we ate corn. It was so tasty. You would put butter on it- mm-mmm! And you can't belive how much homework we hade compared to you young ones. Back in the day we would walk 2 miles to school and-" "Corn is edable!!! Yuck!!!" I imagion it would be much like finding out my grandmother ate gasolne at dinner and actaily liked it. Anyway, getting back on subject- I think scientists should find out how to make things run off of trash. As long as their our humans most likly (unless in the next 300 or so years everything will become recyclable and everyone will recyle) their will be trash.
But as I have said in the begining, easier said than done.
P.S. Pardon my spelling- It is my worst subject.
(December 2, 2010 - 9:14 pm)
If you have been following the corn thread, you know that we have too much corn than we know what to do with. We are feeding it to animals who cannot digest it, which causes all sorts of problems. If you ask me, that is animal abuse. So if we could find a way to find corn for fuel, I'd be all over it. I mean, that problem with our grandchildren thinking we have problems eating corn is pretty minor compared to the fact that if we made things run on corn, it would solve a lot of problems. Besides, it's not like corn won't be like a plant anymore or anything. I'm sure that if things ran on corn, you could still eat it.
What you said about inexhaustable sources of energy: If the sun ever does go supernova, we will all be dead and not need sources of energy. So I think that for now, solar energy is our best bet, but it will still take forever because getting everyone to have solar/corn cars will take a long time, seeing as the economy is in terrible shape and people aren't exactly rushing to buy new cars.
(December 5, 2010 - 8:24 am)
Caroline, I did not realize we had so much corn that we are just feeding it to animals that cannot dijest it any way. Now that I know this, I think corn would be a good thing to make fuel out of. I hope you realize thae grandchildren thing was a joke. A bad one- I know, but a joke all the same. I agree with you on solar power too; I think it is a great source to use but it will take a while for everyone to transition to it... like you said the economy is not in a great shape right now. Thanks for the feedback.
(December 9, 2010 - 9:03 pm)
Yes- if only there were a quick, easy solution, with no strings attached! One that would solve all our problems and fix the economy! (If only there was such thing as a free lunch...)
(December 11, 2010 - 2:55 pm)
No! Posidon is awesome! Almost as awesome as the Muses! Plus, if we fire him, he'll probably get ticked off and send a huge tsunami our way, so, bad idea.
I think alternative fuels are the way to go. Instead of relying on oil rigs, which are ugly, pollute, are dangerous to work on, and explode if you don't do everything EXACTLY right, we should research and develop stuff like wind power, solar power and tidal turbines.
I get having to use a car a lot (I swear, my backpack weighed like ten pounds by the end of the year, and I lived 17 miles from my school, so bikes were not an option) but driving a block down the street to the seven eleven when there's a sidewalk AND bike path RIGHT THERE? Come on. Don't use a car for everything! And if you absolutely MUST use a car EVERY DAY, a hybrid is probably worth investing in.
Also, we should add more bike paths and sidewalks! My city has almost NO bike paths, and the sidewalks stop intermittently every five feet, so if you actually try to ride your bike somewhere, you're right next to a car most of the time, which can be pretty scary...
By the way, that story about the baby sea turtles was AWESOME! And who knew that driving several tons of hot dog meat could be so dangerous... *shivers*
(December 2, 2010 - 10:48 pm)
I agree with you! On pretty much everything! Also, we should NOT fire Posiedon. He cannot control what mortals spill in the sea. How is it his fault?
(December 7, 2010 - 5:47 pm)
Agreed. We should not fire Poseidon.
Who is the Greek god of oil again? That is who we should fire.
(January 1, 2011 - 3:08 pm)
I think that we should definitely find a substitute fuel, but while we are at it I should say that using plastic bottles is a huge problem, our oceans and lakes and rivers are being polluted by plastic bottles. Manatees are eating the plastic bottles and are dying, plastic bottles are found 100's of miles out in the ocean. I think that the future of our world depends on our generation, so please, this is just like using plastic bags or paper bags at a grocery store, try and use fiber bags and use stainless steel or glass bottles.
(December 7, 2010 - 6:42 pm)
I think that it is OK to use plastic water bottles when there are no places to refill a stainless steel one, as long as you recycle it and don't throw it away. I mean, it's as easy as putting it in a different bin! Or if there is not a recycling bin, crunch it and put it in your pocket/backpack until you find one!!
(December 11, 2010 - 3:00 pm)
I think we should really start doing is the three Rs: reduce, reuse and recycle. You have probably all heard of these terms, but I believe it is important to stress this. I have met people that have just started recycling. It is critical that we do not forget the other two: reduce, and reuse. They are just as important.
(December 14, 2010 - 8:34 pm)
I live very close to the oil spill. Galveston -if you don’t know your geography, get an atlas. I’ll be waiting.
... Those who actually did get an atlas I give you sincere thanks. Those who didn’t it is port in southeastern Texas (southeast of Houston) located on Galveston Bay an inlet of the Gulf of Mexico.
Anyway Galveston is relatively close and we go their reasonably often. I think almost everyone can agree that the oil spill is is terribly sad. All of it. From the poor animals that come on to the sea dead with oil in their lungs to the fisherman that cannot support their families. The environmentalists said we shouldn’t do off-shore drilling and that company did some shortcuts to save money and look what it has come down to!!!!
When the oil spill was ‘at its worst’ someone I know went to Florida. They were looking at the astonishing coral reefs. If the oil spill reached there the coral reefs would die. And all those animals that lived in it probably would too.
(December 14, 2010 - 9:04 pm)
we nead to be more considerete of the inverment. unforchenitly just edresing the oil problems probably isnt enofe to proteckt our fragile ecosistum. a nother problem is not how to edres the problem but how t get peole to tack action on it. convincing peaple that it is wurth the efert it always truble some. some peaple think that globle wormign is just a big scam. others are convinsed that what they do dosn't matter. it pobably don't in the cosmck sence of things. but if evry one throws rox in the stream soon we wont have a stream. same goes for land fills and the otion. thinck about the pesifick garbage pach. it is larger then astralia. it has bin coleckting flowting plastcik for a long time. cosing huge problems. peaple must be aware that there actions are efeckting the fucher of the world. there is so moch conchrevesul on this subjeckt that i could go on for ours. but since that would brobably bore evry one out of there minds heres the short fertion. reuse reduce and resickle, that means YOU!
(December 20, 2010 - 4:02 pm)
some people are working on making fuel out of algie a over opulating reasorce. a ne electric car just came out. thank god some people are thinking about these problems!
(December 30, 2010 - 2:36 pm)
Yes people are making electric cars but to power them you still need electricity which is made by burning fossil fuels, so even if every one used an electric car there would still be a lot o green house gasses but into the atmosphere to make power for them. I think people should look closer tho the source and find a better alternative fuel.
(January 3, 2011 - 10:52 am)
It is NOT good to use plastic water bottles because the plastic bottle company gets the water from our lakes and springs,I live in Tallahassee and there a lot of springs here and one of them is called the Wacissa and a bottling company came in and wants to use one of the most beautiful springs for there own! Please,it's NOT O.K to use plastic water bottles!Some people think its ok but it's not the citizens of Tallahassee are fighting back and you can help to save our beautiful waters by not drinking Nestle bottled water because that is the water company that is coming to the Wacissa.
80% of "recycled" plastic ends up not recycled.
(January 4, 2011 - 4:49 pm)
a bunch of pelicans got killed becuase of oil!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(February 21, 2011 - 8:05 pm)