Drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is not only ethically wrong but can also be very harmful to the environment and surrounding communities. The ANWR is a wildlife refuge in Alaska, it includes more than 19 acres of land and is very significant to the National Wildlife Refuge System (defenders.org). Drilling is ethically wrong in this area because it is one of America's last intact and untouched landscape and is home to 45 species of mammals, 42 fish species, and more than 200 migrational bird species (defender.org). The ANWR was established in 1960, it was put in place so that the wildlife in this area would be mostly uninfluenced by human beings. The arctic refuge contains one of the most fragile ecosystems in the world and by
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“Traditionally, Alaskan residents, trade unions and the business interests have supported drilling in the refuge, while environmental groups and many within the democratic party have traditionally opposed it.” (Wikipedia.org) This information shows that there is a lot of controversy around the topic. The groups opposing the drilling believe that it is unethical to drill in an area that was established to keep the wildlife and lands there safe from humans. By drilling for oil on this land, humans are damaging the environment, as well as harming the people who live close by to the refuge. “They fear that the caribou could shift their migration routes away from Native villages or even cease to exist as a migratory herd if oil development begins in the refuge.” (ANWR the great divide, par. 14) In this quote taken from the article, ANWR The Great Divide written by Scott Wallace, it is being described how in the surrounding lands people rely on these animals to live. If the Caribou stopped migrating by the native villages, they take the risk of not being able to provide for their families the food and other resources that are needed to survive. The drilling is forcing the Caribou and other animals that live in the refuge away from their normal migration patterns and away from the people who rely on them for their own
“Traditionally, Alaskan residents, trade unions and the business interests have supported drilling in the refuge, while environmental groups and many within the democratic party have traditionally opposed it.” (Wikipedia.org) This information shows that there is a lot of controversy around the topic. The groups opposing the drilling believe that it is unethical to drill in an area that was established to keep the wildlife and lands there safe from humans. By drilling for oil on this land, humans are damaging the environment, as well as harming the people who live close by to the refuge. “They fear that the caribou could shift their migration routes away from Native villages or even cease to exist as a migratory herd if oil development begins in the refuge.” (ANWR the great divide, par. 14) In this quote taken from the article, ANWR The Great Divide written by Scott Wallace, it is being described how in the surrounding lands people rely on these animals to live. If the Caribou stopped migrating by the native villages, they take the risk of not being able to provide for their families the food and other resources that are needed to survive. The drilling is forcing the Caribou and other animals that live in the refuge away from their normal migration patterns and away from the people who rely on them for their own