Asteroid Mining is Becoming a Reality

Their efforts have a drastic impact on the planet, which leads the natives of the planet, the Na’vi, to retaliate and stop the humans from destroying their home. The situation with Alberta’s oil sands is clearly, but not completely, reflected in the movie Avatar. This is evident when comparing and contrasting the economic, social, and ecological sustainability of both worlds. Many similarities and differences between Alberta’s oil sands and Avatar’s Pandora can be found when looking at the economic sustainability of both. The goal of Alberta’s efforts in the oil sands and the humans in Avatar is to extract a valuable resource. Oil companies in Alberta extract bitumen from the oil sands, upgrade it so it could be sent to oil refineries, and export and sell it to other countries that have a high demand for oil. In Avatar, humans have arrived on Pandora to extract unobtainium, a rare metal found under the surface of Pandora worth about $20 million per kilogram, as Earth has lost all of its natural

Many advocates of oil exploration promote the merits that come with it, mainly in economy. Carter addresses these, but urges his audience to "look beyond the alleged benefits of a short-term economic gain and focus on what is really at stake" (Carter 7). He hypothesizes that any oil extracted would only cover perhaps 2 percent of oil the nation consumes in a single day. However, his alternative is to conserve this with fuel efficient vehicles. Carter insists that instead of destroying a natural habitat for more resources, we should use the resources we currently have

Klare explores contentious issues in which easily obtained supplies are terminating. Particularly, companies that deal in such resources must turn to the more difficult methods to extract sources of oil, natural gas, and various minerals. This has led to controversial methods such as deep-water oil wells, hydrofracking for natural gas and other energy sources. Also, the acid fracking for copper: which some environmentalists maintain that these methods cause environmental damage and should not be permitted.

The U.S. should invest in alternatives to oil, and drill on the United States grounds because it will assist the economy, preserve energy and fix the world’s environmental problems. The supply and demand for oil is always on the rise, and problems are contemplated with the use for oil. Those problems are starting to catch up to the modern world, and something needs to change before the world enters a black out. Experts can predict that there is estimated to be somewhere around 61 years of oil left for us to use at our current rate. The demand for oil is always rising. People in today’s modern society rely so heavily on oil, that they would not know what to expect if it

The issue to be discussed in this paper is the moral rightness associated with utilizing gasoline and oil in the vehicles of tomorrow. Since the release of the Ford Model T in 1908, gasoline has been the primary source of fuel by which vehicles rely on to run. In 1908, the price of oil was about $18 per barrel2. The mode

Most people probably do not think about how much of their lives depend on oil. This profitable commodity is constantly being used around the world, twenty four hours a day and seven days a week. From the scented creams people use on their bodies, to the airline jets soaring above, oils are being used. Oil is one of three major forms of fossil fuels, coal and natural gas being the rest. Fossil fuels began forming millions of years ago in the Carboniferous Period when trees, plants, and small organisms died (DOE, 2015). Eventually the fossils sank to the bottom of many swamps and oceans forming layers of peat (a brown, soil-like, and spongy material). Over thousands of years, peat was covered by clay, sand, and other minerals which turned into a type of rock called sedimentary. Over thousands of years rocks piled on top of the peat creating more pressure. Eventually the pressure managed to squeeze water out of the peat and over millions of years, this mineral rich water turned into the three major fossil fuels that people know and use today (DOE, 2015). Regardless of its proficiency and success, the oil industry has become one of the most unethical businesses in the world. Their blatant disregard for the environment and its inhabitants have continuously put them in the crosshairs of many conservatives and concerned citizens. This paper primarily focuses on the ethical dilemmas that surround the oil industry.

Some argue that, economically, the mining operation will be a net gain in money for the working class and that 75 to 80 percent of the jobs in northern Minnesota will be local [1]. However, for the project to fully go through, it requires “$200 million to $400 million in financial protections, and would overall be a financial liability for taxpayers” [2]. So despite how many jobs the project will create, it could result in a net loss of money for the people living in that area. Another problem that PolyMet thinks they have solved is the mass amount of pollution that will surface during the mining process. They say they will “use the most advanced mining procedures to extract the materials and prevent pollution during the mines 20 year life” [3]. Not only is this solution incredibly vague in its description, but many argue that “the pollution will be a problem long after the mine plays out and PolyMet is gone. The latest studies shows a possibility that the mine’s wastewater could flow north to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness” [3]. The argument that advanced procedures would be used against pollution falls short of satisfactory when their description is so ill-defined.

In believe we should not drill in Alaska to satisfy our fuel dependencies. As stated in the documentary “We can import minerals but we cannot import wilderness”, drilling begins a tradeoff; in exchange for minerals we get a damaged ecosystem. Some argue that Alaska has an immense supply of resources that would liberate us from foreign oil, however, there is no guarantee of vast quantities of minerals in Alaska, as the U.S. Department of Energy has stated that there is "considerable uncertainty regarding both the size and quality of the oil resources that exist”. Drilling damages the environment while possibly wielding disappointing results. Even if there is a reservoir of natural resources in Alaska it would not be immediately available

Of all the values plaguing Montana socially and environmentally, the issue of mining plays the greatest role in the state. Although recognized as being one of the largest pillars of Montana’s economy, mining poses a serious threat to the ecosystems surrounding it. The main problem within this industry is that after mining takes places, there are many toxic materials, like arsenic and zinc, that remain in the waste rock and tailings. These toxic substances are harmful to people as well as wildlife and once they enter the groundwater, rivers, or soil, they become a very serious health hazard. Currently, there are government regulations for all mining companies that assure none are participating in these harmful practices. Although many new companies

On the contrary, I argue that economic growth is important, but the destructive environmental effects this bill will bring about outweigh their benefit. The extraction of the oil sands will cause immediate damage to the ecosystem, and the Transportation of these sands could pollute the drinking water of over 2.3 million Americans (Denneky). For the remainder of this paper I will elaborate on my arguments against the bill, and address the arguments in favor of the bill.

The mining process involves many big vehicles and other technology that release huge amounts of pollution into the atmosphere speeding up global warming and causing climate change.

According to Gravity Tractor as Asteroid Mover by Emily Sohn, ”First the tractor would zoom up to the threatening asteroid and stop a short distance away…The tractor could then use its own gravity to tug the asteroid off course”. This spaceship tractor could help keep us safe and, not only that, it could destroy the asteroid. “Eight hundred square miles of remote forest had been ripped asunder. Eight million trees were on their sides, lying in a radial pattern.” The devastation that happened (Tunguska Meteor Impact article) This means, asteroids are hurting our environment and this is a problem. Craters data chart shows, Vredefort Crater happened two billion years ago! It was located in free state, South Africa and the

Klare explores contentious issues in which easily obtained supplies are terminating. Particularly, companies that deal in such resources must turn to the more difficult methods to extract sources of oil, natural gas, and various minerals. This has led to controversial methods such as deep-water oil wells, hydrofracking for natural gas and other energy sources. Also, the acid fracking for copper: which some environmentalists maintain that these methods cause environmental damage and should not be permitted.

In our days, mining for resources is inevitable. The resources we need are valuable in everyday life. Such resources mined up are coal, copper, gold, silver, and sand. However, mining poses environmental risks that can degrade the quality of soil and water, which can end up effecting us humans if not taken care of and many of the damages are irreversible once they have occurred.

Another perspective to look at it is that social impact mining has. Though it can be difficult to separate the economic impact from the social, because many social issues are the result of poverty. Meaning that if the mining